لعب

Core meaning

To play: to act without serious purpose, for nothing that lasts.

Uses

1. لَعِب, لَعِبًۭا → "play", "game" : what is done without import: the present life, or the Law turned into play.

   • «وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا لَعِبٌۭ وَلَهْوٌۭ» — "The present life is nothing but play and distraction" (6:32)
   • «ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ دِينَكُمْ هُزُوًۭا وَلَعِبًۭا» — "have made a mockery and a game of your Law" (5:57)

2. لَٰعِبِينَ → "in play" : the manner of acting denied of creation.

   • «وَمَا خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَٰعِبِينَ» — "We did not create the heaven and the earth, and what is between them, in play" (21:16)

3. ٱللَّٰعِبِينَ → "those who play" : those whose word does not commit them.

   • «أَمْ أَنتَ مِنَ ٱللَّٰعِبِينَ» — "or are you one of those who play?" (21:55)

4. يَلْعَبُونَ, يَلْعَبُوا۟ → "to play" : the verb: those who play in their vain talk, often joined to "to immerse oneself".

   • «ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِى خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ» — "then forsake them to their vain talk, in which they play" (6:91)
   • «فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا۟ وَيَلْعَبُوا۟» — "So let them be: let them immerse themselves and play" (43:83)

Evidence from the text

Play is always set against what counts. The present life "is nothing but play and distraction" (6:32), and the formula returns (29:64, 47:36, 57:20); to take the Law for play is to empty it of what commits (5:57, 6:70).

Creation is twice denied as play, in the same formula (21:16, 44:38): it has a purpose. And when Ibrahim speaks to his people, he is asked whether he is "one of those who play" (21:55): the messenger's seriousness is questioned by the very word.

The verb keeps the same sense. The deniers play in their vain talk (6:91, 52:12) or in doubt (44:9); "We were only immersing ourselves and playing", they say in 9:65, and the same pair returns in 43:83 and 70:42. In 12:12, Youssof's brothers join two verbs: "that he may enjoy himself and play"; the enjoyment is رتع, the play is لعب.

Distinctions

• لهو — distraction: what diverts attention, often joined to play
• هزء — mockery: play turned against someone
• رتع — to enjoy oneself: to frolic freely, joined to play in 12:12, whereas لعب is play itself