حضض

Core meaning

To urge others to act by an insistent word.

Uses

1. يَحُضُّ عَلَى, تَحَٰٓضُّونَ عَلَى → "to urge" : in all three uses, to urge the feeding of the destitute.

   • «وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ» — "nor did he urge the feeding of the destitute" (69:34)
   • «وَلَا تَحَٰٓضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ» — "and you do not urge the feeding of the destitute" (89:18)

Evidence from the text

The verb has only one object in the whole text, feeding the destitute, and it is always negated: a man who did not believe in God, the Immense (69:34), a community that does not honor the orphan (89:18), the one who denies the Due and roughly pushes away the orphan (107:3). The reproach bears not only on the gift not given, but on the word not said so that others give it; in 89:18 the reciprocal form makes it everyone's concern.

See also

طعم (to feed) · سكن (the destitute)