رصد

Core meaning

To lie in wait: to stand posted so as to watch what comes, and await it on its way.

Uses

1. مَرْصَد, إِرْصَاد, مِرْصَاد → "point of observation", "lookout post" : the place from which one lies in wait.

   • «وَٱقْعُدُوا۟ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍۢ» — "and lie in wait for them at every point of observation" (9:5)
   • «إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًۭا» — "Indeed, Jahannam is a lookout post" (78:21)

2. رَصَد → "lying in wait", "lookouts" : what lies in wait, set in readiness, or those posted to watch.

   • «يَجِدْ لَهُۥ شِهَابًۭا رَّصَدًۭا» — "will find a blazing projectile lying in wait for him" (72:9)
   • «يَسْلُكُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦ رَصَدًۭا» — "He then makes lookouts go before him and behind him" (72:27)

3. بِٱلْمِرْصَادِ → "ever on the lookout" : said of God: nothing passes without His seeing it.

   • «إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِٱلْمِرْصَادِ» — "Surely, your Guardian is ever on the lookout" (89:14)

Evidence from the text

Lying in wait supposes a passage: that of the associators, awaited at every point of observation (9:5); that of whoever tries to listen to the sky and finds "a blazing projectile lying in wait for him" (72:9). In 9:107 a place of prostration is taken as a lookout post for an enemy of God; in 78:21 Jahannam itself awaits those who exceed all measure.

Said of God, the watch bears on transmission and on deeds: lookouts surround the messenger so that He may know that they have conveyed the messages of their Guardian (72:27), and, after the peoples who exceeded all measure, your Guardian is ever on the lookout (89:14).

See also

رقب (to observe, to watch over) · حرس (the guard)