بدل

Core meaning

To put one thing in the place of another: to change, to replace, to exchange.

Uses

1. بَدَّلَ, يُبَدِّلُ, تُبَدَّلُ → "to change", "to replace" : to make one thing become another, or take its place.

   • «يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ ٱلْأَرْضُ غَيْرَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتُ» — "The Day the earth will be changed into another earth, and the heavens too" (14:48)
   • «ثُمَّ بَدَّلَ حُسْنًۢا بَعْدَ سُوٓءٍۢ» — "then replaced evil with good" (27:11)
   • «فَمَنۢ بَدَّلَهُۥ بَعْدَمَا سَمِعَهُۥ» — "And whoever changes it after having heard it" (2:181)

2. مُبَدِّل, تَبْدِيل → "none can change", "no change" : the formula that sets down what cannot be replaced.

   • «وَلَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ» — "None can change the words of God" (6:34)
   • «لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ» — "No change to God's words" (10:64)

3. تَبَدَّلَ, ٱسْتَبْدَلَ → "to substitute", "to replace" : to take one thing in the place of another; said of God, to put one people in the place of another.

   • «وَلَا تَتَبَدَّلُوا۟ ٱلْخَبِيثَ بِٱلطَّيِّبِ» — "and do not substitute the vile for the wholesome" (4:2)
   • «وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ» — "And if you turn your backs, He will replace you with another people" (47:38)

4. أَبْدَلَ, بَدَل → "to give in exchange", "exchange" : what is received in the place of what is lost.

   • «أَن يُبْدِلَهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا خَيْرًۭا مِّنْهُ زَكَوٰةًۭ» — "their Guardian to give them in exchange one better than him in purity" (18:81)
   • «بِئْسَ لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ بَدَلًۭا» — "What a detestable exchange for the wrongdoers!" (18:50)

Evidence from the text

The replacement bears on things (the skins, 4:56; the two gardens, 34:16), on words and dispositions (the substituted saying, 2:59, 7:162; the testament changed after being heard, 2:181; the blessing of God, 2:211; the Recitation one would like to see changed, 10:15; the Law Fir'awn fears to see changed, 40:26), on states (evil replaced with good, 7:95, 25:70, 27:11; fear changed into security, 24:55) and on peoples (9:39, 47:38, 56:61).

The negative formula marks what escapes all replacement: the words of God (6:34, 6:115, 10:64, 18:27), His creation (30:30), His norm (33:62, 35:43, 48:23). Those who want "to change the word of God" (48:15) therefore attack what the text declares to have no substitute.

Distinctions

• غير — otherness: what is not the thing, whereas بدل is the act of putting one thing in the place of another
• خلف — succession: coming after, whereas بدل puts in the place of