عرر

Core meaning

What reaches someone through a contact he did not want: the wrong incurred unknowingly; as a participle, the one who comes up to others in order to receive.

Uses

1. مَعَرَّة → "an injury" : the wrong one would have incurred without wanting or knowing it.

   • «فَتُصِيبَكُم مِّنْهُم مَّعَرَّةٌۢ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍۢ» — "so that an injury would have struck you because of them without your knowing" (48:25)

2. ٱلْمُعْتَرّ → "the one who comes forward" : the one who comes to the offering and presents himself, beside the one who is content without asking.

   • «وَأَطْعِمُوا۟ ٱلْقَانِعَ وَٱلْمُعْتَرَّ» — "feed the one who is content without asking and the one who comes forward" (22:36)

Evidence from the text

In 48:25, the wrong is twice said to be involuntary: these believers "you did not know", and the wrong would come "without your knowing". God held back the hands of both camps (48:24) so that no one would incur it.

In 22:36, ٱلْمُعْتَرّ pairs with ٱلْقَانِع: the one keeps to his place without asking anything, the other comes into contact with those who share the offering. In both uses the root names a contact that reaches: the wrong that touches, the presence of one who draws near.

Distinctions

• ضرر — harm: the evil caused, willed or not, without the idea of a contact suffered unawares
• ذنب — the wrong one commits and answers for, whereas مَعَرَّة is the one incurred unknowingly
• سئل — to ask: the request formulated, whereas ٱلْمُعْتَرّ is the one who presents himself

See also

قنع (to be content)