لحم

Core meaning

Flesh: the matter of the body, of beast or man, that is eaten or that clothes the bones.

Uses

1. وَلَحْمَ, لَحْمًۭا, لَحْمَ → "flesh" : flesh that is eaten, permitted or prohibited.

   • «وَلَحْمَ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ» — "the flesh of swine" (2:173)
   • «لِتَأْكُلُوا۟ مِنْهُ لَحْمًۭا طَرِيًّۭا» — "so that you may eat from it fresh flesh" (16:14)
   • «أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًۭا» — "to eat the flesh of his dead brother" (49:12)

2. لَحْمًۭا → "to clothe with flesh" : the flesh with which God clothes the bones.

   • «فَكَسَوْنَا ٱلْعِظَٰمَ لَحْمًۭا» — "We clothed the bones with flesh" (23:14)
   • «ثُمَّ نَكْسُوهَا لَحْمًۭا» — "then clothe them with flesh" (2:259)

3. لُحُومُهَا → "their flesh" : the flesh of the offered beasts, which does not accrue to God.

   • «لَن يَنَالَ ٱللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَآؤُهَا» — "Neither their flesh nor their blood accrues to God" (22:37)

Evidence from the text

The word always names the same matter. It is eaten: the flesh of swine is prohibited (2:173), the fresh flesh of the sea is given (16:14), and no one would wish "to eat the flesh of his dead brother" (49:12). It clothes the bones, in the creation of man (23:14) as in the return to life (2:259).

In 22:37 the flesh of the offered beasts is named in order to be set aside: "Neither their flesh nor their blood accrues to God"; it is guardedness that accrues to Him.

See also

عظم (the bones that flesh clothes (23:14))