ثنى

Core meaning

Two, and what goes by two: counting in pairs, folding a thing upon itself, setting a part aside from the rest.

Uses

1. ٱثْنَان, ٱثْنَتَان → "two" : the number; also in "twelve" and in "twice".

   • «إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمُ ٱثْنَيْنِ» — "when We sent two to them" (36:14)
   • «أَمَتَّنَا ٱثْنَتَيْنِ وَأَحْيَيْتَنَا ٱثْنَتَيْنِ» — "You made us die twice and made us live twice" (40:11)

2. مَثْنَىٰ, ثَانِى → "two by two", "the second" : counting in pairs, and the rank of second.

   • «أَن تَقُومُوا۟ لِلَّهِ مَثْنَىٰ وَفُرَٰدَىٰ» — "that you stand up for God, two by two or one by one" (34:46)
   • «ثَانِىَ ٱثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِى ٱلْغَارِ» — "the second of two, when they were both in the cave" (9:40)

3. يَثْنُونَ, ثَانِىَ عِطْفِهِ → "to fold" : to fold the chest or the side upon oneself, in order to hide.

   • «أَلَآ إِنَّهُمْ يَثْنُونَ صُدُورَهُمْ» — "Is it not so: they indeed fold their chests" (11:5)

4. ٱلْمَثَانِى → "couplets" : the parts of the Scripture that go by two and answer each other.

   • «وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَٰكَ سَبْعًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَثَانِى» — "We have indeed given you seven of the couplets" (15:87)
   • «كِتَٰبًۭا مُّتَشَٰبِهًۭا مَّثَانِىَ» — "a Scripture whose parts resemble one another, in couplets" (39:23)

5. ٱسْتَثْنَىٰ → "to make an exception" : to set a part aside from what one affirms.

   • «وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ» — "without exception" (68:18)

Evidence from the text

The number governs shares and pairs: two just witnesses (5:106), the heiresses "more than two" or two (4:11, 4:176), the beasts created in pairs (6:143-144), "two elements of a pair" of every kind in the vessel (11:40). It also serves to state oneness: "Do not take two deities" (16:51).

The same gesture carries the other uses. To fold the chest upon itself is to hide what it holds, "to hide from Him" (11:5). Couplets are parts that go by two and answer each other: the whole Scripture is said to be "in couplets" (39:23), and seven of them are given apart, beside the Recitation (15:87). To make an exception is to set a part aside: the people of the garden swear to harvest "without exception" (68:18).

Distinctions

• زوج — the element of a pair: each of the two, whereas ٱثْنَان counts the two
• ضعف — to double: to bring a quantity to twice as much, whereas ثنى names the number two and the fold

See also

ثلث (three)