رئس

Core meaning

The head: the upper part of the body, the one that comes first; by the same image, the head of one's goods, the original sum from which all the rest comes.

Uses

1. رَأْس, رُءُوس → "head", "heads" : the head of the body: it is shaved, seized, lifted or bowed.

   • «وَلَا تَحْلِقُوا۟ رُءُوسَكُمْ» — "And do not shave your heads" (2:196)
   • «وَأَخَذَ بِرَأْسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُۥٓ إِلَيْهِ» — "and seized his brother by the head, dragging him toward himself" (7:150)
   • «لَوَّوْا۟ رُءُوسَهُمْ» — "they turn their heads aside" (63:5)

2. رُءُوس أَمْوَٰلِكُمْ → "the principal of your goods" : the heads of one's goods: the original sum, without what was added to it.

   • «فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَٰلِكُمْ» — "the principal of your goods" (2:279)

Evidence from the text

The word first names the head of the body, in the gestures of rite and narrative: the shaved head (2:196, 48:27), touched by the hands (5:6), seized by Moussa (7:150, 20:94), carrying the bread of the dream (12:36). Its posture tells the state of the one who bears it: lifted in terror (14:43), bowed in shame (32:12), shaken in disbelief (17:51), turned aside in pride (63:5).

In 2:279, the same image passes to goods. To the one who turns back from usury remains the head of his goods, the original sum, and nothing of what had been added to it; the verse gives its measure: "without your doing wrong or being wronged" (2:279).

See also

لوى (to twist, to turn aside (63:5))