قضى

Core meaning

To bring a thing to its term, so that it is settled with no return: to decree, to decide, to conclude, to put an end.

Uses

1. قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرًا, قَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ, قَضَىٰٓ أَجَلًا → "to decree" : to settle what shall be, a command, a term; the thing decreed comes about as soon as it is said.

   • «وَإِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرًۭا» — "When He decrees a matter" (2:117)
   • «وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ» — "Your Guardian has decreed that you obey none but Him" (17:23)
   • «ثُمَّ قَضَىٰٓ أَجَلًۭا» — "then decreed a term" (6:2)
   • «وَقَضَيْنَآ إِلَيْهِ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْأَمْرَ» — "And We decreed to him this command" (15:66)

2. قُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ, يَقْضِى بَيْنَهُمْ → "to decide" : to settle a matter or a dispute, with no recourse.

   • «قُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ ٱلَّذِى فِيهِ تَسْتَفْتِيَانِ» — "The matter on which you both consulted me is decided" (12:41)
   • «إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِى بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ» — "Your Guardian will indeed decide between them, on the Day of Appearance" (10:93)
   • «وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ» — "the matter was decided" (11:44)

3. قَضَىٰ ٱلْأَجَلَ, قَضَيْتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ, قَضَىٰ نَحْبَهُۥ, لِّيَقْضِىَ ٱللَّهُ أَمْرًا → "to conclude", "to bring to its term" : to bring a period, a rite, a commitment, a matter already settled to its term.

   • «فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ مُوسَى ٱلْأَجَلَ» — "When Moussa had concluded the term" (28:29)
   • «فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ» — "And when you have concluded the Contact" (4:103)
   • «فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُم مَّنَٰسِكَكُمْ» — "And when you have completed your beneficent practices" (2:200)
   • «لِّيَقْضِىَ ٱللَّهُ أَمْرًۭا كَانَ مَفْعُولًۭا» — "so that God might bring to its term a matter that was a thing done" (8:42)

4. ٱقْضِ, تَقْضِى, ٱقْضُوٓا۟ إِلَىَّ → "to decide", "to carry out" : the ruling a man pronounces and has carried out.

   • «فَٱقْضِ مَآ أَنتَ قَاضٍ» — "So decide whatever you are to decide" (20:72)
   • «ثُمَّ ٱقْضُوٓا۟ إِلَىَّ وَلَا تُنظِرُونِ» — "then carry it out against me, and grant me no delay." (10:71)

5. قَضَىٰ عَلَى, ٱلْقَاضِيَة → "to put an end", "the final end" : to bring a life to its end.

   • «لِيَقْضِ عَلَيْنَا رَبُّكَ» — "let your Guardian put an end to us" (43:77)
   • «يَٰلَيْتَهَا كَانَتِ ٱلْقَاضِيَةَ» — "Would that it had been the final end" (69:27)

Evidence from the text

All the uses tell an end that does not reopen. The matter decided does not come back (12:41, 11:44); the term concluded is over (28:29); the Contact concluded gives way to remembrance (4:103, 62:10); the man Moussa strikes, he puts an end to (28:15); those of the Fire ask that an end be put to them (43:77). The creative decree is the extreme form of the same gesture: the thing is brought to its term as soon as the command is said (2:117, 19:35, 40:68).

Judgment is thus distinguished from what it settles. In 27:78 God decides between them "by His judgment"; in 40:20 He decides with truth, while those invoked besides Him decide nothing. Judgment examines and pronounces; قضى names the ruling that closes the matter.

Distinctions

• حكم — "to judge": the act of the judge who examines and pronounces; قضى names the ruling that closes
• امر — the command, what is ordered; قضى brings it to its term
• عمل — to accomplish: the work one does, whereas قضى concludes what has a term

See also

اجل (the term)