محو

Core meaning

To blot out one thing so that another may stand in its place: the text always joins to the blotting out what is established.

Uses

1. يَمْحُو, مَحَوْنَا, يَمْحُ → "to blot out" : to make disappear, always paired with a verb that establishes.

   • «يَمْحُوا۟ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيُثْبِتُ» — "God blots out what He wills, and He makes firm" (13:39)
   • «فَمَحَوْنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلَّيْلِ» — "We blotted out the sign of the night" (17:12)
   • «وَيَمْحُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْبَٰطِلَ وَيُحِقُّ ٱلْحَقَّ» — "God blots out falsehood and makes truth prevail" (42:24)

Evidence from the text

The three occurrences share one frame: a verb that blots out, then a verb that establishes. In 13:39, God blots out and makes firm; in 17:12, the sign of the night is blotted out and that of the day is made "fit for seeing clearly" (17:12), so that the number of years may be known; in 42:24, falsehood is blotted out and truth prevails by His words.

The blotting out never leaves a void there: it makes room for what holds. The word says the first movement of a double gesture.

Distinctions

• عفو — to overlook: to let go another's fault or due, whereas محو blots out one thing to establish another

See also

ثبت ("to make firm", the verb that answers it in 13:39) · حقق ("to make truth prevail", in 42:24)