: The financial liability upon subjects of a state for economic uplift of society.

 

Contents

1. Introduction: Linguistic semantics: the study of meanings as inherent at the levels of words, phrases, sentences and larger units of discourse-text.

2. Perception and meanings infolded in Root: "ز ك و"

3. Propositional and connotative meanings of Word [not term]:  used 30 times with fiscal connotation as a sub-set of semantic-frame: Spending. It is obligatory fiscal contribution for sustaining and uplifting Muslim State: the only taxation instrument.

4.  Propositional and connotative meanings of other words made from this Root in the text of Grand Qur'aan.

 

1. Introduction

Linguistic Semantics is the study of meanings as inherent at the levels of words, phrases, sentences and larger units of discourse-text. It  is used for understanding human expression through language. The discourse-text of Grand Qur'aan is in Arabic: a perspicuous, eloquent, distinctive and precisely expressive language; the language of the sons of soil of Arabian Peninsula.

Each Root has specific, defined, distinct, conspicuous and apparent concept, phenomenon, perception and signification folded in it. It is the source, the reservoir of knowledge. Roots can be termed as "repertory of frames" of Arabic language if we follow frames approach to semantic analysis.

Words originating from these Roots on various well defined patterns-moulds-structuring frames retain the original perception; infolded in the Root, dominantly and conspicuously, in whatever semantic field they are used.

Additional meanings and connotation, shades and colours get added to the perception-concept-meanings infolded in the Root by the peculiar pattern-placing of vowels-syllabification and addition of consonants.

Moreover, relational aspect of the semantic field will also influence and add connotations to the word. Hence; the meanings, perception and connotation of an Arabic word is the composite whole of the perception infolded in its Root, coupled with meanings associated with its pattern, and its relation to the semantic field where it is used.

It signifies that the basic meanings of a Root and word do not exhaust when they are used in a different semantic field, relational area, while necessarily retaining the base meanings.

2. Perception and meanings infolded in Root: "ز ك و"

Learned Ibn Faris [died 1005] stated the perception infolded in it in these words:

يدل على نَمَاءٍ وزيادة

That it leads to the perception of growth, thriving and increase, augmentation.

Lane's Lexicon translated its basic signification from classical Arabic lexicons: "it signifies Increase, or augmentation, it received increase and blessing from God; it throve by the blessing of God; (Er-Rághib); It was, or became, pure: some say that the root denotes purity: and some, that it denotes a state of increase, or augmentation; it is said of seed-produce, and of wealth, or cattle, and of other things: of anything that increases, or augments. [unquote]

Evidently, this Root has inherent evaluative meaning or connotation. All the words emanating from this Root will have Propositional meaning as well connotative meaning in context. The propositional meaning of a word or an utterance are relational; it arises from the relation between it and what it refers to or describes in a real or imaginary world. It is also called Denotative meanings: It refers to meaning which is referential, objective and cognitive.  Expressive meaning "relates to the speaker's feelings or attitude rather than to what words and utterances refer to". Connotative meaning "is the communicative value an expression has by virtue of what it refers to, over and above its purely conceptual meaning."

3. Propositional and connotative meanings of Word [not term]:  used 30 times with fiscal connotation as a sub-set of semantic-frame: Spending. It is obligatory fiscal contribution for sustaining and uplifting Muslim State: the only taxation instrument.

 

Experts suggest that it is useful to view the vocabulary of a language/text as a set of words referring to a series of conceptual fields. In linguistics, these divisions are called Semantic fields. A semantic field or semantic domain is a set of words grouped by meaning referring to a specific subject; languages will have fields of distance, location, size, shape, time, emotion, beliefs, economics, academic subjects, natural phenomena, etc. Each field can have many sub-divisions or lexical sets: actual words and expressions. Semantic fields are arranged hierarchically, going from the more general to the more specific. Linguists generally refer the general word by umbrella term "superordinate" and the specific word as "hyponym". The propositional meaning carried by a general word or superordinate is part of the meaning of each of its hyponyms but not vice versa. Each Arabic Root is specific to a semantic field referring to a specific subject.

The semantic field about Sustenance: livelihood, means for supporting life; its necessities and comforts is introduced very early in Grand Qur'aan by superordinate: : sustenance; worldly resources for necessities and comforts of life; and: the spending.

All the hyponyms-lexical sets relating to the main concept of Sustenance that includes everything from eatables to all means and resources for life and its comforts and pleasures will contain the propositional meanings inherent in the words: and   the spending of a part of the sustenance. The characteristic feature of: the sustenance is that it is the grant of Allah the Exalted. Man has the option and discretion upon its spending. This sentence: , recurring six times ((1)2:03(2)8:03(3)22:35(4)28:54(5)32:16(6)42:28=6) portrays the philosophy, ideological foundation of the entire economic system of the Believers of Grand Qur'aan who have conviction in the phenomenon of continuation of life in the Hereafter. Their economic considerations are not restricted to the present day life but they worry more about the economics for the ever living life.

Grand Qur'aan is described by various epithets that declare it a discourse wherein every important word  is rendered explicitly explicative so that the reader conveniently comes to terms with the Word of Allah the Exalted, relayed by the uniquely elevated universal Messenger Muhammad Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam. It also defines and explains the terms it has employed in its text.

Propositional/Conceptual meaning (sometimes called 'denotative' or 'cognitive' meaning) of important words can be ascertained in the text by what features it possesses, and also by implication negative; by what features it does not possess. Meanings of words are also rendered explicit, void of ambiguity, by the collocates. It consists of the associations a word acquires on account of meanings of words which tend to occur in its environment, the words with which they are likely to co-occur or collocate.

What is the difference between a word and a term? A word is usually defined as a complete meaningful element of a language. All terms are words, but not all words are terms. A term is a particular definition of a word, which is applicable to a special situation. Terms occur only in the process of communication. They occur when the writer tries to avoid ambiguity and a reader follow his use of words.

The word: is the first word that occurs in Grand Qur'aan as a sub-divisions or lexical set of semantic domain:   the spending. It is made from Root: ز ك و conveying perception of growth, thriving and increase, augmentation. It seems a very strange type of spending that increases and augments the resources while in everyday life experience spending results in consuming of resources for yielding of life-energy, comfort, happiness and satisfaction.

: It occurs for the first time as the direct object of an Imperative Verb. Imperative sentences comprise of words that carry a meaning which is understood by the majority, making the meaning almost universal. These sentences make a command. Command by the Sustainer Lord of the Worlds is but the Law to be complied with. Its compliance is obligatory for all the subjects except if exemption is explicitly given to someone.

 

This is the command addressed to Posterity of Iesraa'eel [alahissalam]. Performance of both the acts were an article of their Covenant, they were bound by, in their entire history before revelation of Grand Qur'aan:

[** This Article was amended and modified through the Last but one elevated Messenger Easa alai'his'slaam to read only one Messenger after his death-61:06.]

This protocol was prescribed in timeline for the People of the Book: Jews and Christians and others as is disclosed in following Ayahs:

It is thus evident that both: and word: were common words for the inhabitants of Arabian peninsula. These were neither terms nor words which were being introduced for the first time to the audience of Grand Qur'aan. Those who became believers were directed in the same words about it:

 

The command for maintaining As-sa'laat: Time Bound Protocol of Servitude and allegiance; and for willingly paying Az-zaka'at: financial liability for economic uplift of society were in place before the injunction of confronting the war imposed upon the believers:

The word that mostly co-occurs with: is which always takes precedence in sequence. This pair occurs 26 times. The verbs that occur for them are respectively from Verbal nouns: to heartily and with ease give away something rendering it associated to others; and verbal noun: : to establish, maintain. Twice these Possessive Phrases are used in Qur'aan: ; .

Both these words: and   have an element-feature of sociality. Sociality is the fundamental characteristic-dimension of the created realm, matter and life both. The par excellent social activity is the socialization of the Subject with the Lord-King-Sovereign. The affectionate Sovereign is he who affords opportunities to his subjects to be in his presence occasionally for sometime for paying homage and seeking blessings of him. The subjects gain strength, feel of security and confidence by being in the House of the Sovereign. It becomes subject's pride.

We as social beings living in societies and states are well aware of the protocols of Subject-Lord contact. Timings are determined by the Lord. The Subject is required to follow the prescribed dress code and manners of speech and gestures while in the premises of Lord. Universe is the State of the Sustainer Lord of all the created realm and we are the resident subjects of it. The Sustainer Lord, Allah the Exalted has prescribed and made it mandatory for us to contact Him everyday at intervals. This is called in Arabic: : The time bound Protocol of Servitude and Allegiance.

The other most fundamental sociality is living in a geographical unit as society. Society or state is the sum of social relations among group of humans. The society or state despite being an abstract noun is in fact a "living" entity. It needs to be sustained and governed. Governance needs financial/fiscal support from its subject-constituent members. It is an obligation upon the subjects of the society/state for sustaining it internally and for preparedness as directed in Ayah 8:60 to deter the enemy of Allah the Exalted and the believers by raising combat force, strength-deterrence and a force of cavalry-mobile troops. This obligation is denoted by the word: fiscal obligation for sustaining and uplifting the society.

When the believers become sovereigns of a state the first two obligations and duties upon them are to manage institutionalization of the Time bound Protocol of Servitude and allegiance; and willingly contribute to finance the State. Thus: is the primary fiscal instrument for the upkeep of Islamic state, in modern terms it is the taxation system of Islamic state. There can be polytheists in the land that has become a Muslim state; such of them are condemned who do not pay: the contribution for managing the state:

Except the Word: : fiscal obligation upon the subjects for the upkeep of state, there is no other authorization in the Grand Qur'aan by reference to which the Muslim State could subject its citizens to taxation.

The fundamental requirement for a person to become brother of Muslim fraternity is prescribed:

: It is fiscal obligation upon the subjects for the upkeep of Muslim state which enforces and implements Ad-Deen: Universal Constitution: System of Law: Operational-Conduct Code determined by Allah the Exalted, the Supreme Sovereign and Lawmaker for all that exists called Islam: submission to the discipline establishing orderly state of peace, security, tranquility, harmony and dynamic balance for all. This obligation is to be discharged for seeking approval and appreciation of Allah the Exalted and for its recompense in the life of Hereafter. They will gain cumulative dividend in the truly living life in the Hereafter. It is informed:

This Ayah manifests for us the difference between Propositional-Denotative meanings and expressive meanings of words and expressions. Expressive meaning "relates to the speaker's feelings or attitude rather than to what words and utterances refer to". The basic proposition and the essential feature referred by both the words: and is increase, augmentation, growth, enlargement, accumulation. With regard to propositional meaning and intended effect of: , it is not the case in the consideration and evaluation of Allah the Exalted. It is like scum and dross of no worth in the consideration, evaluation and judgment of Him the Exalted. Similarly, the propositional meanings of: are synonymous to: but the apparent effect is that it relatively diminishes the fiscal position of its payer. But in the evaluation and judgment of Allah the Exalted, its dictionary meanings are genuine and true. It is a unique spending that enhances the economic worth of a man but for his life in the Hereafter.

Lending money on condition of usury has the intent of cumulatively increasing it in relation to the financial aspects of other people. The propositional meanings are thus evident showing visible increase in money given against usury in the real world. This is the evaluation of the money lender. He considers it enlargement, increase in his wealth. He may also think it expressively as riches. But it is not an increase in the consideration of Allah the Exalted. The same verb is used but in the expressive meaning with co-occurrence of possessive phrase: in the consideration/evaluation of Allah the Exalted.

Money given with the intention : that it might increase manifold in relation to worldly wealth yields what is termed: . The money lenders: usurers obviously perceive themselves as : those who multiply their capital manifold. This is the propositional and expressive meaning of in consideration and judgment of a person fond of only the worldly life. But this increase is of no worth; and is nothing but scum in the consideration of Allah the Exalted.

: In contrast, in the consideration and judgment of Allah the Exalted, it has the same propositional and expressive meaning as are inherent in Root "ر ب و" and:  , but relates to the invisible Balance Sheet of its payer. It is the final Balance Sheet that matters and determines the social and economic status of a person. Such payers of money to state to cope with its economic situation are declared as truly : those who multiply their capital manifold. It is Active Participle: Definite; masculine; sound plural; nominative; [Form-IV]; verbal noun إِضْعَافٌ: an act and state of increasing, increment. Paying money to state statistically reduces one's financial balance in apparent worldly terms; but this payment renders them as the multipliers of their wealth in the evaluation and judgment of Allah the Exalted.

Impressiveness, magnificence, nobleness is inherent in the Root "ز ك و". Prominence, elevation and nobleness is its natural effect, both in propositional and expressive meanings. Grand Qur'aan highlights its delicacy - subtlety by a contrast:

: A Perfect verb of this Root is contrasted with verb: which is from Root "د س س/د س و". It signifies concealing, or placing a thing beneath the earth or dust. The perception and meanings conveyed by these antonyms are further evident by their respective effect portrayed by verbs: and : perpetual success-wellbeing contrasted with frustrating failure.

Infallible information, knowledge and increase in level of understanding gives one's personality a boost, leap, rise from his present level. His intellectual level is raised. Allah the Exalted informs us:

After recitation/communication of the Verbal passages of Qur'aan the next act done by the Elevated Messenger is : It is from verbal noun تَزْكِيَةٌ and is generally translated "he purifies you; causes you to grow; he sanctifies you". Infallible information and knowledge purifies a person in the sense that it helps him escape the conjectural myths, false understandings and beliefs. Awareness and possession of infallible knowledge and truths renders a man noble and worthy. The Verbal Passages regarding sanctification and rendering someone worthy of reward are incorporated in second part of this paper.

: It is a possessive phrase signifying the giving of monetary contribution for sustaining the State, willingly. All the verbs used with reference to Az-zaka'at are from the verbal noun : an act and state of giving, handing over the rights of possession and use to State. The remaining Ayahs of Grand Qur'aan where it occurs are reproduced hereunder. It will be observed that throughout the Grand Qur'aan it is not mentioned as to who can be the beneficiary of which substantiates that it is given to the State not to individuals.  

 The Virtue-Magnanimous Conduct of a person is mentioned. Firstly it is told: He gave-donated-granted the wealth; and then those are mentioned to whom he gave monetary help. Then his other action is mentioned: He gave Az-Zakaa't. But the recipient/s is not mentioned. This also confirms that Az-Zakaa't is obligatory fiscal contribution for the maintenance and upkeep of state.

 [For common believer such complete harmony in relationship of spouses will be possible only in Paradise]

It is abundantly evident that Az-zaka'at is financial liability for management and economic uplift of society/state wherein one lives. The elevated Messengers of Allah the Exalted and their household were also subject to this taxation.

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4.  Propositional and connotative meanings of other words made from this Root in the text of Grand Qur'aan.

Ayahs with other words made from Root: "ز ك و" used in different semantic fields