Qur'anic Root B S L
The well-known edible plant called onion, one of the products of the earth.
1. Short Introduction to the Root
The root ب ص ل in Qur'anic usage points to a specific and well-known food, namely onion.
Unlike some other names of foods in the Qur'an, this word is not the subject of serious disagreement in meaning. It points directly to an edible plant with a pungent smell, one that had a role in human nourishment.
The semantic core of the root can be stated as follows:
ب ص ل denotes the well-known edible plant called onion.
2. Important Forms and Derivatives of the Root
بَصَل
An edible plant with a pungent smell, consumed directly or used in foods.
بَصَلِهَا
The onion of that land or earth; a specific product among agricultural products.
3. Reference Cards for Qur'anic Derivatives
4. The Semantic Core of the Root
The core of this root rests on several points:
pointing to one specific edible plant;
being well-known among the first audience;
having a pungent smell and a distinct quality;
being placed beside other agricultural products.
Unlike some ambiguous words, this root points to a clear and identifiable referent.
5. The Material Image of the Root
The material image of this root is an edible plant with a pungent smell, growing from the earth and used in human nourishment.
This plant:
is one of the agricultural products;
is consumed raw or cooked;
is used in combination with other food materials;
was part of everyday food in agricultural societies.
6. Use of the Root in Arabic
In Arabic, بصل is used as the name of a well-known edible plant, and there is no disagreement over its meaning.
The word points directly to the same plant and product that is consumed as food in many cultures.
7. Qur'anic Use of the Root
وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَنْ نَصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ وَاحِدٍ فَادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنْبِتُ الْأَرْضُ مِنْ بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّائِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا
And when you said: O Moses, we will not be patient with one kind of food; so call upon your Lord for us, that He may bring out for us from what the earth grows: its greens, its cucumbers, its garlic or wheat, its lentils, and its onions.
In this verse, بَصَلِهَا appears beside other products of the earth. This companionship shows that onion was one of the known and common foods among agricultural products.
Its placement beside بقل, قثاء, فوم, and عدس shows that we are dealing with an everyday food substance that can be consumed.
8. Semantic Notes
Onion points to one specific edible plant;
there is no disagreement over its meaning;
in Qur'anic usage, it appears beside other food materials and shows part of the variety of foods;
the word points to a clear and well-known referent.
9. Conclusion
The root ب ص ل in the Qur'an points to the well-known edible plant called onion, which is one of the products of the earth and is used in human nourishment.
The final definition of the root is:
ب ص ل denotes the well-known edible plant called onion.