A Semantic Analysis of the Word Kasb in the Holy Quran

Given the divine, transcendental, and miraculous nature of the Holy Quran, Muslims and many Orientalists have long been drawn to understanding its sacred verses. Over time, numerous aspects of the Quran—including morphology, syntax, rhetoric, jurisprudence, ethics, and theology—have been extensively examined. Undoubtedly, a correct understanding of the Quranic text cannot be achieved without precise recognition and scholarly analysis of the words and vocabulary used in its verses. Therefore, one of the key issues in Quranic studies is the conceptual analysis of Quranic vocabulary. Accordingly, the present article seeks to explore the root k-s-b (kasb) and its derived forms, which occur 67 times in the Quran, and to analyze their meanings as presented by lexicographers and exegetes, whose views are often diverse and sometimes contradictory. Many linguists, commentators, and even translators of the Quran have referred to multiple meanings for this root and its augmented triliteral forms. Moreover, these scholars have proposed numerous, and at times conflicting, interpretations for the structures derived from this root. Lexicographers and exegetes have ascribed a wide range of meanings—sometimes even contradictory ones—to the simple (basic) forms of kasb. Specifically, for the unaugmented forms, meanings such as request/seeking, stability, goodness, free choice, gain and loss, granting, attaining, appointing, writing, offspring, gathering, and action/work have been mentioned. Among the augmented forms, for the istif‘al pattern, meanings such as profit/gain, endurance, performing an action, interference, and striving have been cited; for the ifti‘al pattern, meanings such as request/seeking, evil, and appointing are given; and for the taf‘il pattern, meanings such as interference and striving are recorded. This diversity of opinions clearly reveals the dispersion of scholarly views and the resulting confusion for readers. Hence, the present study aims to respond to the issues arising from these numerous and scattered interpretations.
This research employs a descriptive–analytical method with the goal of clarifying and analyzing the opinions of lexicographers and exegetes concerning the core meaning and semantic essence of the root k-s-b and its derived forms as they appear in the Holy Quran, in order to facilitate a clearer understanding of the Quranic verses.
The findings of the study indicate that:

a) There is no consensus among lexicographers on the meanings of kasb in either its basic or augmented triliteral forms.
b) In Quranic lexicons, meanings such as gathering, action, and offspring are considered among the usages of kasb.
c) Meanings such as good and evil, profit and loss, and writing are context-dependent and derived from specific usages with external clues; thus, they do not represent the primary, inherent meaning of the word.
d) The exegetical argument that kasb denotes good deeds while iktisab denotes evil is incomplete, since Quranic verses present
e) The claim that good deeds are obtained effortlessly while evil deeds require special effort is refuted, because in practice evil can be committed with ease, whereas good deeds face greater obstacles such as the nafs ammara (commanding soul) and Satan, which naturally create more difficulty. Furthermore, neither Quranic verses nor traditions support such a distinction.
f) The essential, core meaning of the root k-s-b is the general sense of acquiring or obtaining. Other meanings ascribed to this word either represent specific instances, refer to the prerequisites or consequences of acquisition, or reflect context-based semantic shifts within particular sentences and external indications; therefore, they cannot be considered part of the primary meaning of the word.

It is worth noting that, regarding the semantic analysis of words derived from the root k-s-b, only lexicons and Quranic commentaries have addressed this subject, and no independent work devoted specifically to the conceptual study of this word was found. Thus, the novelty of this research lies not only in tracing the semantic root of kasb in the Quran but also in its pioneering nature as an independent study of this kind.