Man
Arabic words used for this meaning in Quran
إنسان - إنس - إنسيا - ناس - أناسي - بشر - آدم
Synonyms in English
Human, Mankind, People
In Quran we find different words used for man, mankind, or human beings. Let's take a look at these words and their usage.
إنس - إنسان - إنسيا - ناس - أناسي
These most commonly used words for human beings.
Root letters and meanings
We find different opinions about the root letters and meanings of these words.
Ibn Qutaybah, the author of Ghareeb al-Quran1, says that man is called إنس because he can be seen, as opposed to Jinn, who are invisible. He quotes the following aayaah as a proof:
Surah al-Qasa - 29
- Then, when Mûsâ (Moses) had fulfilled the term, and was travelling with his family, he saw a fire in the direction of Tûr (Mount). He said to his family: "Wait, I have seen a fire; perhaps I may bring you from there some information, or a burning fire-brand that you may warm yourselves."
Abdul Rahman Kilani has preferred this view in his book2 based on the ayaah where Allah has mentioned Jinn and Ins as ثقلان - the two heavy (responsible) creations.
But in Ghareeb al-Quran1 we also find a narration from Ibn Abbas رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ in which he mentions that إنسان is called إنسان or إنسيا because he forgot the covenant he had made with his Lord. So according to this narration these words are derived from the root نسي which means to forget.
Imam Raghib al-Asfahani in his book3 has mentioned that the word إنسان is derived from the root أُنس which means to be sociable or to be friendly. Man is called إنسان because he has been created to live together in social life and harmony, who cherishes the connections and lives in relations with each other. From this aspect إنسان is the opposite of وحش - wild or savage.
Ibn al-Faris has put together both these definitions and he describes إنسان as a creation which is visible and which is different from wild and beastly ways and behaviour4.
Usage in Quran
Both إنس and إنسان are generic nouns and they can mean either a single person or the humanity in general. But in Quran إنسان is used for humanity in general.
Surah al-Ma'arij - 19
- Verily, man was created very impatient;
The singular of إنس is إنسيٌ as in the following ayaah:
Surah Maryam - 26
- "So eat and drink and be glad. And if you see any human being, say: ‘Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allâh) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.’"
The plural of إنس is ناس , أناس , and أناسي.
The word ناس is even more generic in nature. Quran usually uses this word as يا أيها الناس - O people! - to address the humanity, past and future, in general.
Surah al-Baqarah - 21
- O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allâh), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become Al-Muttaqûn.
أُناس is used for such a group of humans which is different from others, for example, owing to the family, tribe, or any other classification.
Surah al-Baqarah - 60
- And (remember) when Mûsâ (Moses) asked for water for his people, We said: "Strike the stone with your stick." Then gushed forth therefrom twelve springs. Each (group of) people knew its own place for water. "Eat and drink of that which Allâh has provided and do not act corruptly, making mischief on the earth."
And أناسي is used for a very large group of people, a crowd, or a nation.
Surah al-Furqaan - 49
- That We may give life thereby to a dead land, and We give to drink thereof many of the cattle and men that We had created.
آدم
Root letters
ء - د - م
Meaning
The basic meaning of this root is something favourable and tender4. أدام means every favourable and tender thing5. We have a hadeeth in which this word has been used in this meaning when Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said to Mughirah bin Sheba رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ
فَانْظُرْ إِلَيْهَا فَإِنَّهُ أَجْدَرُ أَنْ يُؤْدَمَ بَيْنَكُمَا "Look at her (the woman you have proposed marriage to), for that is more likely to create love between you.". (Nasai)
We also find other meanings for this word but Sheikh Abdur Rahman Kilani has preferred this meaning as it is confirmed by this hadeeth2.
It is also the name of the first human being, Adam عليه السّلام, who was created by Allah from clay. The word آدم is used in the Quran for Adam and his progeny. We also find the word آدم and بني آدم used in the Quran to refer to the human beings in general.
Interestingly, Quran only uses the word آدم or بني آدم for human beings when the context is about the history of creation. That is, Adam's birth from clay, taking covenant from all mankind, prostration of angels, Shaitaan's dialogue with Allah when he claims to be superior among creation, and eventually his vow to lead Adam and his children astray.
بشر
Root letters
ب - ش - ر
Meaning
The base meaning of this root is to exhibit something with beauty and elegance4. Notice that the word أنس also means to become visible or apparent but this word has the added meaning of beauty.
البشرة means the topmost layer of human skin (which contains the pain receptors). The plural of this word is بشر and أبشار .
Surah al-Muddaththir - 29
- Burning and blackening the skins!
The word بشر is used for human beings because of the skin which is the outer covering of the human body, as opposed to animals who have fur, feather, or scales3.
The word بشر can be used for singular, plural, masculine, and feminine. However, the dual form of this word is بشران which is used in the Quran in the following ayaah
Surah al-Muminoon - 47
- And We said: They said: "Shall we believe in two men like ourselves, and their people are obedient to us with humility (and we use them to serve us as we like)."
This word is used in Quran whenever the context is about man's physique, his built, his natural traits and/or weaknesses. In this aspect the opposite of this word is مَلك meaning angel who is devoid of all those traits and weaknesses.
One of the biggest objections raised by the disbelievers was that how can a بشر like us, who was born and will die, who eats and drinks, walks in the markets, and fulfils his needs like us, can be a divine Messenger. What is his superiority over us? And why the Messengerhood was not given to an angel, who is devoid of these weaknesses.
Allah has answered this objection in the Quran in the following ayaah
Surah al-Isra - 94-95
- And nothing prevented men from believing when the guidance came to them, except that they said: "Has Allâh sent a man as (His) Messenger?" Say: "If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security, We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger."
Summary
- أنسان - and related derived forms are used when the discussion includes the social aspect of humans.
- آدم - used when the historical aspect is under discussion.
- بشر - used when natural or physical aspects of humans are discussed.