From the different meanings of the word حَصَى is to ‘count’ or ‘calculate’ – and this comes up in the Qur’an in a few places for example:
“Verily, We give life to the dead, and We record that which they send before (them), and their traces, and all things We have recorded with numbers (ahsaynaahu) in a Clear Book.” [Ya-Seen:12]
Interestingly enough, another meaning of this word also is ‘to understand’ with the masdr (verbal noun) إحصاة meaning ‘aql, intelligence and the faculty of thought and mind.[1]
This brings a whole new understanding to the hadeeth of the Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) when he said:
إنَّ لله تعالى تسعة وتسعين اسماً من أَحصاها دخَل الجنةَ
“Indeed, Allaah Ta’aala has 99 Names, whoever ahsaaha enters Paradise”
It generally would mean ‘whoever counts them enters Paradise’ but subhan’Allaah a deeper meaning emerges here – one that includes not just to count, but according to this meaning of ‘ahsaa‘ – it alludes to understanding, pondering over, remembering and contemplating the Names of Allaah `azza wa jall.
Rabbi zidnaa ‘ilmaa
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[1] Ka’b ibn Sa’d al-Ghanawi – this derivative can be found in most lexicons incl. Lisaan al-‘Arab.
Subhan Allah…that’s beautiful!!
How about ha-sa-sa-lam in the verse below. It is the same root?
100:10 and all that is [hidden] in men’s hearts is bared
وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِي الصُّدُورِ
And ahsa in ahsayna?
36:12 Verily, We shall indeed bring the dead back to life; and We shall record whatever [deeds] they have sent ahead, and the traces [of good and evil] which they have left behind: for of all things do We take account in a record clear.
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ (36:12
Not sure if I’m correct, but I’m going to give it a try.
Hafsa, in the first ayah, the root letters are ح ص ل and the tense is past, voice is passive. This is a form II verb, and it means to cause something to happen, or to acquire knowledge, to infer, to deduce [حصل meas to set in, to exist, … and many other meanings]
So does it mean, all that is in the hearts of men is acquired? wow.. confusing!
The second one, yes it does have the same root letters as the one Sr. Fajr writes about. I think since the meaning is that of enumeration, that’s why the translation has “all things”…
Jazaakuma’Allaahu khayran
Mashaa’Allaah that’s correct Humairah, baarak’Allaahu feeki – the first ayah has a different root word and yeah subhan’Allaah it means all that is present in the hearts will be brought forth
The 2nd ayah says ‘wa kulla shay’in (and all things) ahsaynaahu fee imaamin mubeen (We take account of it in a clear Record)’ – a breakdown of أحصيناه would be: ahsa + naa (faa’il) and the attached pronoun of ه (it)
Hope that helps