مجلة المنهل
Volume 12, Numéro 1, Pages 11-26
2026-06-30

The Qur’anic Term “dīn”: A New Etymological Study

Authors : Hebila Choayb .

Abstract

This study seeks to present a new perspective on the etymology of the Qur’anic term (ad-dīn), Based on ancient Arabic dictionaries and Arabic phonetic laws, particularly phonetic substitution. In the study, we explained the attempts of recent researchers regarding the term's origin. We presented our approach used in determining the origins of Arabic vocabulary through some examples in the theoretical part, and we were able to prove that this term has an Arabic verbal root rather than being borrowed from another language.

Keywords

Dīn ; Etymology ; ʾibdāal ; Obedience ; religion