'-m-y

Description

The Arabic root ع-م-ي (ʿ-m-y) primarily denotes blindness, both physical and metaphorical, with the Quran predominantly using it to describe spiritual blindness or the inability to perceive divine truth and guidance. In Quranic context, this root appears most frequently in its metaphorical sense to characterize those who reject faith or fail to recognize God's signs despite clear evidence, often contrasting the spiritually blind with those who have insight (baṣīrah). The term carries particular theological significance as it describes a state of willful or consequential ignorance where the heart and mind are sealed off from understanding, making it a key concept in Quranic discourse about guidance, misguidance, and human responsibility in recognizing truth.