b-h-t

Description

The Arabic root بهت (b-h-t) carries two interconnected meanings in the Quran: to be struck dumb or dumbfounded with shock, and to utter falsehood or slander. The semantic core relates to speech that is either paralyzed by astonishment or corrupted by fabrication, both representing departures from truthful communication. In Quranic contexts, this root often describes the state of those confronted with undeniable divine truth who become speechless in amazement, or alternatively, those who deliberately speak false accusations against others, particularly regarding serious moral matters like adultery.