f-s-m

Description

The Arabic root فصم (f-s-m) conveys the core meaning of breaking, severing, or splitting something apart, particularly in a way that creates a complete separation or rupture. In its Quranic usage, it appears most notably in the phrase describing the "unbreakable handhold" (al-'urwah al-wuthqā) that has no break or separation in it (lā infiṣāma lahā), emphasizing the unbreakable bond of faith and trust in God. This root carries theological significance by contrasting the fragility of worldly attachments with the absolute reliability and permanence of one's connection to the Divine.