r-b-'

Description

The Arabic root ربع (r-b-ʿ) carries the core semantic meaning of "four" and "fourth," representing the numerical concept of fourness in its various grammatical forms. In the Quran, this root appears in contexts related to time periods (four months, forty nights), numerical divisions (one-fourth of inheritance), and ordinal positions (the fourth witness). The number four holds particular significance in Quranic legislation and narratives, appearing in laws of inheritance, waiting periods for widows and divorced women, punishment procedures, and in stories like Moses's forty-night communion with God on Mount Sinai.