s-w-a

Description

The Arabic root س-و-أ (s-w-ʾ) carries the core meaning of badness, ugliness, or something that causes distress and harm, both morally and physically. In the Quran, this root appears in various forms to describe evil actions and their consequences, moral corruption, shameful deeds, physical harm or disfigurement, and negative outcomes that afflict people. The semantic range extends from abstract moral evil (like sinful behavior and wicked intentions) to concrete manifestations of harm (such as corpses, diseases, and calamities), emphasizing that what is morally wrong often produces tangible negative results in this life and the hereafter, thus connecting inner moral states with outward consequences in the Quranic worldview.