sh-'-r

Description

The Arabic root ش-ع-ر (sh-'-r) fundamentally conveys the concept of perception, awareness, and feeling, extending to hair (as something perceived/felt) and poetry (as heightened perception expressed). In the Quran, it appears in contexts denying Muhammad's status as a poet, referring to ritual symbols (sha'ā'ir) as markers of religious awareness, and describing perception or lack thereof regarding divine signs. The root connects sensory awareness with sacred consciousness, distinguishing prophetic revelation from poetic composition while establishing visible symbols as manifestations of inner religious devotion.