th-m-n

Description

The Arabic root ثمن (th-m-n) carries two primary meanings in the Quran: the number eight and its derivatives (eighth, eighty), and the concept of price or value. This semantic connection reflects how ancient Arabic trade culture used specific numbers as units of exchange, linking numerical counting with commercial valuation. In Quranic context, the root appears both in literal numerical references (such as eight pairs of cattle or eighty lashes) and in moral warnings about selling divine guidance or covenants for a small worldly price, emphasizing the contrast between spiritual worth and material gain.