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My Tijarah

85% of theQur’an in 670Words

The word list, the grammar behind it, anda twelve week plan to learn both.

What is inside

Before you start

The promise, and the numbers behind itWhy 670 words is enough
How this book was madeThe corpus, the method, the honest caveats
How to use itTen minutes a day, and the one rule that matters

Part one: the spine

PrefixesThe ten letters glued to the front of words
PronounsAttached and standing alone, all twelve persons
Prepositions and pointersWhere things are, and which thing is meant
Negation and questionsHow the Qur’an says no, and how it asks
ConnectorsThe words that hold sentences together
The verbOne root across past, present and command
Putting it togetherOne ayah, taken completely apart

Part two: the 670 words

Tier 1, words 1 to 100Reaches 58.0% of the Qur’an
Tier 2, words 101 to 300Reaches 74.2%
Tier 3, words 301 to 500Reaches 81.4%
Tier 4, words 501 to 670Reaches 85.0%

Part three: the plan

Your 12 weeksWeek by week, with the coverage you reach
Keeping itRevision, and the mistake that undoes everything
Where a teacher fitsThe part a word list cannot do for you

85% of the Qur’anContents

The promise

670 words. Eighty five percent of the Qur’an.

The Qur’an contains 77,429 words. But it uses only 4,799 different ones, and it leans on a small core of them again and again. That is the whole opportunity, and this is what it looks like when you draw it.

Notice the shape. The line climbs almost vertically at the start, then flattens. The first hundred words do more for you than the next five hundred put together. That is not a motivational claim, it is what the counting says, and it is the reason this book is ordered the way it is.

Words learned	Of the Qur’an	How far that gets you
10	24.6%	One evening of study. A quarter of every page.
25	37.4%	The connective tissue of almost every sentence.
50	47.7%	Nearly one word in two.
100	58.0%	The end of Tier 1. More than half the Book.
200	68.1%	Whole short surahs start to open up.
300	74.2%	The end of Tier 2. Three words in four.
400	78.4%	You are reading, not decoding.
500	81.4%	The end of Tier 3. Four words in five.
600	83.7%	Only the rarer vocabulary is left.
670	85.0%	The end of Tier 4. The promise of this book.

85% of the Qur’an01

The method

Where these numbers come from.

Guides like this usually assert a percentage and leave you to trust it. We would rather show our working, because you are about to spend twelve weeks on this and you deserve to know the claim is real.

77,429

words in the Qur’an

130,030

word parts once split up

4,799

distinct dictionary words

We started from the Quranic Arabic Corpus

An open, scholarly annotation of the Qur’an that labels every single word with its dictionary form and its grammar, and gives a root wherever the word has one. Nothing here was typed out by hand or copied from another list.

We split every word into its parts

Arabic glues pieces together. Wa, al, bi, li and the attached pronouns are mostly machinery rather than vocabulary. The corpus separates them from the stem that actually carries the meaning.

We ranked the stems by how often they appear

Every form of a word counts towards the same entry. Qāla, yaqūlu, qul and qālū are one word, not four, which is exactly how a learner meets them.

We counted coverage honestly

A word in the Qur’an counts as readable only when you know every stem inside it. Reaching 85 percent by that test takes 670 words, and that is the list in Part 2.

85% of the Qur’an02

How to use it

Ten minutes a day beats three hours on a Sunday.

This is a small book with one demand: turn up daily. Vocabulary is not learned by understanding it once, it is learned by meeting it again just as you are about to forget it. Everything below is built around that.

Do Part 1 first, properly

Eight short tables. Mostly machinery rather than vocabulary, and it is what makes every word in Part 2 readable. A weekend is enough.

Cover the English, not the Arabic

Look at the Arabic and recall the meaning. Testing yourself is what builds memory. Rereading only builds the feeling of knowing.

Learn the root, get the family free

The root is printed on every card. Once kitāb, kataba and maktūb sit in one family, you stop learning words one at a time.

Read something every single day

Five minutes of the Qur’an with this list beside you. Meeting a word in a real ayah is worth ten repetitions of a flashcard.

Revise the old before the new

Yesterday’s words first, then today’s. It feels like going backwards. It is the only thing that makes it stick.

Never break the chain twice

Missing one day is nothing. Missing two is how every attempt before this one ended. Do one word on a bad day and keep the chain.

How to read a card

7ق و ل

قالَ

qāla

said, says

1,618x

Top leftIts place in the ranking. Word 7 of 670.
Top rightThe three letter root, the word’s family.
CentreThe word, then how it sounds, then what it means.
BottomHow many times it appears, and a bar to feel it.

You are not trying to finish this book. You are trying to still be doing it in week nine, when it stops feeling new and starts working.

85% of the Qur’an03

Part one

The spine.

Seven short sections that do not change. Arabic glues small pieces onto the front and back of its words, and those pieces are almost the whole difference between a page that looks like code and a page that looks like language. Learn these once and they work on every word you meet for the rest of your life. A few of the standalone words here, mā and lā and fī among them, are common enough to be ranked in Part 2 as well, so you will meet them twice. That is deliberate.

Prefixes

The ten letters glued to the front of words

Pronouns

Attached and standing alone, all twelve persons

Prepositions and pointers

Where a thing is, and which thing is meant

Negation and questions

How the Qur’an says no, and how it asks

Connectors

The words that hold sentences together

The verb

One root across past, present and command

Putting it together

One ayah, taken completely apart

The spine

Ten letters that sit in front of everything.

Open any page of the Qur’an and most words are longer than they need to be, because Arabic writes small words attached to big ones. English keeps “and the book” as three words. Arabic writes وَٱلْكِتَٰبِ as one. Learn to see the seam and the word underneath is often one you already know.

Arabic	Sounds like	Meaning	In the Qur’an
وَ	wa	andBy far the commonest letter in the Qur’an. It joins almost everything.	9,594x
الـ	al	theTurns a word from "a mercy" into "the mercy".	8,377x
فَ	fa	so, then, and soJoins, but with a sense of consequence or sequence.	3,001x
بِ	bi	with, by, inAs in bismillāh, "with the name of Allah".	2,544x
لِ	li	for, to, belonging toAs in lillāh, "for Allah, belonging to Allah".	2,449x
لَ	la	truly, indeedThe same letter with a different vowel. This one is emphasis, not "for".	1,001x
أَ	a	turns the sentence into a questionNo English equivalent. It simply marks a question, like a spoken question mark.	507x
يَٰ	yā	O ...Calling out to someone, as in yā ayyuhā alladhīna āmanū.	361x
كَ	ka	like, asAttached directly to the word it compares to.	287x
سَ	sa	will, shallAttached to a present-tense verb it pushes it into the future.	119x

The spine04

The spine

Every “his”, “their” and “your” in the Book.

Arabic has no separate word for “his” or “their”. It hangs a syllable on the end of the word instead. رَبّis “lord”, رَبُّهُمْis “their lord”. There are only twelve of these endings in the whole language.

Person	Attached	Standing alone	Meaning	Attached use
I, me	ـِي / ـنِي-ī / -nī	أَنَاanā	my, me	742x
We, us	ـنَا-nā	نَحْنُnaḥnu	our, usThe same ending also marks "we" on a past tense verb.	1,667x
You, one man	ـكَ-ka	أَنْتَanta	your, you	1,061x
You, one woman	ـكِ-ki	أَنْتِanti	your, you	22x
You two	ـكُمَا-kumā	أَنْتُمَاantumā	your, you both	49x
You, men	ـكُمْ-kum	أَنْتُمْantum	your, you all	1,871x
You, women	ـكُنَّ-kunna	أَنْتُنَّantunna	your, you all	12x
He, it	ـهُ-hu	هُوَhuwa	his, him, it	2,727x
She, it	ـهَا-hā	هِيَhiya	her, it	1,062x
They two	ـهُمَا-humā	هُمَاhumā	their, them both	143x
They, men	ـهُمْ-hum	هُمْhum	their, them	2,991x
They, women	ـهُنَّ-hunna	هُنَّhunna	their, them	180x

The spine05

The spine

Where a thing is, and which thing is meant.

Twelve prepositions cover almost every relationship the Qur’an describes between one thing and another. Between them they appear more than eight thousand times.

Arabic	Sounds like	Meaning	In the Qur’an
مِن	min	from, of, among	3,226x
فِي	fī	in, on, among	1,701x
عَلَىٰ	ʿalā	on, upon, against	1,445x
إِلَىٰ	ilā	to, towards, until	742x
عَن	ʿan	from, away from, about	465x
بَيْنَ	bayna	between, among	266x
قَبْلَ	qabla	before	242x
بَعْدَ	baʿda	after	199x
عِنْدَ	ʿinda	with, in the sight of	197x
مَعَ	maʿa	with, along with	164x
حَتَّىٰ	ḥattā	until, even	142x
دُونَ	dūna	besides, other than, short of	144x

This, that, these, those

The pointing words. They change shape for one or many, near or far, so learn them as a set rather than one at a time.

Arabic	Sounds like	Meaning
هَٰذَا	hādhā	this, one man or thing
هَٰذِهِ	hādhihi	this, one woman or thing
هَٰؤُلَاءِ	hāʾulāʾi	these, more than two
ذَٰلِكَ	dhālika	that, one man or thing
تِلْكَ	tilka	that, one woman or thing
أُولَٰئِكَ	ulāʾika	those, more than two

The spine06

The spine

How the Qur’an says no, and how it asks.

Negation in Arabic is not one word. Which one is used tells you the tense and the force of the denial, so these small words carry far more meaning than their size suggests.

Arabic	Sounds like	Meaning	In the Qur’an
لَا	lā	no, notThe general "not", and "do not" in a command.	1,742x
مَا	mā	not, what, whateverTwo jobs at once. Context decides which.	2,565x
لَمْ	lam	did notPuts a present-tense verb into the negative past.	348x
لَنْ	lan	will neverA firm negative about the future.	106x
إِلَّا	illā	except, unless, only	659x
غَيْر	ghayr	other than, not	147x
مَن	man	who, whoever	871x
أَيّ	ayy	which, whichever	215x
هَلْ	hal	is it that ...?Marks a yes or no question.	93x
كَيْفَ	kayfa	how	83x
مَاذَا	mādhā	what	26x
أَيْنَ	ayna	where	19x

The spine07

The spine

The words that hold sentences together.

These do not name things. They join them: this because of that, this if that, this the one which. They are invisible in a translation and structural in the original.

Arabic	Sounds like	Meaning	In the Qur’an
إِنَّ	inna	indeed, trulyOpens a sentence with weight. Very often untranslatable in one word.	1,682x
الَّذِي	alladhī	the one who, whichChanges shape for number and gender: allatī, alladhīna.	1,468x
إِنْ	in	if	703x
أَنْ	an	that, toLinks two verbs: "he wanted that he do", meaning "he wanted to do".	616x
ثُمَّ	thumma	then, afterwards	338x
إِذَا	idhā	when, whenever	423x
إِذْ	idh	when, at the time thatPoints back to a moment in the past.	309x
قَدْ	qad	certainly, already	406x
أَوْ	aw	or	280x
لَوْ	law	if only, had it been	201x
أَنَّ	anna	thatIntroduces a reported fact, as in "he knew that ...".	362x
لَمَّا	lammā	when, not yet	165x
لَعَلَّ	laʿalla	so that, perhaps	129x

The spine08

The spine

One root, and the shapes it takes.

An Arabic verb needs no separate word for who is doing it. The doer is built into the shape. Here is one root, ع ب د (to worship, word 96), across the persons you will meet most.

Who	Past	Present	Meaning
he	عَبَدَʿabada	يَعْبُدُyaʿbudu	he worshipped / he worships
she	عَبَدَتْʿabadat	تَعْبُدُtaʿbudu	she worshipped / she worships
they, men	عَبَدُواʿabadū	يَعْبُدُونَyaʿbudūna	they worshipped / they worship
you, one man	عَبَدْتَʿabadta	تَعْبُدُtaʿbudu	you worshipped / you worship
you, men	عَبَدْتُمْʿabadtum	تَعْبُدُونَtaʿbudūna	you worshipped / you worship
I	عَبَدْتُʿabadtu	أَعْبُدُaʿbudu	I worshipped / I worship
we	عَبَدْنَاʿabadnā	نَعْبُدُnaʿbudu	we worshipped / we worship

Read down the two Arabic columns and the pattern jumps out. The past adds endings, the present adds a letter at the front, and those front letters tell you who is doing it.

Marker	Sounds like	What it tells you
يَـ	ya-	he does, they doA present tense verb beginning with ya is almost always "he" or "they".
تَـ	ta-	she does, you doThe same letter covers "she" and "you". Context separates them.
أَـ	a-	I do
نَـ	na-	we do
ـُونَ	-ūna	they, or you all, are doing itAn ending, not a beginning. Marks a masculine plural.

And the command form

اعْبُدْuʿbudsaid to one man

اعْبُدِيuʿbudīsaid to one woman

اعْبُدُواuʿbudūsaid to a group, by far the commonest

The spine09

The spine

One ayah, taken completely apart.

This is the second ayah of Surah al-Fatiha, the line you have recited more times than any other. Four words. Here is every piece of it, and where each piece came from in this book.

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

“All praise is for Allah, Lord of the worlds.”

Surah al-Fatiha · 1:2

ٱلْحَمْدُthe praise

ٱلْحَمْدُ

al, "the"

ḥamd, praise #268

لِلَّهِis for Allah

لِلَّهِ

li, "for"

Allāh #2

رَبِّLord of

rabb, lord #12

ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَthe worlds

ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

al, "the"

ʿālam, world #160

plural ending

Prefix, from Part 1Stem, from the 670Ending, from Part 1

Four words, eight pieces. Four of the pieces are prefixes and endings from Part 1. The other four are words 2, 12, 160 and 268 of the list you are about to learn.

Once more, with a shorter line

Surah al-Ikhlas · 112:1

قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

“Say: He is Allah, One.”

قُلْSay

qul, the command form of qāla #7

هُوَHe is

huwa, he #21

ٱللَّهُAllah

Allāh #2

أَحَدٌOne

aḥad, one #155

No prefixes, no endings, four whole words straight from the list. You have recited this surah your whole life. By the end of Tier 2 you will be reading it.

The spine10

Part two

The 670 words.

Ranked by how often the Qur’an uses them, most frequent first, and split into four tiers so you always know how far along you are. Every count is real. Every word here appears at least thirteen times in the Book.

Tier one, words 1 to 100

Takes you to 58.0% of the Qur’an

Tier two, words 101 to 300

Takes you to 74.2% of the Qur’an

Tier three, words 301 to 500

Takes you to 81.4% of the Qur’an

Tier four, words 501 to 670

Takes you to 85.0% of the Qur’an

Tier one

The hundred words that carry half the Book.

Nothing you learn later will ever pay you back like these. They are the words the Qur’an reaches for on almost every line: Allah, lord, said, day, people, believed, earth. Learn this page and more than half of every page you open is already yours.

100

words in this tier

58.0%

of the Qur’an once done

2 weeks

at the suggested pace

What this tier adds

0.0%58.0%

These 100 words carry a further 58.0percent of every word in the Qur’an.

Mostly about

Grammar 38Doing 10Faith and denial 8Prophets and revelation 6Allah 5The hereafter 5People 4Time 3

It starts here

مِن

min

from, of

3,226x

2أ ل ه

اللَّه

Allāh

Allah

2,699x

ما

mā

not, what, whatever

2,565x

When you finish this tier

Open Surah al-Fatiha and Surah al-Ikhlas and go through them word by word, out loud, without a translation in front of you. You will not catch every word yet, but you will catch most of them, and that is the moment this stops feeling theoretical.

The 670 wordsTier one

Tier one

Words 1 to 20

Running total

34.5% of the Qur’an

مِن

min

from, of

3,226x

2أ ل ه

اللَّه

Allāh

Allah

2,699x

ما

mā

not, what, whatever

2,565x

لا

lā

no, not

1,742x

فِي

fī

in, within

1,701x

إِنّ

inna

indeed, verily

1,682x

7ق و ل

قالَ

qāla

said, says

1,618x

الَّذِي

alladhī

who, which, that

1,468x

عَلَى

ʿalā

on, upon, against

1,445x

10ك و ن

كانَ

kāna

was, to be

1,358x

ذا

dhā

this

1,058x

12ر ب ب

رَبّ

rabb

lord, master

975x

هم

hum

they, them, their

906x

مَن

man

who, whoever

871x

إِلَى

ilā

to, towards

742x

إِن

if, indeed, not

703x

إِلّا

illā

except, unless

659x

him, his, it

637x

أَن

that, to

616x

20أ م ن

آمَنَ

āmana

believed, believes

537x

Tier one11

Tier one

Words 21 to 40

Running total

44.2% of the Qur’an

هو

huwa

he, it

481x

22ي و م

يَوْم

yawm

day

475x

عَن

ʿan

from, about

465x

24أ ر ض

أَرْض

arḍ

earth, land

461x

إِذا

idhā

when, if

423x

قَد

qad

indeed, already

406x

كم

kum

you, your

395x

28ق و م

قَوْم

qawm

people, nation

383x

29أ ي ي

آيَة

āya

sign, verse

382x

30ع ل م

عَلِمَ

ʿalima

knew, knows

382x

أَنّ

anna

that

362x

32ك ل ل

كُلّ

kull

all, every

359x

لَم

lam

did not

348x

34ج ع ل

جَعَلَ

jaʿala

made, placed

340x

ثُمّ

thumma

then, afterwards

338x

36ر س ل

رَسُول

rasūl

messenger

332x

37ع ذ ب

عَذاب

ʿadhāb

punishment, torment

322x

38س م و

سَماء

samāʾ

sky, heaven

310x

إِذ

idh

when

309x

40ن ف س

نَفْس

nafs

soul, self

295x

Tier one12

Tier one

Words 41 to 60

Running total

50.5% of the Qur’an

41ك ف ر

كَفَرَ

kafara

disbelieved, disbelieves

289x

42ش ي أ

شَىْء

shayʾ

thing, anything

283x

أَو

280x

44ج ي أ

جاءَ

jāʾa

came, comes

278x

45ع م ل

عَمِلَ

ʿamila

did, worked

276x

46أ ت ي

آتَى

ātā

gave, gives

271x

47ر أ ي

رَأَى

raʾā

saw, sees

271x

48ب ي ن

بَيْن

bayn

between, among

266x

49أ ت ي

أَتَى

atā

came, comes

264x

50ك ت ب

كِتاب

kitāb

book, scripture

260x

51ح ق ق

حَقّ

ḥaqq

truth, right

247x

52ق ب ل

قَبْل

qabl

before

242x

53أ ن س

ناس

nās

people, mankind

241x

54ش ي أ

شاءَ

shāʾa

willed, wills

236x

55أ ي ي

أَيّ

ayy

which, whichever

215x

56أ م ن

مُؤْمِن

muʾmin

believer

202x

لَو

law

if, if only

201x

58ب ع د

بَعْد

baʿd

after

199x

59ع ن د

عِند

ʿind

with, near

197x

60خ ل ق

خَلَقَ

khalaqa

created, creates

184x

Tier one13

Tier one

Words 61 to 80

Running total

54.7% of the Qur’an

61ن ز ل

أَنزَلَ

anzala

sent down, revealed

183x

62خ ي ر

خَيْر

khayr

good, better

178x

63س ب ل

سَبِيل

sabīl

way, path

176x

64ك ذ ب

كَذَّبَ

kadhdhaba

denied, called a lie

176x

65د ع و

دَعا

daʿā

called, invoked

170x

66و ق ي

اتَّقَى

ittaqā

feared Allah, guarded oneself

166x

67أ م ر

أَمْر

amr

command, matter

166x

لَمّا

lammā

not yet, when

165x

مَع

maʿa

with, together with

164x

70ع ل م

عَلِيم

ʿalīm

all knowing

163x

71ب ع ض

بَعْض

baʿḍ

some, part of

157x

ذُو

dhū

possessor of, owner of

156x

73ك ف ر

كافِر

kāfir

disbeliever

156x

74أ خ ر

آخِر

ākhir

last, final, hereafter

155x

75أ ل ه

إِلٰه

ilāh

god, deity

147x

76ج ن ن

جَنَّة

janna

garden, paradise

147x

77غ ي ر

غَيْر

ghayr

other than, not

147x

78ن و ر

نار

nār

fire, hellfire

145x

79د و ن

دُون

dūn

besides, other than, below

144x

80ه د ي

هَدَى

hadā

guided, guides

144x

Tier one14

Tier one

Words 81 to 100

Running total

58.0% of the Qur’an

حَتَّى

ḥattā

until, so that

142x

82ر و د

أَرادَ

arāda

wanted, wills, intends

139x

أَم

137x

84ت ب ع

اتَّبَعَ

ittabaʿa

followed, follows

136x

مُوسَى

Mūsā

Musa

136x

أنتم

antum

you (plural)

135x

87ق ل ب

قَلْب

qalb

heart

132x

88ع ب د

عَبْد

ʿabd

servant, slave

131x

89ر س ل

أَرْسَلَ

arsala

sent, sends

130x

90ظ ل م

ظالِم

ẓālim

wrongdoer, oppressor

129x

لَعَلّ

laʿall

perhaps, so that

129x

92أ خ ذ

أَخَذَ

akhadha

took, takes, seizes

127x

93أ ه ل

أَهْل

ahl

people of, family

127x

بَل

bal

rather, nay

127x

95أ خ ذ

اتَّخَذَ

ittakhadha

took as, adopted

124x

96ع ب د

عَبَدَ

ʿabada

worshipped, worships

122x

97ي د ي

يَد

yad

hand

120x

98ب ي ن

مُبِين

mubīn

clear, manifest

119x

99ر ح م

رَحِيم

raḥīm

merciful

116x

100د ن و

دُنْيا

dunyā

world, worldly life

115x

Tier one15

Tier two

Where recitation starts turning into reading.

This is the tier where short surahs stop being sounds and start being sentences. The vocabulary of belief and denial, reward and punishment, the prophets and their peoples, the heart and the soul.

200

words in this tier

74.2%

of the Qur’an once done

3 weeks

at the suggested pace

What this tier adds

58.0%74.2%

These 200 words carry a further 16.2percent of every word in the Qur’an.

Mostly about

Doing 24Allah 19Grammar 18Faith and denial 18People 14Law and justice 13The hereafter 13Speech 11

It starts here

101ر ح م

رَحْمَة

raḥma

mercy

114x

102ظ ل م

ظَلَمَ

ẓalama

wronged, wrongs

110x

103

ها

hā

her, it

110x

When you finish this tier

Read the last juz with this book beside you and mark, in pencil, every word you already know. Seeing three quarters of a page marked up in your own handwriting will do more for your resolve than any encouragement we could write here.

The 670 wordsTier two

Tier two

Words 101 to 123

Running total

60.9% of the Qur’an

101ر ح م

رَحْمَة

raḥma

mercy

114x

102ظ ل م

ظَلَمَ

ẓalama

wronged, wrongs

110x

103

ها

hā

her, it

110x

104ع ظ م

عَظِيم

ʿaẓīm

great, mighty

107x

105س أ ل

سَأَلَ

saʾala

asked, asks

106x

106

لَن

lan

will never, shall not

106x

107و ج د

وَجَدَ

wajada

found, finds

106x

108أ ج ر

أَجْر

ajr

reward, wage

105x

109ع ل م

عِلْم

ʿilm

knowledge

105x

110ع ز ز

عَزِيز

ʿazīz

mighty, almighty

101x

111خ ر ج

أَخْرَجَ

akhraja

brought out, expelled

99x

112ح ك م

حَكِيم

ḥakīm

wise

97x

113أ ك ل

أَكَلَ

akala

ate, eats

93x

114

هَل

hal

is it, does (question)

93x

115د ي ن

دِين

dīn

religion, judgement

92x

116ق و ل

قَوْل

qawl

saying, word, speech

92x

117غ ف ر

غَفُور

ghafūr

forgiving

91x

118ل ي س

لَيْسَ

laysa

is not, was not

89x

119ش ط ن

شَيْطان

shayṭān

satan, devil

88x

120ف ع ل

فَعَلَ

faʿala

did, does

88x

121م ث ل

مَثَل

mathal

example, parable, likeness

88x

122م ل ك

مَلَك

malak

angel

88x

123ن ظ ر

نَظَرَ

naẓara

looked, looks

87x

Tier two16

Tier two

Words 124 to 146

Running total

63.3% of the Qur’an

124م و ل

مال

māl

wealth, property

86x

125

نحن

naḥnu

86x

126و ل ي

وَلِيّ

waliyy

ally, protector, guardian

86x

127ه د ي

هُدًى

hudan

guidance

85x

128ذ ك ر

ذَكَرَ

dhakara

remembered, mentions

84x

129ف ض ل

فَضْل

faḍl

bounty, grace, favour

84x

130ل ي ل

لَيْل

layl

night

84x

131خ و ف

خافَ

khāfa

feared, fears

83x

132ص ل و

صَلاة

ṣalāh

prayer

83x

133ق ت ل

قَتَلَ

qatala

killed, kills

83x

134ك ي ف

كَيْف

kayfa

how

83x

135أ و ل

أَوَّل

awwal

first, foremost

82x

136

you, your

82x

137

أنت

anta

you (singular)

81x

138ك ث ر

أَكْثَر

akthar

most, more

80x

139ب ن ي

بَنُو

banū

sons, children

80x

140ر ج ع

رَجَعَ

rajaʿa

returned, returns

79x

141ص ح ب

أَصْحاب

aṣḥāb

companions, people of

78x

142و ل ي

تَوَلَّى

tawallā

turned away, turned back

78x

143س م ع

سَمِعَ

samiʿa

heard, hears

78x

144

me, my

78x

145أ م ر

أَمَرَ

amara

commanded, orders

77x

146

جَهَنَّم

jahannam

Hell

77x

Tier two17

Tier two

Words 147 to 168

Running total

65.4% of the Qur’an

147ح ي ي

حَياة

ḥayā

life

76x

148د خ ل

دَخَلَ

dakhala

entered, enters

76x

149ذ ك ر

ذِكْر

dhikr

remembrance, reminder

76x

150ز و ج

زَوْج

zawj

spouse, mate, pair

76x

151أ خ و

أَخ

akh

brother

75x

152

لَوْلا

lawlā

were it not for, why not

75x

153م ث ل

مِثْل

mithl

like, similar, likeness

75x

154ن ب أ

نَبِيّ

nabiyy

prophet

75x

155أ ح د

أَحَد

aḥad

one, anyone

74x

156خ ل د

خالِد

khālid

abiding forever, eternal

74x

157ص ل ح

صالِح

ṣāliḥ

righteous, good

74x

158

فِرْعَوْن

firʿawn

Firʿawn, Pharaoh

74x

159ج ز ي

جَزَى

jazā

recompensed, repays

73x

160ع ل م

عالَم

ʿālam

world, worlds

73x

161ط و ع

أَطاعَ

aṭāʿa

obeyed, obeys

72x

162أ ل م

أَلِيم

alīm

painful

72x

163و ح ي

أَوْحَى

awḥā

revealed, inspired

72x

164و ج ه

وَجْه

wajh

face

72x

165ش ر ك

أَشْرَكَ

ashraka

associated partners with Allah

71x

166ل ق ي

أَلْقَى

alqā

threw, cast

71x

167أ ن س

إِنسان

insān

human being, man

71x

168ب ي ن

بَيِّنَة

bayyina

clear proof, evidence

71x

Tier two18

Tier two

Words 169 to 190

Running total

67.3% of the Qur’an

169ع م ل

عَمَل

ʿamal

deed, work

71x

170أ خ ر

آخَر

ākhar

other, another

70x

171ق ر أ

قُرْءان

qurʾān

Qur'an, recitation

70x

172ق ل ل

قَلِيل

qalīl

few, little

70x

173ق و م

قِيامَة

qiyāma

resurrection

70x

174

نا

nā

we, us, our

70x

175و ع د

وَعَدَ

waʿada

promised, promises

70x

176

إِبْراهِيم

ibrāhīm

Ibrahim

69x

177

أنا

anā

68x

178ن ف ق

أَنفَقَ

anfaqa

spent, spends in charity

68x

179ب ي ت

بَيْت

bayt

house, home

65x

180غ ف ر

غَفَرَ

ghafara

forgave, forgives

65x

181

لٰكِن

lākin

but, however

65x

182

لٰكِنّ

lākinna

but, rather

65x

183ي م ن

يَمِين

yamīn

right hand, oath

65x

184أ ب و

آباء

ābāʾ

fathers, forefathers

64x

185ح ب ب

أَحَبَّ

aḥabba

loved, likes

64x

186ص و ب

أَصابَ

aṣāba

struck, befell

64x

187ض ل ل

أَضَلَّ

aḍalla

led astray, misguided

64x

188أ م م

أُمَّة

umma

community, nation

64x

189ب ن ي

ابْن

ibn

son

63x

190ت و ب

تابَ

tāba

repented, turned in repentance

63x

Tier two19

Tier two

Words 191 to 212

Running total

69.0% of the Qur’an

191ك ث ر

كَثِير

kathīr

many, much

63x

192م و ه

ماء

māʾ

water

63x

193

هى

hiya

she, it

63x

194ص ل ح

صالِحَة

ṣāliḥa

righteous deed, good deed

62x

195ك س ب

كَسَبَ

kasaba

earned, gains

62x

196ن ز ل

نَزَّلَ

nazzala

sent down, revealed

62x

197ت ل و

تَلَى

talā

recited, recites

61x

198ر ز ق

رَزَقَ

razaqa

provided, gives provision

61x

199ص د ق

صادِق

ṣādiq

truthful, sincere

59x

200ق ض ي

قَضَى

qaḍā

decreed, judged

59x

201ن س و

نِساء

nisāʾ

women

59x

202ن ص ر

نَصَرَ

naṣara

helped, gave victory

59x

203س و أ

سَيِّئَة

sayyiʾa

evil deed, misdeed

58x

204ص ب ر

صَبَرَ

ṣabara

was patient, endured

58x

205ن ذ ر

نَذِير

nadhīr

warner

58x

206ج ر ي

جَرَى

jarā

flowed, ran

57x

207ر ح م

رَحْمٰن

raḥmān

the Most Merciful

57x

208ع ي ن

عَيْن

ʿayn

eye, spring

57x

209ق ر ي

قَرْيَة

qarya

town, village

57x

210ن ه ر

نَهار

nahār

daytime

57x

211ش د د

شَدِيد

shadīd

severe, strong

56x

212ش ه د

شَهِيد

shahīd

witness

56x

Tier two20

Tier two

Words 213 to 234

Running total

70.5% of the Qur’an

213م س س

مَسَّ

massa

touched, afflicted

56x

214و ل د

وَلَد

walad

child, son

56x

215

أَمّا

ammā

as for, but as for

55x

216ر ز ق

رِزْق

rizq

provision, sustenance

55x

217ض ر ب

ضَرَبَ

ḍaraba

struck, set forth

55x

218ق و م

أَقامَ

aqāma

established, kept up

54x

219ق ت ل

قاتَلَ

qātala

fought

54x

220ن ه ر

نَهَر

nahar

river

54x

221ج م ع

جَمِيع

jamīʿ

all, altogether

53x

222خ ر ج

خَرَجَ

kharaja

went out, came forth

53x

223ض ل ل

ضَلَّ

ḍalla

went astray, strayed

53x

224أ ج ل

أَجَل

ajal

term, appointed time

52x

225ب ع ث

بَعَثَ

baʿatha

raised up, sent forth

52x

226خ ل ق

خَلْق

khalq

creation

52x

227ج ر م

مُجْرِم

mujrim

criminal, evildoer

52x

228ح ي ي

أَحْيا

aḥyā

gave life, revived

51x

229ه ل ك

أَهْلَكَ

ahlaka

destroyed

51x

230ب ص ر

بَصِير

baṣīr

all-seeing

51x

231ت ح ت

تَحْت

taḥt

under, beneath

51x

232ذ ك ر

تَذَكَّرَ

tadhakkara

took heed, remembered

51x

233ف ر ي

افْتَرَى

iftarā

invented, fabricated a lie

50x

234س و أ

سُوء

sūʾ

evil, harm

50x

Tier two21

Tier two

Words 235 to 256

Running total

71.8% of the Qur’an

235ع د و

عَدُوّ

ʿaduww

enemy

50x

236م و ت

مَوْت

mawt

death

50x

237ن ع م

نِعْمَة

niʿma

favour, blessing

50x

238ع ل م

أَعْلَم

aʿlam

most knowing, knows best

49x

239ز ي د

زادَ

zāda

increased, added

49x

240ع ق ل

عَقَلَ

ʿaqala

used reason, understood

49x

241غ ي ب

غَيْب

ghayb

the unseen

49x

242ك ت ب

كَتَبَ

kataba

wrote, prescribed

49x

243و ق ي

مُتَّقي

muttaqī

righteous, one who fears Allah

49x

244و ع د

وَعْد

waʿd

promise

49x

245ب ص ر

بَصَر

baṣar

sight, vision

48x

246د و ر

دار

dār

home, abode

48x

247س و ع

ساعَة

sāʿa

hour, the Hour

48x

248م ل ك

مُلْك

mulk

dominion, sovereignty

48x

249س م ع

سَمِيع

samīʿ

all-hearing

47x

250ظ ن ن

ظَنَّ

ẓanna

thought, assumed

47x

251أ ب و

أَب

father

46x

252ش ك ر

شَكَرَ

shakara

gave thanks, was grateful

46x

253ن ب أ

نَبَّأَ

nabbaʾa

informed, told

46x

254أ م ن

إِيمان

īmān

faith, belief

45x

255ح ك م

حَكَمَ

ḥakama

judged, ruled

45x

256خ ب ر

خَبِير

khabīr

all-aware

45x

Tier two22

Tier two

Words 257 to 278

Running total

73.1% of the Qur’an

257ص ر ط

صِراط

ṣirāṭ

path, way

45x

258ق د ر

قَدِير

qadīr

all-powerful, able

45x

259و ذ ر

يَذَرَ

yadharu

leaves, forsakes

45x

260ن ذ ر

أَنذَرَ

andhara

warned

44x

261ح س ب

حَسِبَ

ḥasiba

thought, reckoned

44x

262ش ه د

شَهِدَ

shahida

witnessed, testified

44x

263ص د ر

صَدْر

ṣadr

breast, chest

44x

264ش ر ك

مُشْرِك

mushrik

polytheist, idolater

44x

265م ل ك

مَلَكَ

malaka

possessed, owned

44x

266ن د ي

نادَى

nādā

called out, cried out

44x

267

إِسْرائِيل

Isrāʾīl

Israel

43x

268ح م د

حَمْد

ḥamd

praise

43x

269

نُوح

Nūḥ

Nuh

43x

270ن و ر

نُور

nūr

light

43x

271د خ ل

أَدْخَلَ

udkhila

admitted, made to enter

42x

272ط و ع

اسْتَطاعَ

istaṭāʿa

was able, could

42x

273ج ز ي

جَزاء

jazāʾ

recompense, reward

42x

274س ب ح

سَبَّحَ

sabbaḥa

glorified, exalted

42x

275س ل م

سَلام

salām

peace, safety

42x

276

سَوْف

sawfa

will, shall

42x

277ك ل م

كَلِمَة

kalima

word

42x

278ب ح ر

بَحْر

baḥr

sea

41x

Tier two23

Tier two

Words 279 to 300

Running total

74.2% of the Qur’an

279ح م ل

حَمَلَ

ḥamala

carried, bore

41x

280س ب ح

سُبْحان

subḥān

glory be to, exalted is

41x

281ع ذ ب

عَذَّبَ

ʿadhdhaba

punished, tormented

41x

282ع ل م

عَلَّمَ

ʿallama

taught

41x

283ف و ق

فَوْق

fawq

above, over

41x

284ر أ ي

أَرَى

aray

showed, caused to see

40x

285غ ف ر

اسْتَغْفَرَ

istaghfara

sought forgiveness

40x

286ك ب ر

اسْتَكْبَرَ

istakbara

was arrogant, scorned

40x

287ه د ي

اهْتَدَى

ihtadā

was guided, followed guidance

40x

288ب أ س

بِئْسَ

biʾsa

wretched is, how evil

40x

289ب ل غ

بَلَغَ

balagha

reached, attained

40x

290ت ر ك

تَرَكَ

taraka

left, abandoned

40x

291و ك ل

تَوَكَّلَ

tawakkal

put trust, relied

40x

292خ ش ي

خَشِيَ

khashiya

feared, was in awe

40x

293ش ر ك

شَرِيك

sharīk

partner, associate

40x

294ك ب ر

كَبِير

kabīr

great, big

40x

295

وَيْل

wayl

woe, destruction

40x

296أ ذ ن

إِذْن

idhn

permission, leave

39x

297س م و

اسْم

ism

name

39x

298

أَلا

alā

indeed, behold

39x

299ج ب ل

جَبَل

jabal

mountain

39x

300ح ر م

حَرَّمَ

ḥarrama

forbade, made unlawful

39x

Tier two24

Tier three

The detail that makes the meaning precise.

By now you are not decoding, you are reading, and these words sharpen it. Finer verbs, the language of law and dispute and provision, and the adjectives the Qur’an uses to describe what it has already named.

200

words in this tier

81.4%

of the Qur’an once done

3 weeks

at the suggested pace

What this tier adds

74.2%81.4%

These 200 words carry a further 7.2percent of every word in the Qur’an.

Mostly about

Doing 31Faith and denial 23Law and justice 20Qualities 20People 19Grammar 14The hereafter 12Speech 8

It starts here

301ح س ب

حِساب

ḥisāb

reckoning, account

39x

302م و ت

ماتَ

māta

died

39x

303س ل م

مُسْلِم

muslim

muslim, one who submits

39x

When you finish this tier

Take a full page of Surah al-Baqarah, the longest and densest surah in the Book, and read it slowly. This is the point where the gap left is no longer vocabulary but grammar, and where sitting with a teacher starts to repay you faster than any list can.

The 670 wordsTier three

Tier three

Words 301 to 323

Running total

75.3% of the Qur’an

301ح س ب

حِساب

ḥisāb

reckoning, account

39x

302م و ت

ماتَ

māta

died

39x

303س ل م

مُسْلِم

muslim

muslim, one who submits

39x

304ب ش ر

بَشَّرَ

bushshira

gave glad tidings

38x

305ر ض و

رَضِيَ

raḍiya

was pleased, approved

38x

306ض ل ل

ضَلال

ḍalāl

misguidance, error

38x

307ح س ن

مُحْسِن

muḥsin

doer of good

38x

308ع ر ف

مَعْرُوف

maʿrūf

what is right, kindness

38x

309م و ت

مَيِّت

mayyit

dead, lifeless

38x

310ب ش ر

بَشَر

bashar

human being, mortal

37x

311ح ش ر

حَشَرَ

ḥashara

gathered, assembled

37x

312ذ ن ب

ذَنب

dhanb

sin, offence

37x

313س ل ط

سُلْطان

sulṭān

authority, clear proof

37x

314ص د د

صَدَّ

ṣadda

turned away, hindered

37x

315ع ص و

عَصا

ʿaṣā

staff, rod

37x

316ف س ق

فاسِق

fāsiq

rebellious, defiantly disobedient

37x

317ك ف ر

كُفْر

kufr

disbelief, ingratitude

37x

318ق و م

مُسْتَقِيم

mustaqīm

straight, upright

37x

319ن ج و

نَجَّى

najjā

saved, rescued

37x

320ن ع م

نَعَم

naʿam

yes

37x

321ح ز ن

حَزِنَ

yaḥzun

grieve, be sad

37x

322ح س ن

أَحْسَن

aḥsan

best, better

36x

323ذ و ق

ذاقَ

dhāqu

tasted

36x

Tier three25

Tier three

Words 324 to 346

Running total

76.3% of the Qur’an

324ر د د

رَدَّ

radda

returned, sent back

36x

325أ ث م

إِثْم

ithm

sin, wrongdoing

35x

326خ ل ف

اخْتَلَفَ

ikhtalafa

differed, disagreed

35x

327س و ي

اسْتَوَى

istawā

settled, rose over

35x

328أ م م

أُمّ

umm

mother

35x

329ب ي ن

بَيَّنَ

bayyanu

made clear, explained

35x

330ح ي ن

حِين

ḥīn

time, while

35x

331ذ ه ب

ذَهَبَ

dhahaba

went, departed

35x

332س ج د

سَجَدَ

sajada

prostrated

35x

333م ت ع

مَتاع

matāʿ

enjoyment, goods

35x

334ر س ل

مُرْسَل

mursal

one sent, messenger

35x

335ن س ي

نَسِيَ

nasiya

forgot

35x

336ن ص ر

نَصِير

naṣīr

helper, protector

35x

337أ ل و

آلاء

ālāʾ

favours, bounties

34x

338ب غ ي

ابْتَغَى

ibtaghā

sought, seeks

34x

339ف ت ن

فِتْنَة

fitna

trial, temptation, persecution

34x

340

مَرْيَم

Maryam

34x

341ح ر م

حَرام

ḥarām

forbidden, sacred

33x

342ش م س

شَمْس

shams

sun

33x

343ف ر ق

فَرِيق

farīq

group, party, faction

33x

344ق و م

قامَ

qāma

stood, stands, arose

33x

345ك ذ ب

كَذِب

kadhib

lie, falsehood

33x

346

كَلّا

kallā

nay, by no means

33x

Tier three26

Tier three

Words 347 to 368

Running total

77.2% of the Qur’an

347ع ر ض

أَعْرَضَ

aʿraḍa

turned away, turns away

32x

348خ س ر

خاسِر

khāsir

loser

32x

349ذ ر ر

ذُرِّيَّة

dhurriyya

offspring, descendants

32x

350ز ك و

زَكاة

zakā

alms, obligatory charity

32x

351ع ق ب

عاقِبَة

ʿāqiba

outcome, final end

32x

352ك ذ ب

كاذِب

kādhib

liar, lying

32x

353ك ف ي

كَفَى

kafā

sufficed, is enough

32x

354ن ه ي

نَهَى

nahā

forbade, forbids

32x

355

إِذًا

idhan

then, in that case

31x

356ش د د

أَشَدّ

ashadd

stronger, more severe

31x

357ح س ن

حَسَنَة

ḥasana

good deed, good thing

31x

358ح ي ث

حَيْث

ḥayth

where, wherever

31x

359

كَأَنّ

kaʾann

as if, as though

31x

360ن ف ع

نَفَعَ

nafaʿa

benefited, benefits

31x

361و ح د

واحِدَة

wāḥida

one, single

31x

362ح ك م

حُكْم

ḥukm

judgement, authority, wisdom

30x

363س و أ

ساءَ

sāʾa

was evil, is bad

30x

364ش ر ر

شَرّ

sharr

evil, worse

30x

365ط ي ب

طَيِّبَة

ṭayyiba

good, pure, wholesome

30x

366ع د و

عاد

ʿād

Ad, transgressor

30x

367ع س ي

عَسَى

ʿasā

perhaps, it may be

30x

368ق و ي

قُوَّة

quwwa

strength, power

30x

Tier three27

Tier three

Words 369 to 390

Running total

78.0% of the Qur’an

369ك ر م

كَرِيم

karīm

noble, generous, honourable

30x

370ل ب ث

لَبِثَ

labitha

remained, stays

30x

371م ل أ

مَلَأ

malaʾ

chiefs, notables

30x

372و ح د

واحِد

wāḥid

one, single

30x

373و ل ي

وَلَّى

wallā

turned away, turns

30x

374ب ص ر

أَبْصَرَ

abṣara

saw, sees, perceives

29x

375ج ن د

جُند

jund

army, host, troops

29x

376ر ج ل

رَجُل

rajul

man

29x

377ر و ح

رِيح

rīḥ

wind

29x

378ع ر ش

عَرْش

ʿarsh

throne

29x

379ع ه د

عَهْد

ʿahd

covenant, pledge

29x

380ن ب أ

نَبَأ

nabaʾ

news, tidings

29x

381أ ب د

أَبَدًا

abadan

ever, forever

28x

382ج و ب

اسْتَجابَ

istajāba

responded, answers

28x

383ص ب ح

أَصْبَحَ

aṣbaḥa

became, becomes

28x

384ص ل ح

أَصْلَحَ

aṣlaḥa

put right, reforms, reconciles

28x

385غ ن ي

أَغْنَى

aghnat

availed, enriched

28x

386

أَنَّى

annā

how, whence, wherever

28x

387ح د ث

حَدِيث

ḥadīth

speech, statement, account

28x

388ر ج ل

رِجال

rijāl

men

28x

389ر ح م

رَحِمَ

raḥima

had mercy, shows mercy

28x

390س ح ر

سِحْر

siḥr

magic, sorcery

28x

Tier three28

Tier three

Words 391 to 412

Running total

78.8% of the Qur’an

391أ م ن

مُؤْمِنَة

muʾmina

believing woman

28x

392س ج د

مَسْجِد

masjid

mosque, place of prostration

28x

393ص ي ر

مَصِير

maṣīr

destination, final return

28x

394غ ف ر

مَغْفِرَة

maghfira

forgiveness

28x

395ف ل ح

أَفْلَحَ

aflaḥa

succeeded, prospers

27x

396ب و ب

باب

bāb

door, gate

27x

397ج ه د

جاهَدَ

jāhada

strove, struggles

27x

398س و ي

سَواء

sawāʾ

equal, alike, same

27x

399ع ف و

عَفا

ʿafā

pardoned, pardons

27x

400غ ف ل

غافِل

ghāfil

heedless, unaware

27x

401ق د م

قَدَّمَ

qaddama

sent forward, puts forward

27x

402ق م ر

قَمَر

qamar

moon

27x

403

لُوط

Lūṭ

Lut

27x

404ك و ن

مَكان

makān

place, position

27x

405ن ف ق

مُنافِق

munāfiq

hypocrite

27x

406

هن

hunna

they, them (feminine)

27x

407

يُوسُف

Yūsuf

Yusuf

27x

408أ و ل

آل

āl

family, house of

26x

409ج م ع

أَجْمَع

ajmaʿ

all together, entirely

26x

410م ر أ

امْرَأَة

imraʾat

woman, wife

26x

411ب ط ل

باطِل

bāṭil

falsehood, vain

26x

412

ثَمُود

Thamūd

Thamud

26x

Tier three29

Tier three

Words 413 to 434

Running total

79.5% of the Qur’an

413ج ح م

جَحِيم

jaḥīm

hellfire, blazing fire

26x

414خ و ف

خَوْف

khawf

fear

26x

415ز ي ن

زَيَّنَ

zayyana

adorned, made fair seeming

26x

416ش ه د

شَهادَة

shahāda

testimony, witnessing

26x

417ق ر ب

قَرِيب

qarīb

near, close

26x

418ك ي د

كَيْد

kayd

plot, scheme

26x

419

ماذا

mādhā

what?

26x

420أ د م

آدَم

Ādam

Adam

25x

421ب أ س

بَأْس

baʾs

might, force, punishment

25x

422ب ع د

بَعِيد

baʿīd

far, distant

25x

423ب غ ي

بَغَى

baghā

sought, transgressed

25x

424ج د ل

جادَلَ

jādala

disputed, argued

25x

425ج ن ح

جُناح

junāḥ

blame, sin

25x

426خ ل و

خَلا

khalā

passed away, was alone

25x

427

عِيسَى

ʿĪsā

Isa

25x

428ق د ر

قَدَرَ

qadara

measured, decreed, had power

25x

429ل س ن

لِسان

lisān

tongue, language

25x

430و ث ق

مِيثاق

mīthāq

covenant, pledge

25x

431ش ع ر

شَعَرَ

yashʿuru

perceived, was aware

25x

432ك ب ر

أَكْبَر

akbar

greater, greatest

24x

433أ ن ث

أُنثَى

unthā

female

24x

434

إِيّا

iyyā

object pronoun base

24x

Tier three30

Tier three

Words 435 to 456

Running total

80.2% of the Qur’an

435و ف ي

تَوَفَّى

tawaffā

took in death

24x

436ح ي ي

حَيّ

ḥayy

living, alive

24x

437ط و ف

طائِفَة

ṭāʾifa

group, party

24x

438ط ع م

طَعام

ṭaʿām

food

24x

439غ ن ي

غَنِيّ

ghaniyy

rich, self-sufficient

24x

440ك و د

كادَ

kāda

almost, nearly did

24x

441ل ق ي

لِقاء

liqāʾ

meeting, encounter

24x

442و ر ي

وَراء

warāʾ

behind, beyond

24x

443و ك ل

وَكِيل

wakīl

guardian, trustee

24x

444أ ذ ن

أَذِنَ

adhina

permitted, gave leave

23x

445

إِمّا

immā

either, or, if

23x

446ن ج و

أَنجَى

anjā

saved, rescued

23x

447ب د ل

بَدَّلَ

baddala

changed, substituted

23x

448ذ ك ر

ذِكْرَى

dhikrā

reminder, remembrance

23x

449س ج د

ساجِد

sājid

prostrating, one who prostrates

23x

450س ب ع

سَبْع

sabʿ

seven

23x

451ظ ل م

ظُلُمَة

ẓuluma

darkness

23x

452ف ت ن

فَتَنَ

fatana

tested, tried, persecuted

23x

453ف ل ك

فُلْك

fulk

ship

23x

454ق ر ن

قَرْن

qarn

generation, era

23x

455ل ع ن

لَعَنَ

laʿana

cursed

23x

456س ك ن

مِسْكِين

miskīn

poor person, needy

23x

Tier three31

Tier three

Words 457 to 478

Running total

80.8% of the Qur’an

457ي ت م

يَتِيم

yatīm

orphan

23x

458ذ و ق

أَذاقَ

adhāqa

made taste, caused to taste

22x

459س ل م

أَسْلَمَ

aslama

submitted, surrendered

22x

460ب ر ر

بَرّ

barr

righteous, dutiful

22x

461

بَلَى

balā

yes indeed, on the contrary

22x

462ج م ع

جَمَعَ

jamaʿa

gathered, collected

22x

463ج ن ن

جِنّ

jinn

22x

464خ ل ف

خَلْف

khalf

behind

22x

465د ع و

دُعاء

duʿāʾ

supplication, call

22x

466ر ف ع

رَفَعَ

rafaʿa

raised, lifted

22x

467س ح ر

ساحِر

sāḥir

magician, sorcerer

22x

468س خ ر

سَخَّرَ

sakhkhara

subjected, made subservient

22x

469س م ع

سَمْع

samʿ

hearing

22x

470

لَدَى

ladā

with, at, in the presence of

22x

471أ و ي

مَأْوَى

maʾwā

refuge, abode

22x

472م ك ر

مَكَرَ

makara

plotted, schemes

22x

473ن ص ر

نَصْر

naṣr

help, victory

22x

474و ه ب

وَهَبَ

wahaba

granted, bestows

22x

475ر ج و

رَجا

yarjū

hoped for, hopes

22x

476ح س ن

أَحْسَنَ

aḥsana

did good, does well

21x

477ه ز أ

اسْتَهْزَأَ

ustuhziʾa

mocked, ridiculed

21x

478ش ر ي

اشْتَرَى

ishtarā

bought, purchases

21x

Tier three32

Tier three

Words 479 to 500

Running total

81.4% of the Qur’an

479ع م ي

أَعْمَى

aʿmā

blind

21x

480م و ت

أَماتَ

amāta

caused to die, puts to death

21x

481ح س ن

حَسَن

ḥasan

good, fair

21x

482ر و ح

رُوح

rūḥ

spirit

21x

483ش ه د

شاهِد

shāhid

witness

21x

484ش ه ر

شَهْر

shahr

month

21x

485ظ ن ن

ظَنّ

ẓann

assumption, conjecture

21x

486ك ت م

كَتَمَ

katama

concealed, hides

21x

487

كَم

kam

how many, how much

21x

488س م و

مُسَمًّى

musamman

appointed, specified

21x

489م ش ي

مَشَى

mashā

walked, walks

21x

490ف س د

مُفْسِد

mufsid

corrupter, troublemaker

21x

491ك ذ ب

مُكَذِّب

mukadhdhib

denier, rejecter

21x

492ن ص ب

نَصِيب

naṣīb

share, portion

21x

493و ض ع

وَضَعَ

waḍaʿa

placed, puts down

21x

494ح ل ل

أَحَلَّ

aḥalla

made lawful, permits

20x

495ع د د

أَعَدَّ

aʿadda

prepared, gets ready

20x

496ق س م

أَقْسَمَ

aqsama

swore, takes an oath

20x

497أ م ن

أَمِنَ

amina

was safe, feels secure

20x

498ن ش أ

أَنشَأَ

anshaʾa

brought into being, produces

20x

499و ف ي

أَوْفَى

awfā

fulfilled, fulfils

20x

500ب ل و

بَلا

balā

tested, tries

20x

Tier three33

Tier four

The last stretch to eighty five percent.

The rarer words, each one still appearing at least thirteen times. Finish these and only specialist vocabulary is left, the kind you can meet once, look up, and remember because the rest of the sentence is already clear.

170

words in this tier

85.0%

of the Qur’an once done

3 weeks

at the suggested pace

What this tier adds

81.4%85.0%

These 170 words carry a further 3.6percent of every word in the Qur’an.

Mostly about

Doing 39Qualities 17Law and justice 13Faith and denial 12People 11Speech 11Knowing 10Allah 10

It starts here

501ح ز ب

حِزْب

ḥizb

party, faction

20x

502ح ق ق

حَقَّ

ḥaqqa

proved true, became due

20x

503ح ك م

حِكْمَة

ḥikma

wisdom

20x

When you finish this tier

Go back to word one and start the list again. It will take a fraction of the time, and the second pass is where 670 words stop being something you studied and become something you simply know.

The 670 wordsTier four

Tier four

Words 501 to 522

Running total

82.0% of the Qur’an

501ح ز ب

حِزْب

ḥizb

party, faction

20x

502ح ق ق

حَقَّ

ḥaqqa

proved true, became due

20x

503ح ك م

حِكْمَة

ḥikma

wisdom

20x

504ح م م

حَمِيم

ḥamīm

boiling water, close friend

20x

505س ب ق

سَبَقَ

sabaqa

preceded, outstrips

20x

506س ع ي

سَعَى

saʿā

strove, hastens

20x

507ص ب ر

صابِر

ṣābir

patient, steadfast

20x

508ظ ل م

ظُلْم

ẓulm

wrongdoing, injustice

20x

509ع ر ف

عَرَفَ

ʿarafa

knew, recognises

20x

510ع ق ب

عِقاب

ʿiqāb

punishment, retribution

20x

511ق ص ص

قَصَّ

qaṣṣa

related, narrates

20x

512ك ل م

كَلَّمَ

kallama

spoke to, addresses

20x

513م ر ر

مَرَّة

marra

time, occasion

20x

514

هارُون

Hārūn

Harun

20x

515ع ج ل

اسْتَعْجَلَ

istaʿjala

sought to hasten

19x

516ق ر ب

أَقْرَب

aqrab

nearer, nearest

19x

517

أَيْن

ayna

where, wherever

19x

518ز ي ن

زِينَة

zīna

adornment, ornament

19x

519ش ج ر

شَجَرَة

shajara

tree

19x

520ض ر ر

ضُرّ

ḍurr

harm, affliction

19x

521ط ي ر

طَيْر

ṭayr

bird, birds

19x

522ف و ز

فَوْز

fawz

success, triumph

19x

Tier four34

Tier four

Words 523 to 544

Running total

82.5% of the Qur’an

523ص د ق

مُصَدِّق

muṣaddiq

confirming, one who confirms

19x

524ع ر ض

مُعْرِض

muʿriḍ

turning away, averse

19x

525م ك ر

مَكْر

makr

plot, scheme

19x

526ن ف خ

نَفَخَ

nafakha

blew, breathes into

19x

527ض ر ر

ضَرَّ

yaḍurra

harmed, harms

19x

528ف ق ه

فَقِهَ

yafqahu

understood, understands

19x

529خ ف ي

أَخْفَى

ukhfiya

concealed, hides

18x

530أ ذ ن

أُذُن

udhun

ear

18x

531س ر ر

أَسَرَّ

asarra

concealed, spoke secretly

18x

532ع و د

أَعادَ

uʿīdu

brought back, restores

18x

533م س ك

أَمْسَكَ

amsaka

held, withholds

18x

534أ ن س

إِنس

ins

mankind, humans

18x

535ب ي ن

تَبَيَّنَ

tabayyana

became clear, is evident

18x

536

تَوْراة

Tawrāh

Torah

18x

537د ب ب

دابَّة

dābba

creature, beast

18x

538د ب ر

دُبُر

dubur

back, rear

18x

539د ر ج

دَرَجَة

daraja

degree, rank

18x

540ذ ك ر

ذَكَر

dhakar

male

18x

541ذ ك ر

ذُكِّرَ

dhukkira

reminded, admonished

18x

542ر أ س

رَأْس

raʾs

head

18x

543ر ي ب

رَيْب

rayb

doubt

18x

544ع و د

عادَ

ʿāda

returned, went back

18x

Tier four35

Tier four

Words 545 to 565

Running total

82.9% of the Qur’an

545ع ل م

عالِم

ʿālim

knower, one who knows

18x

546ل د ن

لَدُن

ladun

with, from, in the presence of

18x

547م ت ع

مَتَّعَ

mattaʿa

granted enjoyment, provided

18x

548ن ك ر

مُنكَر

munkar

wrong, evil, forbidden

18x

549و ل ي

مَوْلَى

mawlā

protector, master, ally

18x

550

نَا

nā

us, our, we

18x

551ن ع م

نِعْمَ

niʿma

excellent is, how good

18x

552و ف ي

وَفَّى

waffā

fulfilled, paid in full

18x

553ح و ط

أَحاطَ

aḥāṭa

encompassed, surrounded

17x

554د ر ي

أَدْرَى

adrā

made aware, let know

17x

555

إِسْحاق

isḥāq

Ishaq

17x

556غ ر ق

أَغْرَقَ

ughriqa

drowned, was drowned

17x

557ن ع م

أَنْعَمَ

anʿama

bestowed favour, blessed

17x

558ق ل ب

انقَلَبَ

inqalaba

turned back, returned

17x

559ه و ي

أَهْواء

ahwāʾ

desires, whims

17x

560ب ط ن

بَطْن

baṭn

belly, stomach

17x

561ب ن ي

بِنْت

bint

daughter

17x

562أ و ل

تَأْوِيل

taʾwīl

interpretation, outcome

17x

563ت ر ب

تُراب

turāb

dust, soil

17x

564و ق ي

تَقْوَى

taqwā

piety, God consciousness

17x

565ث م ر

ثَمَرَة

thamara

fruit

17x

Tier four36

Tier four

Words 566 to 586

Running total

83.4% of the Qur’an

566ح س ن

حُسْنَى

ḥusnā

best, finest

17x

567ح م د

حَمِيد

ḥamīd

praiseworthy

17x

568ح و ل

حَوْل

ḥawl

around, about, year

17x

569

سُلَيْمان

sulaymān

Sulayman

17x

570ف ح ش

فاحِشَة

fāḥisha

immorality, indecency

17x

571ف ص ل

فَصَّلَ

faṣṣala

explained in detail

17x

572ف ض ل

فَضَّلَ

faḍḍala

favoured, preferred

17x

573ق و م

قائِم

qāʾim

standing, upholding

17x

574ك ر ه

كَرِهَ

kariha

disliked, hated

17x

575ه د ي

مُهْتَدي

muhtadī

rightly guided one

17x

576ن ع م

نَعِيم

naʿīm

bliss, delight

17x

577و د د

وَدَّ

wadda

wished, loved

17x

578ف ك ر

يَتَفَكَّرُ

yatafakkaru

reflects, ponders

17x

579أ م ن

آمِن

āmin

safe, secure

16x

580ت م م

أَتَمَّ

atamma

completed, perfected

16x

581س م ع

اسْتَمَعَ

istamaʿa

listened

16x

582ظ ل م

أَظْلَم

aẓlam

more unjust, most wrongdoing

16x

583أ ف ك

أُفِكَ

ufika

deluded, turned away

16x

584ل ب ب

أَلْباب

albāb

minds, understanding

16x

585ن ب ت

أَنۢبَتَ

anbata

caused to grow

16x

586ن ه ي

انتَهَى

intahā

desisted, ceased

16x

Tier four37

Tier four

Words 587 to 607

Running total

83.8% of the Qur’an

587ب س ط

بَسَطَ

basaṭa

spread out, extended

16x

588خ س ر

خَسِرَ

khasira

lost, suffered loss

16x

589

داوُد

dāwūd

Dawud

16x

590س ي ر

سارَ

sāra

travelled, journeyed

16x

591س ع ر

سَعِير

saʿīr

blazing fire

16x

592س ن ن

سُنَّة

sunna

way, established practice

16x

593ط ي ب

طَيِّب

ṭayyib

good, pure, wholesome

16x

594ف أ د

فُؤاد

fuʾād

heart

16x

595ف ت ح

فَتَحَ

fataḥa

opened, granted victory

16x

596ف ر ح

فَرِحَ

fariḥa

rejoiced, was glad

16x

597ق د ر

قَدَّرَ

qaddara

decreed, measured out

16x

598ق ر أ

قَرَأَ

qaraʾa

recited, read

16x

599ق ر ب

قُرْبَى

qurbā

kinship, relatives

16x

600ر ج ع

مَرْجِع

marjiʿ

return, place of return

16x

601م ن ن

مَنَّ

manna

bestowed favour, conferred grace

16x

602و ز ن

مِيزان

mīzān

balance, scale

16x

603ه ج ر

هاجَرَ

hājara

emigrated, migrated

16x

604و ق ي

وَقَى

waqā

protected, guarded

16x

605

يَعْقُوب

Yaʿqūb

Yaʿqub

16x

606ت ب ع

أَتْبَعَ

atbaʿa

made follow, pursued

15x

607أ خ ر

أَخَّرَ

akhkhara

delayed, postponed

15x

Tier four38

Tier four

Words 608 to 628

Running total

84.2% of the Qur’an

608ع د و

اعْتَدَى

iʿtadā

transgressed, overstepped

15x

609غ ن ي

أَغْنَى

aghnā

availed, enriched

15x

610ف س د

أَفْسَدُ

afsada

corrupted, spread corruption

15x

611أ ذ ي

آذَى

ūdhiya

was harmed, hurt

15x

612ب ش ر

بُشْرَى

bushrā

good news, glad tidings

15x

613ب ل غ

بَلاغ

balāgh

conveying a message

15x

614ن ز ل

تَنزِيل

tanzīl

revelation, sending down

15x

615ح ر ج

حَرَج

ḥaraj

difficulty, blame

15x

616ح ل م

حَلِيم

ḥalīm

forbearing, clement

15x

617ر ج ل

رِجْل

rijl

foot, leg

15x

618س ك ن

سَكَنَ

sakana

dwelt, settled

15x

619ش ر ب

شَرِبَ

shariba

drank, drinks

15x

620ش ك ك

شَكّ

shakk

doubt

15x

621ص ب ر

صَبْر

ṣabr

patience, endurance

15x

622ص د ق

صَدَقَ

ṣadaqa

spoke the truth

15x

623ص ن ع

صَنَعُ

ṣanaʿa

made, crafted

15x

624ظ ه ر

ظَهْر

ẓahr

back

15x

625غ ر ر

غَرَّ

gharra

deluded, deceived

15x

626غ ل ب

غَلَبُ

ghalaba

overcame, prevailed

15x

627ق س ط

قِسْط

qisṭ

justice, equity

15x

628ك ل ل

كُلَّما

kullamā

whenever, every time

15x

Tier four39

Tier four

Words 629 to 649

Running total

84.6% of the Qur’an

629س ر ف

مُسْرِف

musrif

extravagant, excessive

15x

630م ل ل

مِلَّة

milla

religion, creed

15x

631م ل ك

مَلِك

malik

king

15x

632ن ذ ر

مُنذِر

mundhir

warner

15x

633ن ص ر

نَصْرانِيّ

naṣrānī

Christian

15x

634

هَا

hā

her, it

15x

635

هما

humā

they two, both of them

15x

636و ع ظ

وَعَظَ

waʿaẓa

admonished, exhorted

15x

637ب د و

أَبْدَى

yubdiya

shows, discloses

15x

638ي س ر

يَسِير

yasīr

easy, slight

15x

639ب غ ي

ابْتِغاء

ibtighāʾ

seeking, pursuit

14x

640أ ث ر

أَثَر

athar

trace, footprint

14x

641أ خ و

أُخْت

ukht

sister

14x

642خ ل ف

أَخْلَفُ

akhlafa

broke a promise

14x

643ع ت د

أَعْتَدَ

aʿtadat

prepared, made ready

14x

644أ ل ف

أَلْف

alf

thousand

14x

645أ م ن

أَمِين

amīn

trustworthy

14x

646ب ل د

بَلَد

balad

land, town

14x

647ع ل و

تَعالَى

taʿālā

is exalted, high above

14x

648ح د د

حُدُود

ḥudūd

limits, bounds

14x

649ح ل ل

حَلَّ

ḥalla

became lawful, alighted

14x

Tier four40

Tier four

Words 650 to 670

Running total

85.0% of the Qur’an

650خ ش ع

خاشِع

khāshiʿ

humble, submissive

14x

651ش ك ر

شاكِر

shākir

grateful, thankful

14x

652ص د ق

صِدْق

ṣidq

truth, truthfulness

14x

653ص ر ف

صَرَفَ

ṣarafa

turned away, averted

14x

654ض ل ل

ضالّ

ḍāll

astray, one who strays

14x

655ظ ل ل

ظِلّ

ẓill

shade, shadow

14x

656ع د ل

عَدَلَ

ʿadala

dealt justly, was fair

14x

657ع د ل

عَدْل

ʿadl

justice, equivalent

14x

658غ ض ب

غَضَب

ghaḍab

anger, wrath

14x

659ق د ر

قادِر

qādir

able, powerful

14x

660ك ش ف

كَشَفَ

kashafa

removed, uncovered

14x

661ك ف ر

كَفَّرَ

kaffara

expiated, remitted sins

14x

662ل ع ن

لَعْنَة

laʿna

curse

14x

663ل ق ي

لَقِيَ

laqiya

met, encountered

14x

664

لَيْت

layta

if only, would that

14x

665م د ن

مَدِينَة

madīna

city, town

14x

666ق و م

مَقام

maqām

place, station

14x

667ه و ن

مُهِين

muhīn

humiliating, disgracing

14x

668ن ك ح

نَكَحَ

nakaḥa

married, wed

14x

669و ل د

والِد

wālid

father, parent

14x

670أ ب ي

أَبَى

abā

refused, declined

13x

Tier four41

Part three

The plan.

A word list nobody finishes is worth nothing. This is the part that decides whether you are still going in week nine, and it is deliberately gentle: ten minutes a day, never more, with revision built in from the first week.

Your 12 weeks

Week by week, with the coverage you reach

Keeping it

Revision, and the mistake that undoes everything

Where a teacher fits

The part a word list cannot do for you

The plan

Twelve weeks, ten minutes a day.

Eight to eleven new words a day, six days a week, with the seventh for revision alone. The coverage column is not encouragement, it is the computed figure you actually reach at the end of that week.

Week	Words	New a day	You reach	Focus
Week 1	Part 1	Tables	Setup	The grammar spine. Prefixes, pronouns, particles, the verb.
Week 2	1 to 50	8 a day	47.7%	The highest value fifty words in the language.
Week 3	51 to 100	8 a day	58.0%	Finish Tier 1. Read al-Fatiha and al-Ikhlas word by word.
Week 4	101 to 167	11 a day	65.3%	Start Tier 2. Revise Tier 1 every day, ten minutes.
Week 5	168 to 234	11 a day	70.5%	Read juz Amma with the list beside you.
Week 6	235 to 300	11 a day	74.2%	Finish Tier 2. Three words in four, and it shows.
Week 7	301 to 367	11 a day	77.2%	Start Tier 3. Cover the English and recall the Arabic.
Week 8	368 to 434	11 a day	79.5%	Read a page of Surah al-Baqarah and mark what you know.
Week 9	435 to 500	11 a day	81.4%	Finish Tier 3. Four words in five.
Week 10	501 to 557	10 a day	82.8%	Start Tier 4. Revise Tiers 1 and 2 alongside the new words.
Week 11	558 to 614	10 a day	84.0%	Read aloud and translate as you go, out loud.
Week 12	615 to 670	9 a day	85.0%	Finish the list. Then start again at word one.

What the ten minutes actually look like

3 min

Revise yesterday

Cover the English on yesterday’s words and recall them. Anything you miss goes to the front of today’s pile.

4 min

Learn today’s

Read each new word aloud, look at the root, say the meaning. Do not write them out. Say them.

3 min

Read real Qur’an

Open the Mus’haf anywhere and read a few lines with this book beside you. Hunt for words you know.

Tick a week as you finish it

Print this page and put it somewhere you will see it

123456789101112

If you fall behind: do not restart and do not skip forward. Stay on the week you are on until it is solid. Finishing in twenty weeks with the words still in your head beats finishing in twelve with nothing left by spring.

The plan42

The plan

Learning is the easy half. Keeping is the other one.

Almost everyone who fails at this does not fail at learning the words. They fail at keeping them, because they only ever moved forwards. Use this schedule instead: every word you meet comes back four more times, at widening gaps.

Day 1

Learn it

Day 2

First recall

Day 7

Second recall

Day 21

Third recall

Day 60

It is yours

Do this

✓Cover the meaning and recall it from the Arabic.
✓Say the word out loud. Your ear remembers what your eye forgets.
✓Pencil a dot beside a word each time you recall it. Three dots and it is yours.
✓Read five minutes of Qur’an daily with the list open beside you.
✓Learn the root, then look for its family on later pages.

Not this

✕Rereading the list and feeling like you know it.
✕Doing seventy words on Sunday and none until the next one.
✕Skipping Part 1 because tables look boring.
✕Moving to a new tier while the last one is still shaky.
✕Learning the English first and hunting for the Arabic.

The words you revise on the day you nearly forgot them are the words you keep for life.

The plan43

The plan

What a word list genuinely cannot do.

This book will get you to eighty five percent of the words. It will not get you to eighty five percent of the meaning, and we would rather tell you that plainly than sell you something it cannot do.

✦

It cannot hear you

A list cannot tell you that your ḍād has slipped into a dāl. Mistakes practised daily become mistakes learned.

✦

It cannot explain why

You will know every word in a line and still miss it, because meaning also sits in case endings, word order and idiom.

✦

It cannot answer you

The question you have at word 340 is specific to you. Getting an answer in the same minute beats an hour of rereading.

✦

It cannot notice you stopped

The real one. Nothing in these pages knows whether you opened them today. Someone expecting you on Tuesday does.

Use this book for the vocabulary, which it does well, and get a teacher for everything else. The two together are far faster than either one alone.

My Tijarah

Get the meaning, not just the words.

Vetted, qualified Qur'an and Arabic teachers, one to one, matched to your level and your schedule. Bring this book to your first lesson and start on page one together.

Find your teacher→

mytijarah.co.uk

The plan44

A closing word

A du’a for the journey.

وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

“And say: My Lord, increase me in knowledge.”

Surah Ta-Ha · 20:114

Every word in that ayah is in this book. قُل is word 7. رَبّ is word 12. زِدْ is the command form of word 239, and عِلْم is word 109. The نِي is from the pronoun table in Part 1. You could read this line already.

Twelve weeks from now the Book will not have changed. You will have. Start today with word one, keep going on the days you do not feel like it, and ask Allah to make it easy.

My Tijarah

Start with My Tijarah →

85% of the Qur’an45

Sources and method

Where everything here came from.

Every frequency in this book was computed, not copied. You can reproduce all of it from the sources below.

The corpus

The Quranic Arabic Corpus, morphology v0.4 (corpus.quran.com), an annotation of the Qur’an giving the root, dictionary form and grammar of every word. Released under the GNU General Public License.
Counts were taken from the mustafa0x/quran-morphology fork, which corrects known root and lemma errors in v0.4.

The counting

77,429 word tokens, split by the corpus into 130,030 segments.
Prefixes and suffixes are excluded from the ranking and taught as tables in Part 1. The exception is the attached pronoun, which the corpus sometimes treats as a stem in its own right, so a few bare pronouns do appear in the list.
A word token counts as covered only when every stem inside it is known.
Reaching 85% by that test takes 670 lemmas, the list in Part 2.

The Qur’an text

Arabic text follows the Uthmani script of the Tanzil Project (tanzil.net).
English renderings of the ayat quoted are given for meaning in the Saheeh International register, and should not replace the original Arabic in worship or formal study.

On the glosses

Each English gloss gives the main Qur’anic sense, not a full dictionary entry. Many words carry senses this book has no room for.
Verbs are listed in the standard dictionary citation form, the third person masculine singular past.
Where a word serves several grammatical functions, the two or three commonest are given.

Keep this guide

Print it, write on it, and share it with someone who has been meaning to start. When you are ready for the part a book cannot do, your teacher is waiting at mytijarah.co.uk.

85% of the Qur’anSources