ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
3:194; 7:156; 23:110; 60:6.
Important Words:
ذنوب (faults) which is the plural of ذنب (fault) is derived from the root ذنب (dhanaba). They say ذنبه (dhanaba-hu), i.e. he followed his tail, not quitting its track; he followed him in any case, never quitting his track, the word ذنب (dhanab) meaning a tail, or, in man, the part of the body corresponding to the tail. ذنب (dhanb) means a fault, a misdeed, an offence, a thing for which one is blameable, if one does it intentionally. It differs from اثم (sin) in that whereas ذنب may be either intentional or committed through inadvertence, اثم is peculiarly intentional (Lane). According to Ar-Raghib, ذنب means, such errors and mistakes as bring about a harmful result or make one liable to be called to account (Mufradat). Really ذنب (dhanb) signifies such failings or shortcomings as adhere to human nature, just as dhanab ذنب (tail, or in man, the corresponding part of the body) adheres to the body, i.e. natural failings and shortcomings in man.
3:194; 7:156; 23:110; 60:6.
Dhunub is the plural of Dhanb which means, a fault, a misdeed, an offence, a thing for which one is blameable, if one does it intentionally. It differs from Ithm in that Dhanb may be either intentional or committed through inadvertence, Ithm is peculiarly intentional. Or Dhanb means, such errors and mistakes as bring about a harmful result or make one liable to be called to account. Really, Dhanb signifies such failings or shortcomings as adhere to human nature, Just as Dhanab (tail, or in man, the corresponding part of the body) adheres to the body, i.e. natural failings and shortcomings in man (Lane & Mufradat).