خَلَٰٓئِفَ

Appears 4 times in Quran

Word Details

خَلَٰٓئِفَ

Meanings

inheritors
successors
vicegerents

📖 Lane's Lexicon (Root: خلف)

[1] خَلَفَ , aor. خَلُفَ , inf. n. خَلْفٌ, He came after, followed, succeeded, or remained after, another, or another that had perished or died. (TA.) Hence, in the Kur [vii. 168 and xix. 60], فَخَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ (TA) And there hath succeeded them, or come after them, [a posterity, or] an evil posterity. (Bd in xix. 60.) And خَلَفَهُ He came after him, (S, A in art. دبر, Mgh, Msb, TA,) or behind him, (A ubi suprà, Mgh,) or following him nearly; (A ubi suprà;) inf. n. as above, (Mgh, TA,) and خِلْفَةٌ also: (Mgh:) or he remained after him: (K:) and ↓ جَآءَ خِلَافَهُ likewise signifies [the same as جآء خَلْفَهُ; an inf. n. of خَالَفَ being thus used as an adv. n.; i. e.] he came after him. (TA.) You say also, خَلَفَ اللَّيْلُ النَّهَارَ, inf. n. خَلْفٌ and خِلْفَةٌ, The night followed, or came after, the day. (MA.) ― 2-b2- [Hence,] خَلَفْتُهُ, [aor. as above,] inf. n. خَلْفٌ, [perhaps a mistranscription for خَلَفَ,] I was, after him, a substitute for him: (TA:) [I supplied his place: and I superseded him.] And خَلَفَهُ, (aor. as above, TA,) inf. n. خِلَافَةٌ (S, Mgh, Msb, K, TA) and خَلَفٌ (TA) and خِلِّيقَى, (S, * K, * TA,) which last is an inf. n. of the intensive kind, (Sgh, MF, TA,) He was, or became, his خَلِيفَة [i. e. successor, or vice-agent, &c.], (S, Mgh, Msb, K,) or his substitute; (TA;) فِى قَوْمِهِ [among, or in respect of, his people], (S, TA,) and أَهْلِهِ [his family]; relating to good and to evil; wherefore one says, أَوْصَى لَهُ بِالخِلَافَةِ [he charged him by his will with the being his successor, or vice-agent, &c.]; (TA;) or عَلَى أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ [over his family and his property]: (Msb:) and ↓ اختفلهُ signifies the same; (Lh, Ibn-'Abbád, K;) he was, or became, his خَلِيفَة (Ibn-'Abbád, TA) after him. (Ibn-'Abbád, TA.) And خَلَفَ فُلَانًا [alone] He was, or became, the خَلِيفَةٌ of such a one among, or in respect of, his family (K, TA) and his children. (TA.) And خَلَفَهُ رَبُّهُ فِى أَهْلِهِ (K, TA) and وَلَدِهِ, (TA,) inf. n. خِلَافَةٌ, (K,) His Lord was [for him] a خَلِيفَة [or supplier of his place] to his family (K, TA) and his children. (TA. [In the CK, اخلف is made to signify the same; but this is in consequence of an omission.]) And one says, خَلَفَ ٱللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ May God be to to thee a خَلِيفَة [or supplier of the place] (S, Msb, K) of thy father; (S, Msb,) or of the one whom thou hast lost: (S, Msb, K:) thus one says to one who has lost by death his father (S, Msb, K) or mother (K) or paternal uncle (S, Msb) or any other who cannot be replaced: (Msb, K:) and خَلَفَ ٱللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ خَيْرًا, (K,) or بِخَيْرٍ, (AZ, Msb, K,) or both, (L,) and خَلَفَ ٱللّٰهُ لَكَ بِخَيْرٍ, (AZ, Msb,) and أَخْلَفَ ↓ ٱللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ خَيْرًا and لَكَ خَيْرًا: (K: [in which it is implied that these phrases mean May God supply to thee well the place of him whom thou hast lost: but it is implied in the Msb that the two of them there mentioned mean May God restore to thee good in the place of that which has gone from thee: and it appears from what here follows that all of these phrases have the latter meaning, whether or not they have the former meaning also:]) to him who has lost property or a child or a thing [of any other kind] of which the replacement may be asked, (S,) or to him of whom that which may be replaced has perished, or died, (K,) one says, أَخْلَفَ ↓ ٱللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ (S, Msb, K) May God restore to thee the like of that which has gone from thee, (S, Msb,) or may God restore to thee what has gone from thee; (K in a later part of the art.;) and اخلف ↓ اللّٰه لَكَ; and خَلَفَ اللّٰه لك : or خَلَفَ اللّٰه عَلَيْكَ is allowable in relation to property and the like; and يَخْلَفُ, like يَمْنَعُ is allowable as its aor., though extr., (K,) as it has no faucial letter to occasion the fet-h: (TA:) and one says also, خَلَفَ ٱللّٰهُ لَكَ بِخَيْرٍ meaning May God give thee good in the place of that which has gone from thee; (TA;) and اخلف ↓ عَلَيْكَ خَيْرًا, (Msb, TA,) meaning the same; (TA;) and [so] اخلف ↓ لَكَ خَيْرًا and بِخَيْرٍ: and اخلف ↓ ٱللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ مَالَكَ and لَكَ مَالَكَ [May God restore, or replace, to thee thy property]. (Msb.) خَلَفَ أَبَاهُ, (K,) aor. خَلُفَ (TA,) means He became behind his father; (K;) and if so, its inf. n. is خَلْفٌ: (TA:) or it means he became in the place of his father; (K;) and if so, its inf. n. is خَلَفٌ: (TA:) and خَلَفَ مَكَانَ أَبِيهِ, inf. n. خِلَافَةٌ (K) and خَلَفٌ, (TA,) he became in the place of his father, exclusively of every other. (K.) You say also, خَلَفَتِ الفَاكِهَةِ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا, (JK, K,) inf. n. خَلْفٌ, (JK, TA,) or خَلَفٌ, (TA, [the former being there altered to the latter (which is the more probably correct), or the latter to the former,]) and خِلْفَةٌ, (JK, TA,) The fruit replaced other fruit; or became substituted for other fruit. (JK, * K,* TA. [In the CK, صَارَ خَلْفًا is erroneously put for صَارَتْ خَلَفًا.]) And خَلَفَ فُلَانٌ عَلَى فُلَانَةَ, inf. n. خِلَافَةٌ, [like عَقَبَ عَلَيْهَا,] Such a man took as his wife such a woman after another husband [and thus supplied his place]. (Z, TA.) ― 2-b3- خَلَفَ ُلَانًا, (aor. خَلُفَ , TA,) He took, or seized, such a one from behind him; (JK, * K;) as also ↓ اختلفهُ. (TA.) And hence, (TA,) خَلَفَ لَهُ بِالسَّيْفِ (JK, TA) He came to him from behind him, and smote his neck, or struck off his head, with the sword. (TA.) ― 2-b4- خَلَفَ فُلَانٌ بِعَقِبِى [is explained as meaning] Such a one stayed, or abode, after me. (Msb in art. عقب) [But] ― 2-b5- خَلَفَ بِعَقَبِ فُلَانٍ is said by some to mean خَالَفَهُ ↓ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ [q. v.]: accord. to As, however, it means He parted with such a one on the condition of doing a certain thing, and then came behind him [or behind his back] and did another thing after parting with him: and Az says that this is a more correct explanation than the former one. (TA.) [Hence, app.,] one says also, إِنَّ ٱمْرَأَةَ فُلَانٍ تَخْلُفُ زَوْجَهَا بِالنِّزَاعِ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ إِذَا غَابَ عَنْهَا [Verily the wife of such a one is unfaithful to her husband by yearning towards another when he is absent from her: or deceives her husband behind his back by yearning towards another; for it is implied, by an ex. given, that اذا غاب عنها is added by way of explanation]. (TA.) خَلَفَهُ also signifies He spoke of him, or mentioned him, [behind his back, or] when he was not present: so in the phrase, خَلَفَهُ بِخَيْرٍ or بِشَرٍّ [He spoke of him behind his back well or ill]. (TA.) And one says, يَخْلُفُ النَّاسَ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ [meaning He defames men behind their backs]: the action signified hereby is like غِيبَةٌ, and may be [by making signs] with the side of the mouth, and with the eye, and with the head. (TA in art. همز.) ― 2-b6- خَلَفَ عَنْ أَصْحَابِهِ, (K, TA,) aor. خَلُفَ , He remained behind, or after, his companions; did not go forth with them; as also قَعَدَ خِلَافَ ↓ أَصْحَابِهِ [similar to a phrase mentioned near the beginning of this art.]; (TA;) i. q. ↓ تخلّف; (K in explanation of the former phrase;) which is syn. with تَأَخَّرَ; (S, K;) as in the phrase تخلّف عَنِّى [which means He remained behind me, or after me]; (S;) [for] تخلّف عَنْهُ means بَقِىَ خَلْفَهُ; (Mgh;) and [in like manner] you say, تخلّف عَنِ لاقَوْمِ He remained behind, or after, the people, or party, not going with them; [he held back, or hung back, from them;] and ↓ قَعَدْتُ خِلَافَهُ [i. e. I remained] behind him, or after him; (Msb;) and ↓ خالف عَنَّا He remained behind us, or after us; syn. ↓ تخلّف. (TA, from a trad.) It is said in the Kur [xvii. 78], وَ إِذَا لَا يَلْبَثُونَ خِلَافَكَ ↓ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا, i. e. [But in that case they should not have remained] after thee [save a little while]: (JK, TA: *) so accord. to one reading [instead of خَلْفَكَ, which means the same]. (TA.) And in like manner, فَرِحَ المُخَلَّفُونَ بِمَقْعَدِهِمْ خِلَافَ ↓ رَسُولِ ٱللّٰهِ, in the Kur [ix. 82], means [Those who were left behind rejoiced in their remaining] behind the Apostle of God: (S, TA:) or the meaning here is, مُخَالَفَةَ رسول اللّٰه [i. e. in disagreement with the Apostle of God]: (JK, S:) thus says Lh; but IB disagrees with him; saying that خلاف here means بَعْدَ; and cites six exs. in which it has this meaning, from poets. (TA.) ― 2-b7- [Hence,] خَلَفَ فُلَانٌ عَنْ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ (assumed tropical:) [Such a one was, or became, kept back from all good; i. e.,] did not prosper, or was not successful. (TA. [It is there added, that it is explained in the A as tropical, and as meaning تَغَيَّرَ وَفَسَدَ: but this is perhaps a mistake, occasioned by the accidental omission of وَخَلَفَ اللَّبَنُ or the like, of which this is a correct explanation: or the phrase thus explained in the TA, as from the A, may correctly mean He became altered for the worse, and corrupt; agreeably with other explanations of the verb below.]) ― 2-b8- خَلَفَ, aor. خَلُفَ , also signifies He (a man) retired, withdrew, or went away or apart. (JK.) And خَلَفَتْ نَفْسَهُ عَنِ الطَّعَامِ, aor. خَلُفَ , inf. n. خُلُوفٌ, (assumed tropical:) His soul turned away from, avoided, or shunned, the food, in consequence of disease. (JK, TA.) ― 2-b9- And He fled. (Ham p. 411.) ― 2-b10- And He (a man, Sgh) ascended a mountain. (Sgh, K.) ＝ 1-A2- See also 2, first sentence. ＝ 1-A3- خَلَفَ, (S, Msb, K, &c.,) aor. خُلُوفٌ, (Lh, Msb, TA, and Ham p. 679,) [inf. n. خُلُوفٌ,] said of the taste of water, It was, or became, different from, or contrary to, what it was thought to be: and [hence,] it was, or became, altered [for the worse]: (Ham ubi suprà:) [and] said of milk, (S, K,) and of food, (Lh, S, Msb, K,) and the like, (Lh, TA,) and some say خَلُفَ, (TA,) aor. خَلُفَ , inf. n. خُلُوفٌ, (Lh, TA,) of both verbs, (TA,) it was, or became, altered [for the worse] (Lh, S, Msb, K) in taste, or in odour; (S, Msb, K;) as also ↓ اخلف: or, said of milk, the first signifies it became bad from being long kept; or, as in the A, (tropical:) what was good thereof became mixed (خُلِفَ, i. e. خُلِطَ,) with other milk: and ↓ اخلف, said of milk, signifies also it was, or became, sour: (TA:) and the first, said of [the beverage called] نَبِيذ, it became bad. (K.) Also, inf. n. خُلُوفٌ (S, Mgh, Msb, K) and خُلُوفَةٌ (K) and خِلْفَةٌ, (L, TA,) said of the mouth (S, Mgh, Msb, K) of a person fasting, (S, Msb, K,) It was, or became, altered [for the worse] in odour; (S, Mgh, Msb, K;) as also ↓ اخلف. (S, Msb, K.) It is said in a trad. that the خُلُوف of the mouth of one who is fasting is sweeter in the estimation of God than the odour of musk: or, accord. to some of the lawyers and of the relaters of traditions, خَلُوف; but [SM says,] I think this to be a mistake, as several affirm it to be, while others say that it is of a bad dial. : accord. to one reading, it is خِلْفَة. (TA.) ― 2-b2- [Hence,] خَلَفَ عَنْ خُلُقِ أَبِيهِ, (K,) aor. خَلُفَ , inf. n. خُلُوفٌ, (TA,) (assumed tropical:) He was, or became, altered [for the worse] from the natural disposition of his father. (K, TA.) ― 2-b3- And خَلَفَ, (ISk, S, K,) inf. n. خَلْفٌ [or خُلُوفٌ]; or خَلْفَ, aor. خَلُفَ , inf. n. خَلَافَةٌ and خُلُوفٌ; (TA;) (assumed tropical:) He (a man) was, or became, bad, or corrupt. (ISk, S, K, TA.) ― 2-b4- And خَلَفَ, (K) inf. n. خَلَافَةٌ (IAth, K) and خُلُوفٌ, (K,) (assumed tropical:) He (a man) was, or became, stupid, or foolish; or one who had little, or no, intellect or understanding: (K, * TA:) or unprofitable: or a frequent promise-breaker: (IAth:) or خَلَفَ and ↓ اخلف, said of a slave, he was, or became, idiotic, deficient in intellect, or bereft of his intellect. (JK.) ＝ 1-A4- خَلَفَ, (K,) inf. n. خَلْفٌ; (S, * K, * TA;) and ↓ اخلف, and ↓ استخلف; (S, K;) He drew water, (S, K, TA,) لِأَهْلِهِ for his family: [app. because he who does so leaves his family behind him: see 2, first sentence:] (K, TA:) [or] ↓ استخلف, said of a man, signifies اِسْتَعْذَبَ المَآء [app. as meaning he sought, or drew, or brought, sweet water: see art. عذب]: and, accord. to IAar, you say, أَخْلَفْتُ ↓ القَوْمَ, meaning properly I carried sweet water to the people, or party, when they were in the [season, or herbage, called] رَبِيع and without sweet water, or when they were by salt water: إِخْلَافٌ [as meaning the carrying, or drawing, of water,] being [properly] only in the ربيع: in other cases, metaphorically applied. (TA.) El-Hoteíäh says, ↓ لِزُغْبٍ كَأَوْلَادِ القَطَا رَاثَ خَلْفُهَا عَلَى عَاجِزَاتِ النَّهْضِ حُمْرٍ حَوَاصِلُهْ (assumed tropical:) [To, or for, downy ones, like the young ones of the katà, whose procurer of water has been slow in coming to those lacking the power of spreading their wings for flight, red in their crops]: he means ↓ مِخْلِفُهَا [or خَالِفُهَا], and has put in the place of this the inf. n.: and by حواصله, accord. to Ks, he means حَوَاصِلُ مَا ذَكْرْنَا [the crops of what we have mentioned]: but Fr says that the ه relates to the زغب, exclusively of the عاجزات, which [latter] has the sign of the pl. ; for every pl. that has the form of a sing. may be imagined to be a sing., as in the saying of the poet, مِثْلُ الفِرَاخِ نُتِفَتْ حَوَاصِلُهْ [meaning “ like the young birds of which the crops have been plucked ”]; for الفراخ has not the sign of the pl., but has the form of a sing., like الكِتَاب and الحِجَاب: another says, [but this is very far-fetched,] that the ه relates to النهض, which [sometimes] means a place in the shoulderblade of the camel; and that the poet has used it metaphorically as belonging to the قطا. (S.) ＝ 1-A5- خَلَفَ الثَّوْبَ, (S,) or القَمِيصَ, aor. خَلُفَ , (Msb, K,) inf. n. خَلْفٌ (Kr, TA) and خُلْفَةٌ, in some copies of the K خَلْفَةٌ, [so in my MS. copy of the K, and so in the TK,] and [in some] خُلَفٌ also, but these require consideration, (TA,) He took out from the garment, or shirt, the part that was worn out, (S, Msb, K,) that is, the middle part, which was worn out, (S, Msb,) and then sewed the [cut] edges together. (S, Msb, K.) And اخلف ↓ الثَّوْبَ signifies the same as خَلَفَهُ, i. e. He repaired the garment [app. in any manner, or, as is implied in the S and TA, by substituting one piece for another]. (S, K, TA.) ― 2-b2- The saying, in a trad. of Hamneh, فَإِذَا خَلَفَتْ ذٰلِكَ فَلْتَغْتَسِلْ, meaning (assumed tropical:) And when she has discriminated that period of days and nights during which she has been حَائِض, [she shall perform a complete ablution of herself,] is from خَلَفَ القَمِيص signifying as explained above. (Msb.) ＝ 1-A6- خَلَفَ signifies also He mixed [a thing with another thing; as, for instance, (see خُلِفَ in a passage above,) milk with other milk]: and he mixed saffron, and medicine, with water. (TA.) ＝ 1-A7- خَلَفَ بَيْتَهُ He put to, or made for, his tent, a pole, (K, TA,) termed a خَالِفَة, (TA,) in the hinder part thereof. (K TA.) ＝ 1-A8- خَلِفَ, aor. خَلَفَ , (K,) inf. n. خَلَفٌ, (S, K,) He (a camel) inclined towards one side. (S, K.) ― 2-b2- خَلَفٌ is also an inf. n. (of خَلِفَ, said of a man, TK) signifying The being أَخْلَف as meaning contrarious, hard in disposition, as though going with a leaning towards one side: ― 2-b3- and the being left-handed: ― 2-b4- and the being أَحْوَل [or squint-eyed]. (K.) ＝ 1-A9- خَلِفَتْ, aor. خَلَفَ , (Msb, K,) inf. n. خَلَفٌ, (Msb, TA,) She (a camel) was, or became, pregnant. (Msb, K.)

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uthmani

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العربیّا عثمانی (Arabic Uthmani)

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

Occurrences in Quran

Found 4 verses containing "خَلَٰٓئِفَ".

6:166

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَٰٓئِفَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَٰتٍ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ ٱلْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌۢ

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

And He it is Who has made you successors of others on the earth and has exalted some of you over the others in degrees of rank, that He may try you by that which He has given you. Surely, thy Lord is quick in punishment; and surely He is Most Forgiving, Merciful.

10:15

ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَٰكُمْ خَلَٰٓئِفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ لِنَنظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

Then, We made you their successors in the earth after them, that We might see how you would act.

English - Five Volume Translation

Then, [a]We made you their successors in the earth after them, that We might see how you would act.[1290]

2:31; 7:130.

Important Words:

خلائف (successors) is the plural of خلیفة which is the active participle from خلف. They say خلفه i.e. he came after, succeeded or remained after him. خلیفة means, a successor; a vicegerent or deputy; one appointed to take the place of another who has been before him (Lane). See also 2:31; 7:70 & 7:170.

Commentary:

The verse gives rise to a natural question, viz. when a people is made to succeed another people only when the former is superior to the latter who have met with a merited downfall, what is the significance of the words, that We might see how you would act? The answer to this question is that good works are of two kinds: (1) those that bring about and lead to the glory of a people; and (2) those that are needed to maintain that glory. There are people who acquit themselves excellently in the acquisition of greatness but, once they have attained it they fail to maintain a high standard of national morality and fall victim to sloth and lack of discipline. Moreover, the works of a people are further divided into two more categories. Some actions are virtuous by themselves, while others serve only as a basis for, and help to maintain, good deeds. By adding the clause, that We might see how you would act, the Quran means to say that God made you heirs to His favours on account of such of your initial good deeds as were needed to merit greatness, and now He will see how you do those deeds which guard and perpetuate your good actions. The truth is that the latter kind of good deeds are far more difficult to perform than the former. One of the principal causes of the decline of nations is that, while they are ready to undergo all sorts of sacrifices in order to attain honour and greatness, they do not make similar efforts to preserve and perpetuate the same willingness for sacrifice and the same love for righteousness among their posterity. The result is that with the passing of one or more deserving generations the process of decay and degeneration sets in, till at last the doomed nation falls into the abyss of ruin and destruction.

If Muslims had borne this great truth in mind, they would not have sunk to their present degradation. If even now they hearken to the voice of God and His Messenger and act upon the great truth embodied in this verse, they may yet regain their lost glory.

English - Five Volume Commentary ^*

Cross Refs:

2:31; 7:130.

1290

Important Words:

Commentary:

10:74

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّيْنَٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ وَجَعَلْنَٰهُمْ خَلَٰٓئِفَ وَأَغْرَقْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا ۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُنذَرِينَ

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

But they rejected him, so We saved him and those who were with him in the Ark. And We made them inheritors of Our favours, while We drowned those who rejected Our Signs. See then, how was the end of those who had been warned!

35:40

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَٰٓئِفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ فَمَن كَفَرَ فَعَلَيْهِ كُفْرُهُۥ ۖ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ كُفْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَّا مَقْتًا ۖ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ كُفْرُهُمْ إِلَّا خَسَارًا

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

He it is Who made you vicegerents in the earth. So he who disbelieves, will himself suffer the consequences of his disbelief. And for the disbelievers their disbelief will only increase odium in the sight of their Lord, and their disbelief will increase for the disbelievers nothing but loss.

خَلَٰٓئِفَ