The Meaning of Daraba

An argument has been presented on some Islamic websites ( exclusively geared towards western audiences) and by some Muslims and apologists which claim to have more "modern" translations of the Qur'an^[2], which proposes that the Arabic verb "ضرب" "daraba" means something other than to "strike" "beat" or "hit." Alternatives offered include "separate from them" or somewhat nonsensically for a native English speaker "strike them out." The people making these claims are generally seeking to "reform" Islam, but this translation flies in the face of over a thousand years of understanding of the Arabic language, by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. These apologetic arguments are clearly directed people of a westernized/liberal background with little to no knowledge of Arabic, as any Muslim who has an adequate command of the Arabic language or any non-Muslim Arab, or any non-Arabic speaking Muslim familiar with the hadith and tafsir text related to this issue, will find the claim being presented to be ridiculous and prima facia untenable. Despite this, this obviously incorrect translation of this verb can be found in prominent cases such as that of Laleh Bakhtiar, an American progressive Muslim apologist. She went so far as to incorporate this incorrect translation into her translation of the Qur'an, a translation which the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) refused to sell in their bookstore for its inaccuracy.

Almost all Qur'anic professional translators in English have translated the term as "beat them". The only alternative translations which do not translate "daraba" as "to beat/hit/strike" are those that have caused controversies such as that of Leila Bekhtiar.

Yusuf Ali:

Pickthal:

Shakir:

Al-Hilali & Mohsin Khan:

Dr. T.B. Irving:

Muhammad Sarwar:

Rashad Khalifa:

Abdul-Majid Daryabadi:

E.H. Palmer:

Muhammad Ayub Khan:

Ahmed Raza Khan:

Hassan Qaribullah & Ahmad Darwish:

Mahmud Y. Zayid:

Muhammad Asad:

Sahih International:

The partisans of this argument attempt to back up their claim that daraba does not mean "to beat them" (i.e. their wives) in verse 4:34 by providing several other verses in the Qur'an which contain the word daraba, being used to describe an action other than "to beat" or "to strike":

1. To travel, to get out: See Quran 3:156; Quran 4:101; Quran 38:44; Quran 73:20; Quran 2:273
2. To set up: Quran 43:58; See Quran 57:113
3. To give examples: See Quran 14:24, Quran 14:45; Quran 16:75, Quran 16:76, Quran 16:112; Quran 18:32, Quran 18:45; Quran 24:35; Quran 30:28, Quran 30:58; Quran 36:78; Quran 39:27, Quran 39:29; Quran 43:17; Quran 59:21; Quran 66:10, Quran 66:11
4. To take away, to ignore: See Quran 43:5
5. To condemn: See Quran 2:61
6. To seal, to draw over: See Quran 18:11
7. To cover: See Quran 24:31
8. To explain: See Quran 13:17

Evidently, they have searched through the Qur'an for any verses which contain a derivative of the verb daraba and then have compared their meanings, concluding that there are ten different meanings for the verb daraba and something other than "to beat" can be applied to verse 4:34. Each of these differing usages of the verb daraba are thoroughly analyzed below along with the verses in which they appear.

Careful study of all the above verses reveals that they do not affect the interpretation of verse 4:34 whatsoever, and that the verb daraba was indeed correctly understood and translated as "beat."

In fact, all the other verses presented which contain daraba are actually using the term figuratively. For example, "hit the sky" is a figurative expression; nothing can literally "hit" or "crash" with the sky, it is meant to be understood as "fly high through" the sky. The translators and apologists proposing this bad translation will claim that this is a "different meaning" for the word "hit", when in fact it is simply a analogical extension of the main meaning of the verb. In effect this would mean when someone says in Arabic "I'll hit you," in actuality they meant "I'll fly high through you"; the argument is absurd to anyone with even a basic command of Arabic.

A comparison with English is useful: The meaning of many verbs differ according to the objects they are applied to and the prepositions with which they are used. Using the word "hit" in English as an example, which also means daraba, a number of derivitive and metaphorical meanings of "hit" may be arrived at, similar to daraba.

Ten Meanings for "Hit"

Ten of these metaphorical/derived meanings are as follows (note that the nouns in the brackets are the objects to be hit):

1. Set out (Road)
2. Click (Mouse)
3. Drink (Bottle)
4. Land (Target)
5. Reach (Market)
6. Press (Brakes)
7. Go (Beach)
8. Fulfill (Spot)
9. Demonstrate (Streets)
10. Win (Jackpot)

Examples:

1. When an English speaker "hits the road," as in this famous song, it means he "departed" or "set out." It surely doesn't mean he got a hammer and hit the road with it. The base meaning of "hit" remains untouched when not used with "the road."
2. When an English speaker says they will "hit the Mouse," they mean to say they will "click on the mouse." The base meaning of "hit" remains untouched when not used with "the mouse."
3. When an English speaker says they'll "hit the bottle," what they really mean is, they'll "drink the bottle" or "drink alcohol heavily." The base meaning of "hit" remains untouched when not used with "the bottle."
4. When a darts player "hits the target" in English, he didn't get the dart board and break it, he simply shot the dart and it "landed on the target." The base meaning of "hit" remains untouched when not used with "the target."
5. When an author's book "hits the market" in English, it means the book "reaches the market." The base meaning of "hit" remains untouched when not used with "the market."
6. When an English speaker says they'll "hit the brakes," it doesn't mean they'll break the braking pedal, but rather it means they'll "press on the brakes" to stop the car. The base meaning of "hit" remains untouched when not used with "the the brakes."
7. When a an English speaker "hits the beach," they didn't fall from the 11th floor and "crash" into the beach, but they "went to the beach." The base meaning of "hit" remains untouched when not used with "the beach."
8. When an English speaker says it's (some food is) fine but it didn't "hit the spot," they mean to say it's fine but didn't fulfill their needs or satiate their hunger or desire for a specific food. The base meaning of "hit" remains untouched when not used with "the spot."
9. When an English speaker says the activists "hit the streets," it means the activists "demonstrated in the streets" again no image of activists bashing streets with hammers is evoked. The base meaning of "hit" remains untouched when not used with "the streets."
10. When an English speaker says they "hit the jackpot" it actually means they "won the jackpot" or "won the prize", not that they physically struck a pot. The base meaning of "hit" remains untouched when not used with "the jackpot."

As can clearly be seen, each of those sentences involves a different meaning of the word "hit", which is applied accordingly to the object used in combination with it. Yet even with all of these "different meanings" of the word "hit" in mind, the sentence "I will hit my woman" remains clear: the meaning is "I shall strike my woman", or in Arabic "سوف أضرب إمرأتي" There is no possible alternative meaning to "I will beat my woman."' The difference between, for example, "hit the road" and "hit the woman", is the object to be hit, and not the meaning of "hit" itself; the meanings of the two sentences are different but clear.

Most of the verses containing the eight different meanings which have been given by the apologists are using the verb daraba (hit) not against human beings, but rather "hitting the land," "hitting an example," "hitting the truth"... etc., figurative uses which are derivative of the main meaning "to hit." In the verses in the Qur'an where daraba is used against a human being without a modifiying preposition, it means to "beat" or "strike," which confirms our understanding of the use of daraba in verse 4:34.

What follows now is a discussion of daraba in the contexts where it is found in the Qur'an with a meaning other than "to hit" or "to strike." The original verse in Arabic will be presented, along with word-by-word literal translation of the statement in Bold in each verse, which is the place where daraba (hit) and its object (i.e. Land) are used; and above each verse will be found the name of the object being hit. For example, in the example of the phrase "strikean example," its will literally translation will be presented as is, not as "give an example" like the standard Qur'anic translations. Although this translation may sound strange, it will make the object to be hit, easily identifiable for the non-Arabic speakers.

This literal translation of all the verses for will show that each time "daraba" is used and has a different meaning than to "beat," it is not against a human being, but against other material and non-material objects. And each and every time it is used against a human without a modifying preposition, it has no other meaning than to "beat".

Meaning 1: To travel, to get out

Verse: 3.156 Object: Land

daraboo ضَرَبُوا۟ is a form of daraba ضرب, meaning "hit" 'beat" or "strike." Fee في literally means "in". Al-Ardi ٱلْأَرْضِ means "the land" or "the earth." Thus, the whole statement daraboo fee al-ardi ضَرَبُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ translates literally as "hit in the land", with a meaning of something like "hit the road" that is "to travel", a figurative extension of the main meaning of the verb, "hit."

"Hit" here gives this meaning only when it is against "land"; it is a well-known expression in Arabic.

Verse: 4.101 Object: Land

darabtum fee al-ardi ضَرَبْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ literally meaning "you (plural) hit in the land" again meaning here "to travel" or to move across the land.

Verse: 73.20 Object: Land

yadriboona fee al-ardi يَضْرِبُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ literally meaning "they hit in the land" again meaning here "to travel" or to move across the land.

Verse: 2.273 Object: Land

darban fee al-ardi ضَرْبًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ literally "a hit in the land" again meaning "moving about in the land."

Meaning number 2: To set up or place

Verse: 57.13 Object: Wall

faduriba baynahum bisoorin فَضُرِبَ بَيْنَهُم بِسُورٍ literally "a wall was struck between them" which is understood as "a wall was placed between them."

Meaning number 3: To give examples

Verse: 14.24 Object: Example

daraba Allahu mathalan ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا literally "Allah struck an example", meaning "he gave an example."

Verse: 14.45 Object: Example

wadarabna lakumu al-amthala ضَرَبْنَا لَكُمُ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ literally "we strike for you the example" meaning "we give an example for you."

Verse: 16.75 Object: Example

Daraba Allahu mathalan ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا literally "Allah has struck an example" meaning "Allah has given an example."

Verse: 16.76 Object: Example

Wadaraba Allahu mathalan وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا literally "And Allah has struck an example" meaning "Allah has given an example."

Verse: 16.112 Object: Example

Wadaraba Allahu mathalan وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا literally "And Allah has struck an example" meaning "And Allah has given an example."

Verse: 18.32 Object: Example

Waidrib lahum mathalan وَٱضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلًا literally "and you, struck for them an example" meaning "and give for them an example."

Verse: 18.45 Object: Example

Waidrib lahum mathala وَٱضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلَ literally "and struck for them an example" meaning "and he gave an example."

Verse: 24.35 Object: Example

wayadribu Allahu al-amthala وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَٰلَ literally meaning "And Allah hits the examples" with the meaning that "he Allah provides the examples."

Verse: 30.28 Object: Example

Daraba lakum mathalan ضَرَبَ لَكُم مَّثَلًا literally meaning "struck an example for you" meaning and "and he set forth for you all an example."

Verse: 30.58 Object: Example

darabna liInnasi fee hatha alqur-ani min kulli mathalin وَلَقَدْ ضَرَبْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِى هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ literally meaning "We have struck in this Quran for every example for the people" meaning "we have given an example for the people in this Qur'an."

Verse: 39.27 Object: Example

Walaqad darabna liInnasi fee hatha alqur-ani min kulli mathalin وَلَقَدْ ضَرَبْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِى هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ literally meaning "And we have struck in this Quran from every example for the people"

Verse: 39.29 Object: Example

Daraba Allahu mathalan ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا literally meaning "Allah stuck an example"

Verse: 43.17 Object: Example

bima daraba liIrrahmani mathalan بِمَا ضَرَبَ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ مَثَلًا literally meaning "in the examples struck by the Merciful" with a meaning of "in the examples given by the merciful."

Verse: 43.58 Object: Example

ma daraboohu laka ۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ literally "what they have struck it for you" The thing that is struck here is, from its previous verse Quran 43:57, is an example; the meaning is thus "

Verse: 59.21 Object: Example

watilka al-amthalu nadribuha liInnasi وَتِلْكَ ٱلْأَمْثَٰلُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ literally meaning "and these are the examples that we struck for the people"

Verse: 66.10 Object: Example

Daraba Allahu mathalan ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا literally meaning "Allah has strikes an example" and with a meaning

Verse: 66.11 Object: Example

Wadaraba Allahu mathalan وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا literally meaning "And Allah has strikes an example" meaning "and Allah has given an example."

Meaning number 4: To take away, to ignore

Verse: 43.5 Object: Admonition

Afanadribu 'ankumu aIththikra أَفَنَضْرِبُ عَنكُمُ ٱلذِّكْرَ literally meaning "shall we strike the remembrance from you" meaning "shall we forget to remind you." Again, this is a known expression.

Meaning number 5: To condemn

Verse: 26.1 Object: Humiliation

waduribat 'alayhimu aIdhdhillatu wulmaskanatu وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلذِّلَّةُ وَٱلْمَسْكَنَةُ literally meaning "and the humiliation and poverty was struck open him" id est "he was struck down/laid low with humiliation and poverty." The humiliation and poverty are the subjects of the passive verb here, will Moses and his people are the objects of the preposition "'ala" على meaning "upon."

Meaning number 6: To seal, to draw over

Verse: 18.11 :Over the ears

Fadarabna AAala adhanihim فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ literally meaning "we have hit upon their ears," which is a common expression in Arabic that means "we will make your ears hear nothing." Just like "beat your feet" can mean "start walking." What was hit here was the ears, not the people themselves.

Meaning number 7: To cover

Verse: 24.31 Object: Veils and Feet

This verse mentions the verb daraba ضرب twice. In the first occurrence, it says walyadribna bikhumurihinna AAala juyoobihinna وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ literally meaning "and they should strike their veils over their bosoms," meaning they should place their veils over their bosoms or cover their bosoms.

In the second occurrence, wala yadribna bi-arjulihinna وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ literally means "they should not hit their feet;" and here "hit" is meant literally as "hit" or "strike."

Meaning number 8: To explain

Verse: 13.17 Object: Truth and Vanity

Another two instances of "daraba" here: yadribu Allahu alhaqqa waalbatila يَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحَقَّ وَٱلْبَٰطِلَ ۚ literally meaning "Allah hits the truth and the vanity," as in "Allahs explains the truth and the vanity."

The Main Meaning: To Strike or Beat

The main meaing of "daraba" is to hit or strike, including with a sword where the meaning should be rendered in English as "cut", "chop", or "chop off."

Verse: 2.60 Object: Rock

idrib bi'asaka alhajara ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْحَجَرَ literally meaning "hit the rock."

Verse: 2.73 Object: Human

idriboohu bibaAAdiha ٱضْرِبُوهُ بِبَعْضِهَا literally means "beat him with part of her." The one to be beaten is the dead man [a whole human], which is the equivalent of the wife [a whole human] who is to be beaten as instructed in verse 4:34. The only possible meaning here for daraba is "strike" or "beat." The mysterious translation of "separate from them" that was used instead of "beat" in 4:34 cannot be applied here, as the cow and the man were definitely not connected in any way to be "separated." This verse confirms for us, that when you are told to "daraba" a man, it means to strike or beat them. Thus, it is logical to conclude that daraba against a woman will also mean to "strike" or "beat" them, not "separate".

Verse: 7.160 Object: Rock

idrib bi'asaka alhajara ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْحَجَرَ literally meaning "hit the rock."

Verse: 8.12 Object: Human Necks

faidriboo fawqa al-a'naqi waidriboo minhum kulla bananin فَٱضْرِبُوا۟ فَوْقَ ٱلْأَعْنَاقِ وَٱضْرِبُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ كُلَّ بَنَانٍ literally meaning "hit over the necks and hit from them all their fingers." The first "hit" means "beat" and the second means "cut-off." Both objects here are not whole bodies, but only parts (necks and fingers).

Verse: 20.77 Object: Road

faid'rib lahum -tareeqan فَٱضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقًا literally meaning "so strike a road for them." The usage is somewhat eccentric here for an English speaker, but the idea is that a strike or hit will carve out a path for Moses through the sea.

Verse: 24.31 Object: Feet and Veil This verse is a repeat and has already been discussed under the section below - To cover.

Verse: 26:63 Object: Sea

an udrib bi'asaka albahra أَنِ ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْبَحْرَ literally meaning "to hit with your stick the sea."

Verse: 37.93 Object: Human

This is a great example. Here, darban bialyameeni ضَرْبًۢا بِٱلْيَمِينِ literally means "hit them [people] with the right [hand]." According to this verse, when verb daraban ضَرْبًۢا is applied to humans, it means "beat" or "strike." It cannot be translated as "separate them from your right hand," as that is utterly ridiculous. The Islamic sites in question, also agrees that daraban here means "strike."

Verse: 47.4 Object: Human Necks

fadarba aIrriqabi فَضَرْبَ ٱلرِّقَابِ literally meaning "the hit of the necks." as in "beaten on their necks."

Verse: 8.50 Object: Human Faces

yadriboona wujoohahum يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ literally meaning "hit their faces," or "beat their faces."

Verse: 47.27 Object: Human Faces

yadriboona wujoohahum ضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ literally meaning "hit their faces."

Beat them and leave them are different phrases in Arabic, utilizing the same verb, but here differentiated by the preposition used. The Arabic word idribohunna is the command form of the Arabic verv Daraba does not have any other meaning than Beat when it comes to the sentence "Yadribu Ahadan" يضرب أحدا= he hits someone. Idriboohunna (أضربوهن) means beat them (for female plural). Idriboo 'anhunna (اضربوا عنهن) with the preposition 'an عن would mean "leave" or "abandon" them. According to Lane's Arabic lexicon.^[10]

Qur'an 4:34 says Idriboohunna^[11] أضربوهن not Adribu 'Anhunna اضربوا عنهن. There is no way to confuse one for the other.

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