Meaning of the Word 'Aafiyyah

28-2-2019 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamu'alaykumWhat is the deep meaning of word 'Aafiya which comes many a times in different Prophetic DuaasE.g.اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ،اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِي، وَمَالِي،اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي، وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي، اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ، وَمِنْ خَلْفِي، وَعَنْ يَمِينِي، وَعَنْ شِمَالِي، وَمِنْ فَوْقِي، وَأَعُوذُ بِعَظَمَتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِيرواه أبو داود (5074) وصححه الألباني في "صحيح أبي داود"

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The Arabic word العافية ('Aafiyah) is a comprehensive word that includes safety from calamities, diseases, punishment, and the horrors of the Hereafter, and safety from every hateful or unpleasant matter in this world and in the Hereafter. Ibn Qutaybah said in Ghareeb Al-Hadeeth:

“The word 'Aafiyah means safety from the evils of this world and the horrors of the Hereafter.” [End of quote]

Ibn Manthoor said in Lisaan Al-‘Arab [an Arabic dictionary]: “The word 'Aafiyah means that Allah safeguards a person from sickness or hardships; it is having good health which is the opposite of sickness. [..] it means that Allah protects one from (the harm of) people and protects people from him (his harm) , and suffices one from being in need to other people and suffices other people from being in need of him, and repels their harm off him.”

Allah knows best.