How do you say "holy" in Arabic?

مَقْدِسٌ (maqdis) carries the sense of 'holy, hallowed'; it is best known from بيت المقدس, 'the Holy House,' the classical name for Jerusalem. The everyday adjective for 'holy' is مُقَدَّس (muqaddas).

What does بيت المقدس mean?

Literally 'the Holy House' — the classical Arabic name for Jerusalem, from the same root as مقدس (holy, sanctified).

Arabic vocabulary

مَقْدِسٌHoly in Arabic

مَقْدِسٌ is how you say “Holy” in Arabic. Hear it pronounced and see it used in real example sentences from classical texts below.

Root ق د س (q-d-s)noun (place-name element)Pronounced maqdis

Meaning of Holy in Arabic

holy, hallowed, sanctified — shares the sense of مُقَدَّس (muqaddas)
Jerusalem — short for بيت المقدس, 'the Holy House'

Almost always met inside the phrase بَيْتُ المَقْدِسِ (bayt al-maqdis), 'the Holy House' — the classical Arabic name for Jerusalem, said to be so called because one is purified there from sin, or because of the blessing in it.

Words from the same root

قُدْسٌholiness, purity; also Jerusalem
قدّسهُto hallow, sanctify, bless
تقدّسto be purified, sanctified
القُدُّوسُthe All-Holy, a name of God
مُقَدَّسٌhallowed, sanctified, holy

Common questions

How do you say "holy" in Arabic?: مَقْدِسٌ (maqdis) carries the sense of 'holy, hallowed'; it is best known from بيت المقدس, 'the Holy House,' the classical name for Jerusalem. The everyday adjective for 'holy' is مُقَدَّس (muqaddas).
What does بيت المقدس mean?: Literally 'the Holy House' — the classical Arabic name for Jerusalem, from the same root as مقدس (holy, sanctified).

Definitions synthesised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).

Example sentences

باب مفتوح من السماء من أبواب الجنة ينزل من الجنات الرحمة على بيت المقدس كل صباح حتى تقوم الساعة
A gate from the gates of Paradise is open in the heavens, from which mercy descends upon Bayt al-Maqdis every morning until the Hour is established.
الْمَقْدِسِ — the Holy. al- = 'the'; maqdis means 'the sanctified place' — together 'the Holy House' (Jerusalem).
From: Angels at al-Aqsa →
والظل الذي ينزل على بيت المقدس شفاء من كل داء من جنان الجنة
And the shade that descends upon Bayt al-Maqdis is a cure for every illness, from the gardens of Paradise.
الْمَقْدِسِ — the Holy. al- = 'the'; the 'of…' word — together 'the Holy House' (Jerusalem).
From: Angels at al-Aqsa →

Related words

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