جَهْلٌ ignorance in Arabic
جَهْلٌ is how you say “ignorance” in Arabic.
Root ج ه ل j-h-l. noun (verbal noun / maṣdar). jahl.
Arabic
English
The audio uses AI voices.
Meaning of ignorance in Arabic
- ignorance; lack of knowledge The direct opposite of عِلْم (ʿilm, 'knowledge'). Classed as either simple (no knowledge of a thing) or compound (a false belief held as certain).
- foolish, silly, or wrongful conduct Extended from the verb جَهِلَ used of acting rashly, foolishly, or wrongly toward someone, not just of lacking information.
Example sentence
فَأقر لَهُ بِالْجَهْلِ فِي علمه، والآفات فِي عمله، والعيوب فِي نَفسه، والتفريط فِي حَقه، وَالظُّلم فِي مُعَامَلَته
So he acknowledges his ignorance in his knowledge, the flaws in his actions, the defects in his self, his negligence in his duty, and the injustice in his dealings.
بِالْجَهْلِ with the ignorance
bi- = 'with' (marks what is admitted); al- = 'the'; jahl means 'ignorance' — 'acknowledged… his ignorance'.
The English is machine-translated.
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How it is used
جَهْل is the standard opposite of عِلْم ('knowledge'): it covers both a plain lack of knowledge and a false belief held with confidence. Classical usage widens it to foolish, reckless, or wrongful behavior, as in جَهِلَ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ, 'he acted foolishly/wrongly toward another.' Its adjective feeds الجَاهِلِيَّةُ, the term for the pre-Islamic 'Age of Ignorance.'
Words from the same root
- جَهِلَ to be ignorant; not to know (form I verb)
- جَاهِلٌ an ignorant person; one who acts foolishly or wrongly
- الجَاهِلِيَّةُ the Age of Ignorance, the pre-Islamic era
- جَاهِلِىٌّ pagan; a pre-Islamic (pagan) poet
- تجاهل to feign ignorance (form VI)
- جهّل to call someone ignorant; to attribute ignorance to him (form II)
- مَجْهَلَةٌ a thing that incites one to foolish or ignorant conduct
- مَجْهَلٌ a trackless desert; land with no waymarks
More example sentences
وإن غرست شَجَرَة الجهل والهوى كان الثمر مرًّا
If the tree of ignorance and desire is planted, the fruit will be bitter.
الجَهْلِ of ignorance
al- = 'the'; jahl means 'ignorance' — the 'of…' word: 'of ignorance'.
Common questions
- How do you say "ignorance" in Arabic?
- جَهْلٌ (jahl).
- What does الجَاهِلِيَّةُ mean?
- It is 'the Age of Ignorance' — the term for the pre-Islamic era, built from the same root as جَهْل ('ignorance').
Related words
Definitions summarised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).