خِلَاف opposition in Arabic
خِلَاف is how you say “opposition” in Arabic.
Root خ ل ف kh-l-f. noun (verbal noun / maṣdar of Form III). khilāf.
Arabic
English
The audio uses AI voices.
Meaning of opposition in Arabic
- opposition, contrariety
- disagreement, difference of opinion
Example sentence
اشْتَدَّ الْجِهَادُ وَصَعُبَ الأَمْرُ بِخِلافِ جِهَادِ الْكُفَّارِ
The struggle becomes intense and the matter becomes difficult, unlike the struggle against the disbelievers.
بِخِلَافِ unlike
bi- = 'with'; khilaf means 'contrary, difference' — together 'unlike, contrary to', heading an 'of…' phrase with the next word.
The English is machine-translated.
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How it is used
خِلَاف is the verbal noun of the Form III verb خَالَفَ (to act contrary to, to oppose), so it names a state of taking an opposing or differing position rather than a single action.
Words from the same root
- خَلَفَ to come after, succeed, replace
- خَالَفَ to oppose, act contrary to
- اِخْتِلَاف difference, disagreement
- خَلْف behind; what comes after
- خِلَافَة succession; office of a successor
More example sentences
وما يذكره أصحاب أحمد في مسائل الخلاف إن إيجاب هذه الأذكار من مفردات أحمد عن الثلاثة؛
What Ahmad’s followers mention in matters of dispute is that mandating these remembrances is unique to Ahmad among the three.
الْخِلَافِ dispute
Genitive owner of 'questions' — 'disagreement, dispute'; books of comparative fiqh.
وما يذكره أصحاب أحمد في مسائل الخلاف إن إيجاب هذه الأذكار من مفردات أحمد عن الثلاثة؛
And what the followers of Ahmad mention in matters of disagreement: the obligation of these phrases is unique to Ahmad among the three;
الْخِلَافِ disagreement
Genitive owner of 'questions' — 'disagreement, dispute'; books of comparative fiqh.
فإذا ظهر الدليلُ الراجحُ تبِعه، وإن بقي الخلافُ بعد استفراغ الوسع قبِله، لأن اجتماعَ القلوب على العدلِ أرجحُ من انتصارِ لسانٍ على لسان
When the stronger evidence appears, he follows it, and if the disagreement remains after exhausting all efforts, he accepts it, because the unity of hearts upon justice is weightier than the victory of one tongue over another.
الخِلَافُ the disagreement
An action-noun, 'the disagreement,' the doer of 'remained' (the -u), held back after its verb. It is what may STILL stand after one has done one's utmost, as the next phrase notes.
هكذا يتحولُ الخلافُ من معركةِ أنا إلى تمرينٍ على الصدق والرحمة، ومن صخبِ الأصوات إلى فنٍّ رفيعٍ في موازنة الحجّة بالخلق
Thus, the disagreement transforms from a battle of egos to an exercise in honesty and mercy, from the noise of voices to a refined art in balancing argument with character.
الخِلَافُ the disagreement
An action-noun, 'the disagreement,' the subject of 'transforms' (the -u). The same word the passage opened with — now it is the thing being changed for the better, not a threat to truth.
تُرَاءُونَ النَّاسَ بِأَعْمَالِكُمْ خِلَافَ مَا تُعْطُونِي مِنْ قُلُوبِكُمْ،
You show off to people with your deeds contrary to what you give Me from your hearts,
خِلَافَ contrary to
A noun used as a preposition-like word, 'contrary to / against', set in the form that marks opposition, and it heads a pairing with the clause after it. It links the outward show to the inner reality it clashes with.
وما يذكره أصحاب أحمد في مسائل الخلاف إن إيجاب هذه الأذكار من مفردات أحمد عن الثلاثة؛
And what the followers of Ahmad mention in issues of disagreement: making these remembrances obligatory is unique to Ahmad, apart from the three others.
الْخِلَافِ disagreement
The 'the' fused to the front marks this noun as definite, and it completes the 'of' pairing as the owner: 'issues of the disagreement'. Standing second in that pairing, it also carries the genitive ending.
Common questions
- How do you say "opposition" in Arabic?
- خِلَاف (khilāf).
- What does خِلَاف mean in Arabic?
- Opposition or disagreement — the verbal noun of خَالَفَ, 'to oppose, act contrary to.'
Related words
Definitions summarised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).