Standing Firm: The Qur’anic Power of the Root ق و م (Q-W-M)
The Language of Uprightness, Responsibility, and Resurrection
Author:
GM Shahzad, Research Scholar
qaliminstitute@gmail.com & gmshahzad@yahoo.com +19085533347
Quranic Arabic Research Scholar | Discoverer of
Islamic Meditation for healing | Theorist of ADNS
📚 Introduction: One Root, Many Paths
The Arabic
triliteral root ق و م (qāf–wāw–mīm) is one of the most dynamic and meaningful
roots in the Qur’an, appearing 660 times in 22 distinct derived
forms.
It encodes
a wide spectrum of meanings:
- To stand (physically and spiritually),
- To establish (truth, justice, worship),
- To rise (from sleep or death),
- To take responsibility (as guardians, leaders),
- To be upright, stable, or
balanced.
The power
of Q-W-M lies in how it integrates motion with meaning — from a
soul standing in prayer to a nation rising in defiance or collapse on the Day
of Judgment.
🔍 Root Overview: ق و م (Q-W-M)
|
Arabic Form |
Occurrences |
Meaning |
|
qāma (قَامَ) - Form I Verb |
33× |
He stood, he rose |
|
aqāma (أَقَامَ) - Form IV Verb |
54× |
He established, upheld |
|
is'taqāmu (ٱسْتَقَامُ) - Form X Verb |
10× |
They remained upright, straight |
|
qawm (قَوْم) - Noun |
383× |
A people, nation |
|
qiyāmah (قِيَامَة) - Noun |
70× |
Resurrection, the Rising |
|
mus’taqīm (مُسْتَقِيم) - Form X Active Participle |
37× |
Straight, upright (as in ṣirāṭ
al-mustaqīm) |
Other
forms describe actions, character, time, status, and Divine Names. Let’s
explore the depth behind each.
🧍♂️
1. Qāma (قَامَ) — He Stood / Rose (33 times)
Form I
verb
Literal and spiritual standing. Used for:
- Physical standing (e.g.,
prayer)
- Rising to action or
responsibility
- Resurrection from death
وَإِذَا قَامُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ قَامُوا۟
كُسَالَىٰ
"When they stand for prayer, they stand lazily…" (4:142)
🏛️ 2. Aqāma (أَقَامَ) — He Established (54 times)
Form IV
verb
To make something stand — i.e., to establish and uphold:
- Aqāma aṣ-ṣalāh (Establish prayer)
- Establish justice, society,
faith
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ
“And establish the prayer…” (2:43)
🧭 3. Is’taqāmu (ٱسْتَقَامُ) — They
Remained Upright (10 times)
Form X
verb
To remain firm, straight, unwavering. Spiritual and moral uprightness.
فَٱسْتَقِمْ كَمَآ أُمِرْتَ
“So remain steadfast as you were commanded…” (11:112)
🧑🤝🧑 4. Qawm (قَوْم) — People, Nation (383 times)
Most
frequent form. A group with shared lineage or moral standing.
- Can be righteous or corrupt
- Often addressed in prophetic
missions
يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ
“O my people! Worship Allah…” (7:65)
⏱️ 5. Qiyāmah (قِيَامَة) — The Resurrection (70 times)
Literally:
The Rising.
Refers to the Day of Judgment — when all will stand before Allah.
ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا
“The Resurrection — there is no doubt in it…” (45:26)
🛤️ 6. Mus’taqīm (مُّسْتَقِيم) —
Straight, Upright (37 times)
The Straight
Path, morally and spiritually:
- Most famously in Sūrat
al-Fātiḥah:
ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ
“Guide us to the straight path…” (1:6)
🧠 Other Derived Forms
⚖️ Qayyim / Qayyūm / Qayyimat
- Qayyim (قَيِّم) — 5× — Upright, valuable
“A book valuable/upright…” (18:2)
- Qayyūm (قَيُّوم) — 3× — Ever-Standing (Divine
Name)
"Al-Ḥayyu al-Qayyūmu" — The Ultimate Ever-Living, The
Ultimate Self-Subsisting (2:255)
- Qayyimat (قَيِّمَة) — 2× — Upright (feminine
plural adjective)
🏟️ Maqām (مَقَام) — Place or Position (14 times)
- A station of rank, remembrance,
or standing (Ibrāhīm’s maqām in 2:125)
🔧 Taqwīm (تَقْوِيم) — Structuring / Molding (1 time)
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ فِيٓ أَحْسَنِ
تَقْوِيمٍ
“We created the mankind in the best stature.” (95:4)
👤 Muqīm (مُّقِيم) — One who establishes (10×)
- Those who establish prayer,
reside somewhere, or maintain commitments
🕋 Divine Names Related to Q-W-M
ٱلْقَيُّوم (Al-Qayyūm) —
The Ultimate Self-Subsisting
“Allāhu!
Lā ilāha illā Huwa — Al-Ḥayyu, Al-Qayyūmu.” (2:255)
This is a
name of perfect self-standing — never sleeping, never needing — eternally
upright.
💡 Thematic Reflections
📌 Moral & Spiritual Uprightness
The root ق و م is at
the center of Qur’anic ethics:
- Stand firm for justice
- Establish prayer
- Rise from wrong
- Stay upright
كُونُوا۟ قَوَّٰمِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَآءَ
بِٱلْقِسْطِ
“Be ever-standing for Allah, witnesses in justice…” (5:8)
⚖️ Balance & Responsibility
This root
embodies stability and structure — applied to:
- Human form (taqwīm)
- Societies (qawm)
- Spiritual stations (maqām)
- Divine power (Al-Qayyūmu)
🧭 Direction & Destiny
From
standing in prayer to rising on Qiyāmah — this root maps the soul’s journey:
- Physical obedience → Spiritual
uprightness → Eternal standing before Allah.
🧩 Conclusion: From Standing to
Ever-Standing
The root ق و م
(Q-W-M) is not just about motion — it’s about meaningful motion:
- From standing in prayer,
- To establishing the truth,
- To being resurrected and
held accountable,
- Until we stand before Al-Qayyūmu
Himself.
It teaches
that every act of rising — from sujūd to sincerity — is a rehearsal for the
Final Rising (Qiyāmah).
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