أثرthree connected senses — precedence, the mentioning/transmitting of a thing, and the … (root thr)

Athar al-sayf [also]: its stroke. 'Dhahabtu fī ithri fulānin' means: I tracked him; no verb is derived from this root in this sense. [A poet]: 'Suʿād has departed, and my heart today is love-smitten... enslaved, following (ithra) one who did not requite [that love], shackled' — dropping the qualifying noun. Athar al-ḥadīth: that a group relates it from another, i.e., narrates it in their wake (āthārihim), i.e. after them; verbal noun al-athārah. Al-maʾthurah: a noble deed, so named because it is 'transmitted' (tuʾtharu), i.e. mentioned and handed down generation after generation. Al-mathir of a people: the noble exploits of their forefathers. Al-athīr: the dear one, whom you prefer by your generosity over others; verbal noun al-ithrah; 'lahu ʿindanā ithrah' [he has special favor with us]. 'Istaʾthara Llāhu bi-fulānin': said when someone dies, being hoped for Paradise. 'Istaʾthartu ʿalā fulānin bi-kadhā' means: I preferred myself with it over him, excluding him. Athar al-sayf [also]: its ornamental pattern called al-firind; 'sayfun maʾthūr' derives from this; also said 'huwa athīru l-sayf,' like the pattern faʿīl; and 'athar al-sayf' on the lightened pattern faʿl. [A poet]: 'As if they were swords, white, Yemeni, sharp, their edges retaining the pattern (al-athar)' — then intensified [to uthur] with double ḍamma. And [another]: 'As if the remaining traces (al-athar) upon its surfaces were the crawling of locust-young over the dune, on the move.' Al-miʾtharah, with hamza: a knife marking the underside of the camel's foot-pad so its track is recognized. Al-mītharah, unhamzed: a cushion-like covering made for the saddle, placed beneath it. [Recall:] 'athartu an afʿala kadhā wa-kadhā' means: I resolved to do such-and-such. You say: 'ifʿal hādhā āthiran mā' meaning: if you delay that action, do this one, in any case (immā lā). Al-āthir is on the pattern fāʿil. The explanation of 'immā lā' is that 'lā' and 'mā' are connective particles fused into one word and pronounced with imālah. Al-āthir and al-wāthir are two dialectal forms for that fine implement which marks a trace beneath the camel's foot-pad.

Al-athar: the sword's firind. Yaʿqūb said: al-Aṣmaʿī knows it only with fatḥa. ʿĪsā ibn ʿUmar al-Thaqafī recited to him: 'The polishers polished it and rendered it pure, light, all of it confronting [you] with its pattern (athar)' — i.e. all of it faces you with its firind. Al-maʾthūr: the sword said to be the work of the jinn. Al-Aṣmaʿī said: it is not from al-athar meaning firind [different word]. Al-athar is also the verbal noun of 'athartu l-ḥadītha,' said when relating a report from another; hence 'ḥadīthun maʾthūr,' transmitted generation to generation. Al-Aʿshā said: 'Indeed what the two of you disputed is clear to the hearer and to the one relating it (al-āthir)' — also transmitted 'bayyin.' In the hadith: the Prophet heard ʿUmar swearing by his father and forbade it; ʿUmar said: 'I have not sworn by it since, neither relating [from another] (dhākiran) nor reporting on another's authority (āthiran)' — meaning informing on another's behalf that he swore by it, i.e., I do not say 'so-and-so said: by my father, I will do such-and-such.' 'Dhākiran' here is not remembering after forgetting but simply speaking it. Al-uthr, with ḍamma: the scar of a wound remaining after healing, sometimes intensified like ʿusr/ʿusur. The poet said: 'White [swords], the partings [of their blades] still bearing the mark (al-athar)' — some interpret this as the firind. Al-uthrah also means: scoring the underside of a camel's foot-pad with iron to track it; hence 'atharta l-baʿīra,' so it is maʾthūr, and that implement is miʾtharah, also tuʾthūr (pattern tufʿūl, ḍamma). As for mītharat al-sarj, it is unhamzed. Al-ithr, with kasra, also means: clarified butter. 'Kharajtu fī itharihi' means: in his track. Al-athar, with taḥrīk: what remains of a thing's outline, and also a sword's stroke. 'The sunan of the Prophet' means his precedents (āthāruhu). 'Istaʾthara fulānun bi-l-shayʾ' means he monopolized it, noun al-atharah. 'Istaʾthara Llāhu bi-fulānin': said when someone dies, forgiveness hoped for him. Ibn al-Sikkīt related: 'rajulun athur' (pattern faʿul, ḍamma), one who monopolizes/prefers himself over his companions, choosing good deeds and character for himself. Al-maʾthurah/maʾthurah, with fatḥa or ḍamma on thāʾ: a noble deed, so called because it is 'transmitted,' handed down generation after generation. 'Ātartu fulānan ʿalā nafsī,' from al-īthār. Their saying 'ifʿal hādhā āthiran mā, wa-āthira dhī athīr' means: first of all. ʿUrwah ibn al-Ward said: ... [entry continues]

The hamza, thāʾ, and rāʾ have three [semantic] roots: putting something first/precedence; relating/mentioning a thing; and the trace that remains of a thing. Al-Khalīl said: 'laqad athartu an afʿala kadhā' means: I have resolved to do such-and-such, a firm intention. You say: 'ifʿal hādhā āthiran mā wa-āthira dhī athīr,' meaning: if you have chosen that action, do this one first, in any case. Ibn al-Aʿrābī said its meaning is: I do it before anything else. ʿUrwah ibn al-Ward said: 'They said: whatever you wish; so I said: to amuse myself... until dawn — first of all (āthira dhī athīr).' Al-āthir is on the pattern fāʿil. As for ʿUmar's hadith, 'mā ḥalaftu baʿdahā āthiran wa-lā dhākiran' — by 'āthiran' he means reporting on another's authority that he swore by it, i.e., I did not say 'so-and-so said, and I will surely do such-and-such,' from 'athartu l-ḥadīth' [I related the report], and 'ḥadīthun maʾthūr' [a transmitted report]; 'wa-lā dhākiran' means: I did not mention it on my own authority. Al-Khalīl said: al-āthir is that which leaves a mark on the camel's foot-pad; al-athīr among riding-beasts is one that leaves a great mark on the ground with foot-pad or hoof. Al-Khalīl said: al-athar is what remains visible of a thing, and also what is not itself visible but leaves a trace behind. Al-athār is [a variant of] al-athar, like falāḥ/falaḥ, sadād/sadad. Al-Khalīl said: 'athar al-sayf' [also] means its stroke/blow. 'Man yashtarī sayfī wa-hādhā atharuhu' — a proverb for one tried and tested. Al-Khalīl said: al-miʾtharah is a knife marking the underside of the camel's foot-pad so its track is recognized; plural al-maʾāthir. Al-Khalīl said: al-athar also means following/tracking, with two dialectal forms athar/ithr; no verb is derived from it in this sense, but one says 'dhahabtu fī itharihi' [I went following his track]. They say 'tadaʿu l-ʿayna wa-taṭlubu l-athara' — a proverb for one who abandons ease for difficulty. Al-athīr: the one dear to you, whom you favor with generosity; feminine al-athīrah, verbal noun al-ithrah; 'ʿindanā ithrah' [we have special favor here]. Abū Zayd: 'rajulun athīr,' plural athīrūn, the quality being al-athrah; and the plural of al-athīr [elsewhere] is athrāʾ. Al-Khalīl said: 'istaʾthara Llāhu bi-fulānin' means he died, being one hoped for Paradise. In the hadith: 'idhā staʾthara Llāhu bi-shayʾin fa-lhu ʿanhu' meaning: if God has reserved something to Himself, desist from it. Abū ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAlāʾ: 'akhadhtu dhālika bi-lā athratin ʿalayka' means: I did not take it in preference over you. 'Rajulun athir': one who prefers himself over his companions. Al-Liḥyānī: 'akhadhtuhu bi-lā athrā ʿalayka,' and cited: 'So I said: O wolf, would you accept a brother who shares equally, with no self-preference over you and no stinginess?' In the hadith: 'sa-tarawna baʿdī atharatan' meaning: rulers who monopolize the public wealth for themselves. Ibn al-Aʿrābī: 'āthartuhu bi-l-shayʾi īthāran,' verbal noun al-athrah/al-ithrah, plural al-ithar. He said: 'They did not favor you with it when they put you forward for it — no, rather the preferential shares went, through you, to themselves.' Al-athārah: a remnant of a thing, plural atharāt; from this His saying: 'or a remnant (athārah) of knowledge' [al-Aḥqāf 46:4]. Al-Aṣmaʿī said: 'al-ibilu ʿalā athārah' means: [subsisting] on old remaining fat. [A poet]: 'And [a she-camel] possessing a remnant [of fat], having grazed upon paired plants on a low hill...' Al-Khalīl said: al-athar in a sword resembles what is called al-firind [temper-pattern]; the sword is called maʾthūr for that; hence 'athartu l-sayfa āthiruhu atharan' means: I polished the sword until its firind appeared. Al-Farrāʾ [gives] al-athar also with fatḥa, and cited: 'The polishers polished it and brought it forth... so it came, all of it confronting [you] with its pattern (athar).' He said al-Farrāʾ used to pronounce 'athar al-sayf' with taḥrīk... [entry continues]

Athar al-shayʾ: the occurrence of that which indicates its existence; one says athar or athar, plural al-āthār. God Most High said: 'Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps (āthārihim)' [al-Ḥadīd 57:27], 'and traces (āthāran) in the earth' [Ghāfir 40:21], and 'so look at the marks (āthāra) of God's mercy' [al-Rūm 30:50]. From this, the path by which one tracks those who went before is called āthār, as in 'so they rush along their tracks' [al-Ṣāffāt 37:70], and 'they are close upon my track (atharī)' [Ṭāhā 20:84]. Also: 'samimat al-ibilu ʿalā athārah' means: on a remnant of fat. 'Athartu l-baʿīr' means: I placed a mark (athrah) on its foot-pad, a sign impressed in the ground so its track may be identified; the tool for this is al-miʾtharah. Athar al-sayf: its essence and mark of fine quality, the firind; hence 'sayfun maʾthūr.' 'Athartu l-ʿilm' means: I transmitted it — āthuruhu, athran, athārah, athrah; its root sense: I traced its trail. Cf. 'or a remnant (athārah) of knowledge' [al-Aḥqāf 46:4], also read 'athrah' — what is transmitted or written so a trace remains. Al-maʾāthir: the noble deeds reported of a person. Al-athar is used metaphorically for merit/excellence, al-īthār for the act of favoring; hence 'āthartuhu'; and His saying: 'and they give preference over themselves' [al-Ḥashr 59:9]; 'By God, God has indeed preferred you (ātharaka) over us' [Yūsuf 12:91]; 'nay, you prefer (tuʾthirūna) the life of this world' [al-Aʿlā 87:16]. In the hadith: 'There will be, after me, self-preferment (atharah)' meaning some will favor themselves over others. Al-istiʾthār: claiming exclusive possession, excluding others; 'istaʾthara Llāhu bi-fulānin' is a euphemism for death, indicating he is among those God has singled out exclusively to Himself, as an honor. 'Rajulun athir': one who prefers himself over his companions. Al-Liḥyānī related: 'khudhhu āthiran mā,' 'itharan mā,' and 'athara dhī athīr' [take it first of all].

Al-athar: the remainder of a thing, plural āthār and athūr. 'Kharajtu fī ithri fulānin' and 'fī atharihi' means: I went out after him. 'Atathtuhu' and 'taʾaththartuhu': I traced his track — from al-Fārisī. 'Āthara kadhā bi-kadhā' means: he followed it up with it. From this Mutammim ibn Nuwayrah's description of rain: 'So he followed up (āthara) the flood of the two valleys with a steady drizzle, that brought forth, along with the early rain, castor-plants...' i.e., he followed with rain after an earlier steady rain. Al-athar, with taḥrīk: what remains of a thing's outline. Al-taʾthīr: leaving a mark on a thing. 'Aththara fī l-shayʾ': he left a mark in it. Al-āthār: also landmarks/signs. Al-athīrah among riding-animals: one leaving a great mark on the ground with foot-pad or hoof, clearly marking its track (bayyinat al-itharah). Al-Liḥyānī related from al-Kisāʾī: 'mā yudrā lahu ayna athar' and 'mā yudrā lahu mā athar' meaning: his origin is not known, neither where nor what. Al-ithār: a sack-like covering tied over a she-goat's udder, so it not be improperly suckled. Al-athrah, with ḍamma: scoring the underside of a camel's foot-pad with iron to track it. 'Athara khuffa l-baʿīr yaʾthuruhu athran wa-atharahu': he incised it. Al-athar: a mark on the underside of a camel's foot-pad by which its track is followed, plural athūr. Al-miʾtharah and al-thuʾrūr (pattern tufʿūl, ḍamma): an iron implement marking the camel's foot-pad so its track is known; it is also said al-athrah, al-thuʾthūr, al-thaʾthūr are all terms for marks the Bedouin place on a camel's foot-pad; hence 'athartu l-baʿīr,' so it is maʾthūr; 'I saw its athrah/thuʾthūr,' i.e. the location of its mark on the ground. Al-athīrah among riding-animals: one leaving a great mark on the ground with foot-pad or hoof. In the hadith: 'Whoever is pleased that God extend his provision and defer his term (athar), let him maintain ties of kinship' — al-athar here means the appointed lifespan, so called because it trails behind one's life; Zuhayr said: 'And man, as long as he lives, has hope stretched before him... his life does not end until his term (al-athar) ends.' Its origin is the trace of one's footsteps on the ground, for the dead leave no trace, no footprint seen on earth. Hence his saying to one who passed before him while praying: 'He has cut short our prayer — may God cut short his trace (atharahu)!' — invoking paralysis upon him, since a paralyzed man's walking, and hence his trace, ceases. As for mītharat al-sarj, it is unhamzed. Al-athar [also]: a report, plural āthār. His saying, Mighty and Majestic: 'and We record what they have sent forth and their legacies (āthārahum)' — meaning We record their prior deeds and their legacies: whoever establishes a good practice, its reward is recorded for him; whoever establishes a bad one, its punishment is recorded against him; and 'the sunan of the Prophet' means his precedents (āthāruhu). Al-athar: the verbal noun of 'athartu l-ḥadītha āthuruhu,' said when relating it from someone else. Ibn Sīdah: 'athara l-ḥadītha ʿan al-qawm yaʾthuruhu wa-yaʾthiruhu'... [entry continues]