جبر'a kind of greatness, loftiness, and uprightness'. (root jbr)

Al-jabr (الجبر) is the verbal noun, meaning that you compel (tajbur) a person to [do] what he does not want, forcing him (tukrihuhu) jabriyya (جبرية) to such-and-such. And ujbira l-qāḍī ʿalā taslīm mā qaḍā ʿalayhi (أجبر القاضي...) [the judge was compelled to hand over what he had ruled against him]. Al-jabr (الجبر) also means that you mend a break (kasr); you say jabartuhu fa-jabara (جبرته فجبر) [I set it and it was set], as is said: 'Indeed God has set (jabara) the religion, and it has been set (jabara).' And jabartu fulānan fa-jtabara (جبرت فلانا فاجتبر) [I aided so-and-so and he was restored], meaning: poverty befell him and I treated him well. Istajbartuhu (استجبرته) is when this is done by you with continual care until you reach the utmost degree of jabr (جبر), as when you say la-astanṣirannaka thumma la-ajburannaka (لأستنصرنك ثم لأجبرنك), meaning 'I will surely support you, then I will surely restore you,' as in the saying: man ʿāla minnā baʿdahā fa-lā ujbir (من عال منا بعدها فلا اجتبر) [whoever among us grows poor after this, let him not be restored]. And you say: aṣābat fulānan muṣība lā yajburuhā (أصابت فلانا مصيبة لا يجبرها) [a calamity befell so-and-so that cannot be repaired], meaning there is nothing to mend it. Al-jibāra (الجبارة) is the piece of wood placed on a break so that the bone may be set; plural jabāʾir (جبائر). Al-jibāra (الجبارة) also means a woman's bracelet-ornament among jewelry, as in the verse: 'So she took her hand ... and shielded it with the jabāʾir (بالجبائر, bracelets).' Al-jabbār (الجبار) is the name of Tuesday in the ignorant pre-Islamic age (al-jāhiliyya al-jahlāʾ). And al-jabār (الجبار) from al-arsh (الأرش, compensation) is that for which there is no liability; al-arsh (الأرش) is the blood-money. In the hadith: 'al-ʿajmāʾ jubār (العجماء جبار)' [the dumb beast entails no liability], meaning whatever a beast injures is without liability. Allah, blessed and exalted, is al-Jabbār al-ʿAzīz (الجبار العزيز) [the Compeller, the Mighty], meaning He overpowers His creation so that they possess no authority against Him; His is al-tajabbur (التجبر), which is self-exaltation. To Allah belong al-jabariyya (الجبرية) and al-jabarūt (الجبروت). Al-jabarūwa (الجبروة) is a dialectal variant of al-jabarūt (الجبروت). In the hadith: 'There was no prophethood but that a dominion of jabariyya (جبرية) succeeded it,' meaning that kings became tyrannical. Al-jabbār (الجبار) is one who is insolent against his Lord, who fights his subjects. Al-jabbār (الجبار) among people is one who is great in his own eyes, who accepts no one's admonition. Some people used to harass a begging woman, and she would refuse except to resist them defiantly, answering them contrary to what they wanted; so the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: 'Leave her, for she is jabbāra (جبارة).' And the heart of the jabbār (الجبار), into which pride has entered, accepts no admonition. Al-jabbār (الجبار) among palm trees is that which has reached the utmost height in the orchard and bears fruit fully; it is less than al-saḥūq (السحوق) in the height of the palm tree, as is said: 'A stream nearby, its jabbār (جبارها) [tall palms] close to Muḥallim.'

Abū ʿAmr said: al-jabr (الجبر) is that you enrich a man out of poverty, or mend his bone from a break. One says: jabartu l-ʿaẓm jabran (جبرت العظم جبرا). And jabara l-ʿaẓm bi-nafsihi jubūran (جبر العظم بنفسه جبورا), meaning it healed of itself. Al-ʿAjjāj combined the transitive and intransitive [forms] when he said: 'Indeed God has set (jabara) the religion, and it has been set (jabara).' And ijtabara l-ʿaẓm (اجتبر العظم) is like inṣajara (انجبر) [it healed]. One says: jabara Allāhu fulānan fa-jtabara (جبر الله فلانا فاجتبر), meaning He filled his want. The rajaz poet said: 'Whoever among us grows poor after this, let him not be restored (fa-lā ijtabar).' The Arabs call bread jābir (جابر). They say: huwa jābir ibn ḥubba (هو جابر بن حبة) [he is Jābir son of a grain]; his kunya is also Abū Jābir (أبو جابر). Ajbartuhu ʿalā l-amr (أجبرته على الأمر): I forced him to it. Ajbartuhu (أجبرته) also means: I attributed him to al-jabr (الجبر) [the doctrine of compulsion], just as you say akfartuhu (أكفرته) when attributing him to unbelief. Al-jabār (الجبار) is that which incurs no liability. One says: dhahaba damuhu jabāran (ذهب دمه جبارا) [his blood went for naught]. In the hadith: 'al-maʿdin jabār (المعدن جبار)' [the mine entails no liability], meaning if it caves in on someone working in it and he dies, his employer is not held liable. Jabbār (جبار) is also the ancient name for Tuesday. Al-jabbār (الجبار) among palm trees is that which is tall and beyond the reach of the hand. Al-Aʿshā said: 'A road, and a jabbār (جبار) [tall palm] whose roots are well-watered, / upon it flocks (abābīl) of birds crying out.' One says nakhla jabbāra (نخلة جبارة) [a tall palm] and nāqa jabbāra (ناقة جبارة) [a huge, fat she-camel]. Al-jabbār (الجبار) is one who kills out of anger. Al-mujabbir (المجبر) is one who sets broken bones. Tajabbara r-rajul (تجبر الرجل): the man became arrogant. Tajabbara n-nabt (تجبر النبت): the plant grew back after being grazed. Imruʾ al-Qays said: 'They graze on the luxuriant herbage and rabla-plants of Qaw / which grow back (tajbir) after being eaten, so it is fresh growth (nimīṣ).' Al-jabr (الجبر) is the opposite of al-qadar (القدر). Abū ʿUbayd said: this is a coined, postclassical expression. Al-jabariyya (الجبرية), with fatḥa, is the opposite of al-qadariyya (القدرية). One also says: fīhi jabariyya (فيه جبرية), jabarūwa (جبروة), jabarūt (جبروت), jabūra (جبورة) — like farūja (فروجة) — meaning arrogance. Al-Aḥmar recited: 'For if you show me enmity, [you will meet] the wrath of the pebbles / upon you, the possessor of jabūra (الجبورة), the haughty one.' Al-jabbīr (الجبير), on the pattern of fasīq, is one intensely given to arrogance. Al-jibāra (الجبارة) and al-jabīra (الجبيرة) [mean] the yāraq (bracelet). Al-jibāra (الجبارة) and al-jabīra (الجبيرة) also mean the sticks with which bones are set. Jibrāʾīl (جبرائيل) is a name; it is said that it is jabr (جبر) joined to Īl (إيل). There are various dialectal forms of it: Jibrilʾīl on the pattern of jibrāʿīl, with or without hamza. Al-Akhfash recited: 'We were present, and no battalion appeared to us / by fate's hand except Jibrilʾīl (جبرئيل) before it.' One also says Jibrīl (جبريل) with kasra; Ḥassān recited: 'And Jibrīl (جبريل), the messenger of Allah, is among us, / and the Spirit of Holiness (rūḥ al-quds) has no equal.' And Jibraʾil (جبرئل), shortened, on the pattern of jibraʿl, and Jibrīn (جبرين) with a nūn... [entry continues]

Jīm, bāʾ, and rāʾ form a single root, indicating a kind of greatness, loftiness, and uprightness. Thus al-jabbār (الجبار) is that which is tall and beyond the reach of the hand; one says faras jabbār (فرس جبار) [a towering horse], nakhla jabbāra (نخلة جبارة) [a tall palm tree], dhū l-jabūra (ذو الجبورة) and dhū l-jabarūt (ذو الجبروت) — [names of] Allah, exalted be His praise. And it was said: 'For if you anger me, [you will meet] the wrath of the pebbles / upon you, and the possessor of jabūra (الجبورة), the haughty one.' One also says of him jabariyya (جبرية), jabarūwa (جبروة), jabarūt (جبروت), and jabūra (جبورة). And jabartu l-ʿaẓm (جبرت العظم) [I set the bone], fa-jabara (فجبر) [and it was set], as is said: 'Indeed God has set (jabara) the religion, and it has been set (jabara).' The wood with which a broken bone is bound is called jibāra (جبارة), plural jabāʾir (جبائر); and something resembling a bracelet is likewise called jibāra (جبارة), as in the verse: 'And she showed you a hand [adorned] with khiḍāb (خضاب, henna) / and a wrist filling the jibāra (جباره) [bracelet].' Among what is anomalous in this root is al-jabār (الجبار), meaning 'that for which there is no liability' (al-hadar). The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: 'The well is jabār (جبار) and the mine is jabār (جبار).' As for the well, it is the ancient, long-abandoned one whose digger and owner are unknown; if a person or anything else falls into it, that is without liability. As for the mine, it is that which a group of people dig for wages, and if it caves in upon them, that too is jabār (جبار), because they work for wages. One also says ajbartu fulānan ʿalā l-amr (أجبرت فلانا على الأمر) [I compelled so-and-so to do the matter], and this can only occur through overpowering (qahr) and is a kind of self-exaltation (taʿaẓẓum) over him.

The root meaning of al-jabr (الجبر) is the mending of a thing by a kind of overpowering (qahr). One says: jabartuhu fa-njabara wa-jtabara (جبرته فانجبر واجتبر) [I mended it and it was mended/restored]. It has also been said jabartuhu fa-jabara (جبرته فجبر), as in the poet's saying: [entry continues]

Al-Jabbār (الجبار): Allah, mighty is His name, the One who overpowers (al-qāhir) His creation according to what He wills of command and prohibition. Ibn al-Anbārī: al-jabbār (الجبار) as an attribute of Allah, mighty and exalted, is 'the One who cannot be attained/reached' — from which comes jabbār al-nakhl (جبار النخل) [the tall, unreachable palm]. Al-Farrāʾ: I have not heard the pattern faʿāl (فعال) from afʿala (أفعل) except in two words: jabbār (جبار) from ajbartu (أجبرت), and darāk (دراك) from adraktu (أدركت). Al-Azharī said: jabbār (جبار) was applied to the description of Allah Most High — or to the description of His servants — from al-ijbār (الإجبار), which is overpowering (al-qahr) and compulsion (al-ikrāh), not from jabara (جبر) [to mend]. Ibn al-Athīr: it is said jabara l-khalq (جبر الخلق) and ajbarahum (أجبرهم), with ajbara (أجبر) being more common; it is also said al-jabbār (الجبار) is 'the One exalted above His creation,' faʿāl (فعال) being one of the patterns of intensiveness — from which comes their saying nakhla jabbāra (نخلة جبارة), the huge [palm tree] beyond the reach of the hand that would pick [its fruit]. In the hadith of Abū Hurayra: 'Yā amata l-jabbār (يا أمة الجبار)' [O maidservant of al-Jabbār] — she was linked to al-Jabbār (الجبار) rather than any other divine name because of the particular state she was in, displaying perfume and incense, boasting, and swaggering in her walk. In the hadith mentioning the Fire: 'ḥattā yaḍaʿa l-jabbāru fīhā qadamahu (حتى يضع الجبار فيها قدمه)' [until al-Jabbār places His foot in it]. Ibn al-Athīr said: the well-known interpretation is that al-Jabbār (الجبار) refers to Allah Most High, supported by another version: 'ḥattā yaḍaʿa fīhā rabbu l-ʿizzati qadamahu (حتى يضع فيها رب العزة قدمه)' [until the Lord of Glory places His foot in it]; what is meant by 'the foot' is the people of the Fire whom Allah has sent ahead into it from among the worst of His creatures, just as the believers are His 'foot' sent ahead to Paradise. It is also said that what is meant by al-jabbār (الجبار) here is the rebellious tyrant, supported by another hadith: 'Verily the Fire said: I have been charged with three [kinds of people]: whoever set up another god with Allah, every stubborn tyrant (jabbār ʿanīd), and the image-makers.' Al-jabbār (الجبار) also means the arrogant one who recognizes no one's right over him. One says jabbārun bayyinu l-jabriyya wa-l-jabriyya (جبار بين الجبرية والجبرية), with kasra on jīm and bāʾ; and al-jabariyya (الجبرية), al-jabarūwa (الجبروة) [and its variant], al-jabarūt (الجبروت) [and its variant], al-jabūra (الجبورة) [and its variant] — like al-farūja (الفروجة) — and al-jabriyāʾ (الجبرياء), and al-tajbār (التجبار), [all] meaning arrogance (al-kibr). Al-Aḥmar recited, for Mughallis ibn Luqayṭ al-Asadī, rebuking a man who was governor over Awḍākh: 'For if you show me enmity, [you will meet] the wrath of the pebbles / upon you, and the possessor of al-jabūra (الجبورة), the haughty one.' He means: if you show me enmity, all creation — which cannot be counted like pebbles — will be angered against you. Al-mutaghaṭrif (المتغطرف) means 'the arrogant one'; it is also transmitted as al-mutaghatrif (المتغترف), with tāʾ, meaning the same. Tajabbara r-rajul (تجبر الرجل): the man became arrogant. In the hadith: 'subḥāna dhī l-jabarūt wa-l-malakūt (سبحان ذي الجبروت والملكوت)' [Glory be to the Possessor of Omnipotence and Dominion] — it is on the pattern faʿalūt (فعلوت) from al-jabr (الجبر) and al-qahr (القهر). In another hadith: 'thumma yakūnu mulkun wa-jabarūt (ثم يكون ملك وجبروت)' [then there will be kingship and jabarūt (tyranny)], meaning insolence and overpowering. Al-Liḥyānī: al-jabbār (الجبار) is one too arrogant to worship Allah Most High; from this is His saying, Exalted is He: 'wa-lam yakun jabbāran ʿaṣiyyan (ولم يكن جبارا عصيا)' [and he was not a tyrant, disobedient] — and likewise the saying of ʿĪsā, peace be upon our Prophet and upon him: 'wa-lam yajʿalnī jabbāran shaqiyyan (ولم يجعلني جبارا شقيا)' [and He has not made me a tyrant, wretched].