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What is the wisdom behind beginning prayer with the Takbir and ending it with the Taslim, and why was the word "إخوة" (ikhwah) used instead of "إخوان" (ikhwan) in Surat An-Nur?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

If the questioner is referring to the noble verse, "The believers are but brothers," it is in Surat Al-Hujurat, and the word "إخوة" (ikhwah) is the plural of "أخ" (akh - brother). Linguists have differed on the connotations of "إخوة" (ikhwah) and "إخوان" (ikhwan). Some said that "إخوة" (ikhwah) is used for kinship by lineage, and "إخوان" (ikhwan) for friendship, while others said that "إخوة" (ikhwah) is more general and includes both lineage and other relationships. The Qur'an used "إخوة" (ikhwah) in the verse because it is more eloquent than "إخوان" (ikhwan) in expressing the interconnectedness of believers, likening them to brothers due to their shared origin, which is faith.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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