What is the difference in meaning between the two words "يفعلون" (yaf'aloon) and "يعملون" (ya'maloon) in the Quran?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Oct 24, 2026
Scholars have not found a difference between the words "yaf'aloon" (they do) and "ya'maloon" (they work/act) in the Quran, indicating that they carry the same meaning. However, in the Arabic language, "al-'amal" (work/action) is more specific than "al-fi'l" (doing/act). "Al-'amal" is every act that occurs with intention, while "al-fi'l" can be attributed to animals and inanimate objects without intention. So, "al-'amal" is an act performed with intention, but not every act is "al-'amal."
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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