Is a person's interpretation of the words "al-bughḍ (intense hatred), al-qalā (disgust/aversion), al-baghḍāʾ (hatred/animosity), al-maqt (abhorrence/loathing), and al-shanʾān (malice/spite)" as meaning anger correct, or do they mean hatred, and what is the opposite of both hatred and anger?
When in doubt, one must refer to scholars. Synonymy refers to individual words that denote the same thing, and its correctness is indicated by the possibility of one word replacing the other. Synonymy is rare in language and almost non-existent or completely absent in the Qur’an. A distinction must be made between the general meaning, which allows for leniency in word choice, and the precise analysis of individual words. There is no synonymy between "al-bughḍ" (hatred/detestation) and "al-ghaḍab" (anger). "Al-Bughḍ" is the soul's aversion to something painful, whereas "al-ghaḍab" is the boiling of the heart's blood seeking revenge. Their usages in the Qur’an are different; "al-ghaḍab" is attributed to both Allah and creation, while "al-bughḍ" is attributed to creation only. No scholar has ever claimed they are synonymous.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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