hands or arms?
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Is "yad" really a hand? A hand is
hand
noun, verb
noun
part of body
the part of the body at the end of the arm, including the fingers and thumb (Oxford Advanced Learners)PART OF BODY
the part of your body at the end of your arm, including your fingers and thumb, that you use to hold things (Longman)1 the part of your body at the end of each arm that you use for picking up and holding things. (Mac Millian)
So it doesn't include the upper part of the arm. Then how do we explain "hands up to the elbows" in 56 ?
56
faighsiloo wujoohakum waaydiyakum ila almarafiqi
then wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, (freeminds)
you shall (1) wash your faces, (2) wash your arms to the elbows, (rashad)And the preceding ayat are about foods that are made lawful / unlawful. So why is this change of the station out of the blue? On maidah (table) chapter? Can these verses tell us about our commitment before eating anything? If so how can one clean himself with dust ? Is the purpose here "being clean physically" or "mentally" ?
Salaam...
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Salaam
faighsiloo wujoohakum waaydiyakum ila almarafiqi
then wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, (freeminds)
you shall (1) wash your faces, (2) wash your arms to the elbows, (rashad)Ra-Fa-Qaf = to be useful, do service, tie by the shoulders, be gentle to, be in company, help, be compassionate. rafiq - companion, friend, comrade, colleague, gentle. mirfaq - elbow, pillow, easy arrangement, thing by which one gains benefit/advantage or profits. murtafaq - resting place, pillow.
marafiq n.m. (pl. of mirfaq) 56
I'm also interested in the scientific explanation for rubbing our arms with dust... though i think, whatever benefit it has for the mind/soul, its effect begins with something physical on/in the skin.
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Sorry, i might not have made myself clear rehands to elbows
i think the keyword is ila describing direction (i.e., "towards", so it goes like wash your hands (up) towards your elbows.
I don't know if "y-d-y" translated as (fore)arm would fit other verses.