حِكْمَةٌ

Full Definition

حِكْمَةٌ [properly, or primarily,] signifies What prevents, or restrains, from ignorant behaviour: [in its most usual sense, which is wisdom, agreeably with explanations here following,] it is derived from حَكَمَةٌ, signifying a certain appertenance of a beast, [a kind of curb,] because it prevents its possessor from having bad dispositions: it means knowledge; or science; as also حُكْمٌ : or [generally] knowledge of the true natures of things, and action according to the requirements thereof; and therefore it is divided into intellectual and practical: or a state, or quality, of the intellectual faculty: this is the theological حِكْمَة: in the Kur xxxi. 11, by the حِكْمَة given by God to Lukmán, is meant the evidence of the intellect in accordance with the statutes of the law: in the conventional language of the learned, it means the perfecting of the human mind by the acquisition of the speculative sciences, and of the complete faculty of doing excellent deeds, according to the ability possessed: or it means the attainment of that which is true, or right, by knowledge and by deed: so that in God it is the knowledge of things, and the origination thereof in the most perfect manner: and, in man, the knowledge and doing of good things: or it means acquaintance with the most excellent of things by the most excellent kind of knowledge: [and in the modern language, philosophy: pl. حِكَمٌ:] see حُكْمٌ.
2 Also Equity, or justice, in judgment or judicial decision; and so حُكْمٌ .
3 And i. q. حِلْمٌ; i. e. [Forbearance, or clemency, or] the management of one's soul and temper on the occasion of excitement of anger: which, if correct, is nearly the same as equity or justice.
4 And Obedience of God: and knowledge in matters of religion, and the acting agreeably therewith: and understanding: and reverential fear; piety; pious fear; or abstinence from unlawful things: and the doing, or saying, that which is right: and reflection upon what God has commanded, and doing according thereto.
5 And [Knowledge of] the interpretation of the Kur-án, and saying that which is right in relation to it: so in the Kur ii. 272.
6 And The gift of prophecy, or the prophetic office; and apostleship: so in the Kur ii. 252 and iii. 43 and xxxviii. 19: or in the [first and] last of these instances it means
7 The Book of the Psalms [of David]: or, as some say, any saying, or discourse, agreeable with the truth: and it also means [in other instances] the Book of the Law of Moses: and the Gospel: and the Kur-án: because each of these comprises what is termed الحِكْمَةُ المَنْطُوقُ بِهَا, i. e. the secrets of the sciences of the law and of the course of conduct; and الحِكْمَةُ المَسْكُوتُ عَنْهَا, i. e. the secrets of the science of the Divine Essence.

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