مِشْكَاةٌ

Full Definition

مِشْكَاةٌ A niche in a wall; i. e. a hole, or hollow, (كُوَّةٌ,) in a wall, not extending through; in which a lamp, placed therein, gives more light than it does elsewhere: thus expl: by the generality of the expositors [of the Kur-án]; and this is said by Ibn-' Ateeyeh to be the most correct explanation: said by Aboo-Moosà to mean the iron, or leaden, thing in which is the wick [of the lamp]: thought by Az to mean the tube which is the place of the wick in the glass lamp, as being likened to the كُوَّة which is thus called: some expl. it as having this meaning in the Kur xxiv. 35, and say that the مِصْبَاح there mentioned is the lighted wick: accord. to Mujáhid, the pillar, or the like, (العَمُود,) upon the top, or head, of which the مِصْبَاح [meaning lamp] is put: or the iron things by means of which the قِنْدِيل [or lamp] is suspended: IJ says that its ا is originally و, and hence it is [often] written مِشْكٰوةٌ: and Zj says that it is an Abyssinian word, and used in the language of the Arabs: [the pl. is مَشَاكٍ, like مَسَاحٍ pl. of مِسْحَاةٌ:] Kaab says that, in the verse of the Kur [xxiv. 35], by the مِشْكَاة is meant the breast of Mohammad; and by the مِصْبَاح, his tongue; and by the زُجَاجَة, his mouth.

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Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon

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