The Morphological Semantics Al-Sijn In Surah Yusuf A Contextual And Analytical Study Within The Qur’anic Discourse/ الدّلالة الصّرفيّة للفظ السّجن في سورة يوسف: دراسة تحليليّة دلاليّة في ضوء النّصّ القرآنيّ

Alqisi, Ahmad Odeh Awad
Abdul Hamid, Mohd Fauzi
Mohamed Salem, Elsayed

Ijaz Arabi Journal of Arabic Learning
Vol 9, No 1 (2026): Ijaz Arabi: Journal Of Arabic Learning

This study elucidates the meaning of the Qur’anic term al-sijn (“prison/imprisonment”) with a focus on its usage in Surah Yusuf (Q 12). The research is library-based and descriptive. It draws on Ibn Ashur’s al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir, as well as old Arabic dictionaries and grammar books. The word is traced in its primary forms—the noun al-sijn and the verbs from the root s-j-n—and each verse is read in its nearby context. The results show a core sense of confinement. According to the context, the word may point to an actual place of detention, a state of being held or pressured, or a test that highlights Prophet Joseph’s patience and integrity. The alternation between active and passive forms helps show who has agency in the story. All occurrences are in Surah Yusuf and serve its theme of trial, patience, and relief.