Application of the Words Fe’l (acting), Amal (doing), and Son’ (making) in the Holy Quran and their Semantic Differences

Due to the fact that the Arabic language abounds in words with similar meanings, eloquence in speech or writing calls for the accurate choice of words. The Holy Quran is characterized by the use of words and morphemes in absolute precision, which accounts for part of its beauty and elegance.  This study addresses the proper use of Fe’l, Amal, and Son’ in the Quran, as three semantically close concepts all of which lie in the area of meaning of the verb ‘do’. The study is conducted through a descriptive-analytic method. First, with reference to Arabic dictionaries, the meanings of these words and their nuances are presented. Then, a number of representative verses are extracted from the Quran to show the elegant application as well as the verbal secret of those individual words.  According to the results, the word Amal is used in contexts where something is regularly done by preplanning and with pain. The word Fe’l refers to an action for getting something done or made typically for a short time, but it is on no regular basis, either planned or unplanned. The word Son’, however, is reserved for cases that are done with skill, care, and consciousness of consequences. The word also involves a degree of secrecy. As it is found, since Amal refers to an action which involves toil and trouble, it is never used for God in the Quran. What the Book uses in this regard are the words Fe’l and Son’. This verbal token can be taken as one of the linguistic miracles of the Holy Quran.