Iqra
/ʔɪqˈraːʔ/noun
An Arabic imperative meaning “read” or “recite,” widely used in Islamic contexts and as a personal name.
Did you know?Iqraʾ opens Qur’an 96:1, traditionally regarded as the first revelation received by Muhammad, making “read” the doorway into the Qur’anic revelation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*q-r-ʾ
“A reconstructed root associated with calling out, reciting, or reading aloud”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
qaraʾa
“To read, recite, or proclaim aloud”
7th Century
Quranic Arabic
iqraʾ
““Read!” or “Recite!”—the masculine singular imperative of qaraʾa”
7th Century
Arabic
al-Qurʾān
“The recitation or recited proclamation, derived from the same Arabic root”
Modern English
English
Iqra
“A transliterated Arabic term and personal name used in English-language Islamic, educational, and cultural contexts”