Mizan
/mɪˈzɑːn/noun
A balance or scale, especially the divine scale by which deeds are weighed in Islamic theology.
Did you know?In the Qur’an, al-Mīzān represents divinely established balance and justice, while in Arabic astronomy and astrology, al-Mīzān is also the name for Libra, the Scales.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*w-z-n
“To weigh or assess weight; the reconstructed root behind later Semitic terms for weighing.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
wazana
“He weighed something or assessed its weight.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
wazn
“Weight, measure, metrical pattern, or poetic meter.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
mīzān
“A balance, scale, standard of measurement, or means of weighing.”
7th Century
Qur’anic Arabic
al-mīzān
“The divinely established balance or standard of justice and proportion.”
Modern English
English
mizan
“A balance or scale, particularly in Islamic theological, literary, or cultural contexts.”
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