Discover the meaning of the term Al-ʿawl (عَوْل) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 2 min readElevation: a thing 'alat (rose): it mounted. In shares: the increase of shares whereby reduction enters upon the heirs; it is said the word comes from tilting, because when the share rises it inclines upon the shareholders altogether, and their portions are diminished.
In language: inclining toward injustice, and raising. With the masters of shares (fara'id): 'awl is the increase of some shares above their denominator when the latter proves too small to pay the shares combined in it; reduction then falls upon them in proportion to their portions.
The scale 'ala (rose), ya'ul 'awlan: it tilted; al-'awl: injustice and slant in judgment; hence God's saying: 'that is nearer, that you not deviate.'
In language: inclining to injustice and raising; in religious law: the increase of shares above the prescribed share, so that the problem is raised to the units of the prescribed share, and reduction enters upon the heirs in proportion to their portions.
The man 'ala 'awlan: raised his voice in weeping and crying. To lean upon him: rely on him. To accustom oneself to travel: habituate oneself to it.
Al-'awl: the recourse. What weighs in calamity. Raising the voice in weeping and crying.
Inclination to injustice. The family's upkeep. In the science of inheritance, in religious law: the increase of shares above the prescribed share, so that the problem is raised to the units of the prescribed share, and reduction falls upon the heirs in proportion to their portions (al-Jurjani).
The addition of the parts of the prescribed share to the denominators.
In language: inclining toward injustice.