1. Ibn Mālik al-Ṭā’ī stated:
"Ḏhull (humiliation) is derived from:
ذل (to be submissive), خشع (to be humble), استكان (to surrender), خضع (to yield), استخذى (to feel disgraced), ضرع (to plead), اتقى (to fear), اتضع (to lower oneself), بخع (to obey absolutely), خنع (to submit humbly), امتهن (to be degraded), استسلم (to submit), عنا (to suffer), and قنب (to despair)."
📘 [Al-Alfāẓ al-Mukhtalifa, 1/125]
2. Ibn Manẓūr (Author of Lisān al-ʿArab) defines:
"Ḏhull is the opposite of honor.
It means: ذُلّ (humiliation), ذِلّة (disgrace), ذَلَالَة (submissiveness), مَذَلَّة (abasement).
A person is called ذليل (humiliated), and the plural forms are أذِلّة or أَذِلّاء.
The word signifies lowliness and disgrace, and all derivatives like adhalla (he humiliated) and istadhalla (he considered humiliated) point to the same meaning."
📘 [Lisān al-ʿArab, 11/256]
1. Ibn ʿĀshūr:
"Ḏhulla is a state of internal submission and surrender due to an *inability to resist or defend oneself."
📘 [Al-Taḥrīr wa al-Tanwīr, 9/119]
2. Al-ʿAskarī:
"Ḏhulla is the inability to resist or repel (i.e., weakness in the face of opposition)."
📘 [Al-Furūq al-Lughawiyya, 1/251]
| 🔠 Term | 🧠 Definition | 🔍 Key Feature | 🆚 Compared To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ḏhull (Humiliation) | Submission imposed by external force | Comes from outside the individual | ↔ Ḍuʿa (Lowliness) |
| Ḍuʿa (Lowliness) | Self-induced inferiority | Comes from within the person | ↔ Ḏhull |
| Ṣighār (Abasement) | Acknowledgement of one's own humiliation | Recognition of low status | ↔ Kibr (Arrogance) |
| Khizy (Disgrace) | Humiliation + Exposure (scandal) | Involves shame or scandal | ↔ Ḏhull |
| Khuḍūʿ (Submissiveness) | Physical humility (e.g., bowing) without fear | Can be voluntary | ↔ Ḏhull |
| Tadhallul (Self-humiliation) | Chosen act of humility | Can be praiseworthy | ↔ Being ذليل (humiliated) |
| Idhlāl (Subjugation) | Forcing one into humiliation by a superior | Done by a higher to a lower | ↔ Iʿzāz (Honor) |
| Ihāna (Insult) | Devaluing someone’s worth | Can occur among equals | ↔ Ikrām (Respect) |