ABSTRACT
Nadhir is a noun and it means warner, the one who informs and cautions or puts one on guard. The Qur
) an reveals
that Allah sends his messengers to warn mankind. They inform people about the Day of Judgement and warn them about the everlasting torments of hell. Nadhir often follows bashir (the bearer of good news): ‘Verily, We have sent You with the truth, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. And there never was a nation but a warner had passed among them’ (35.24).Mundhir is a synonym of nadhir: ‘You are only a warner, and to every people there is a guide’ (13.7). Nudhur is the plural form, meaning warnings: ‘Then taste you my torment and my warnings’ (54.39). In the same sura, we also find: ‘And indeed. Warnings came to the people of Pharaoh’ (54.41). Nadhr is a singular term meaning vow
or dedication to God. The plural is again nudhur, but in this context it usually
represents voluntary promises, selfimposed obligations or religious orders. The root verb is nadhara. The verb andhara, however, with the initial a, signifies to warn. In the Qur
) an, this term has, in its
different forms, been used as many as 130 times. This abundant use of the term points to its importance in the Qur
) an, making it obvious that revela-
tion was sent to mankind to warn them about the Day of Judgement, the unseen hereafter and whatever is waiting for them. Hence every messenger is a nadhir (warner).
