بَدَلٌ
1.
and
بِدْلٌ, (Fr, T, S, M, Msb, K,) like مَثَلٌ and مِثْلٌ, and شَبَهٌ and شِبْهٌ, (Fr, T, S,) and نَكَلٌ and نِكَلٌ, the only other instances of the kind, i. e. of words of both these measures, that have been heard, according to AO, (S, TA, [but in one copy of the S, I find A'Obeyd,]) and
بَدِيلٌ (S, M, Mgh, Msb, K,) all signify the same; (S, M, Msb, K;) namely, A substitute; a thing given, or received, or put, or done, instead of, in place of, in lieu of, or in exchange for, another thing; a compensation; synonym خَلَفٌ, (M, K,) and عِوَضٌ: (Kull:) بَدَلُ الشَّىْءِ [and البَدَلُ مِنَ الشَّىْءِ] and
بِدْلُهُ
بَدِيلُهُ meaning الخَلَفُ مِنْهُ [the substitute for the thing; &c.]; (M, K;) i. e., another thing: (S:) plural أَبْدَالٌ, (IDrd, Msb, K,) which, as plural of
بَدِيلٌ, has few parallels. (IDrd, TA.) Sb says, [making a distinction between بَدَلٌ and
بَدِيلٌ,] you say, إِنَّ بَدَلَكَ زَيْدٌ, i. e. Verily Zeyd is in thy place: but if you put بَدَل in the place of بَدِيلِ, you say, إِنَّ بَدَلَكَ زَيْدٌ, i. e.
إِنَّ بِدَيلَكَ
زَيْدٌ [Verily thy substitute is Zeyd]: and a man says to another, Go thou with such a one; and he replies, مَعِىَ رَجُلٌ بَدَلُهُ, i. e. With me is a man who stands in his stead, and is in his place, or who will stand &c. (M.) You say also, بَلَ كَذَا [and بَدَلًا مِنْ كَذَا], meaning Instead of, in the place of, in lieu of, or in exchange for, such a thing. (Kull.) [And بَدَلَ أَنْ تَفْعَلَ كَذَا
Instead of thy doing thus.]
2.
الأَبْدَالُ (IDrd, S, M, K, &c.) and البُدَلَاءُ (TA) [The Substitutes, or Lieutenants;] certain righteous persons, of whom the world is never destitute; when one dies, God substituting another in his place: (S:) certain persons by means of whom God rules the earth; (M, K;) consisting of seventy men, (IDrd, M, K,) according to their assertion, of whom the earth is never destitute; (IDrd, TA;) forty of whom are in Syria, and thirty in the other countries; (IDrd, M, K;) none of them dying without another's supplying his place, (M, K,) from the rest of mankind; (K;) and therefore they are named
ابدال: (M:) according to Abu-lBakà, as stated by El-Munáwee, it seems that they meant [by this appellation] the substitutes and successors of the prophets; and according to some, they were seven, neither more nor fewer, by means of whom God takes care of the seven climates; one being successor of Abraham (ElKhaleel), and to him pertains the first climate; the second, of Moses (El-Keleem); the third, of Aaron; the fourth, of Idrees; the fifth, of Joseph; the sixth, of Jesus; and the seventh, of Adam: (TA: [in which is also mentioned a treatise denying their existence, and disapproving of the assertion that by means of them God takes care of the earth:]) the singular is بَدَلٌ and
بِدْلٌ, (T,) or
بَدِيلٌ. (IDrd, S.)
3.