دَعْوَةٌ

[as a verbal noun of un.] signifies A single time or act (S, Msb) [of prayer and of imprecation, as is indicated in the S, and also, though less plainly, in the TA]. See دُعَاءٌ.

[Also, as such, A call.] You say, هُوَمِنِّى دَعْوَةُ الرَّجُلَ (K, TA) and الكَلْبِ, and دَعْوَةَ الرَّجُلِ and الكَلْبِ, in the former case دعوة being used as a simple subst., and in the latter case as an adv. n., (TA,) meaning قَدْرُ مَا بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَهُ ذَاكَ [i. e. He, or it, is distant from me the space of the call of the man and of the dog]. (K, TA.) And لَهُمُ الدَّعْوَةُ عَلَى غَيْرِهِمْ The call is to them before the others of them: (K, TA: [يَبْدَأُ in the CK is a mistake for يُبْدَأُ:]) according to the T and the Nh, in the case of gifts, or pay, or salary. (TA.)

The call to prayer: whence, in a tradition, الدَّعُوَةُ فِى الحَبَشَةِ [meaning The office of calling to prayer rests among the Abyssinians]; (JM, TA;) said by the Prophet in preference of his مُوءَذِّن Bilál. (JM.)

A call, or an invitation, to El-Islám. (Mgh.) You say, أَدْعُوكَ بِدَعْوَةِ الإِسْلَامِ and السلام ↓ دِعَايَةِ and الاسلام ↓ دَاعِيَةِ, meaning I call thee, or invite thee, by the declaration of the faith whereby the people of false religions are called: دَاعِيَةٌ being a verbal noun synonym with دَعْوَةٌ, like عَافِيَةٌ and عَاقِبَةٌ: (JM:) دَعْوَةُ الإِسْلَامِ and ↓ دَعايَتُهُ and ↓ دَاعِيَتُهُ signify the same: and دَعْوَةُ الحَقِّ [in like manner] means the declaration that there is no deity but God. (TA.)

An invitation to food, (S, M, Msb, K, TA,) and to beverage; or, according to Lh, specially a repast, feast, or banquet, on the occasion of a wedding or the like: (TA:) thus pronounced by most of the Arabs, except 'Adee of Er-Rabáb, who pronounce it, in this sense, ↓ دِعْوَةٌ: (A 'Obeyd, S, M, Msb:) it is a verbal noun in this sense, (S,) or a simple subst.: (Msb:) and ↓ دُعْوَةٌ signifies the same; (K;) or, as some say, this, which is given as on the authority of Ktr, is a mistake: (TA:) and so does ↓ مَدْعَاةٌ [apparently a verbal noun]. (S, Msb, K.) You say, كُنَّافِى دَعْوَةِ فُلَانٍ and ↓ مَدْعَاتِهِ, meaning [We were included in] the invitation (دُعَاء [see 1]) of such a one to food: (S, Msb: [but in the latter, نَحْنُ, in the place of كُنَّا:]) [or we were at the repast, or feast, or banquet, of such a one; for] you say [also] دَعَاهُ إِلَى الدَّعْوَةِ and ↓ الى المَدْعَاةِ [He invited him to the repast, or feast, or banquet: and in this sense دَعْوَة is commonly used in the present day]. (MA.)

See also دِعْوَةٌ:

and دَعْوَى.

Also i. q. حَلِفٌ or حَلْفٌ (according to different copies of the K) [both in the sense of Confederation to aid or assist]: (K, TA:) [whence] one says, دَعْوَةٌ فُلَانٍ فِى بَنِى فُلَانٍ [meaning The confederation of such a one is with the sons of such a one]. (TA.)