فَقِيرٌ
1.
A hollow that is dug around the shoot, or offset, of a palm-tree, when it is planted: (S, O:) or a well [or the like thereof] in which the shoot, or offset, of a palm-tree is planted, (K, TA,) then alluvial soil with dung of camels or the like is pressed down around it: (TA:) plural فُقُرٌ, with two dammehs: (K, TA:) or this [apparently the plural, but according to the TA the singular,] signifies wells, (K, TA,) three, and more, together, (TA,) or communicating, one with another. (K, TA.) The singular signifies also A well: (Mgh, O:) or an old well: (O:) or a well having little water: (TA:) plural as above. (Mgh.)
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6.
Also, applied to a man, (TA,) Having the vertebræ of the back broken; (S, O, K, * TA;) and so
فَقِرٌ and
مَفْقُورٌ: (K:) or having a complaint of the vertebræ of his back, arising from fracture or from disease: (Msb:) or having his vertebræ pulled out from his back, so that his spine is interrupted: (T, L:) and
فَقِرٌ, a man having a complaint of his vertebræ: (S, O, TA:) and فقير and
مَفْقُورٌ, a man afflicted [lit. having the vertebræ of his back broken] by a calamity. (Msb.)
7.
Hence, as though having the vertebræ of his back broken, (IDrst, TA in article جبر,) [but said to be irregularly formed from اِفْتَقَرَ, like مَا أَفْقَرَهُ, q. v.,] Poor: or needy; opposite of
غَنِىٌّ; (as implied in the K;) having [only] what suffices for his household, or those who dwell with him and whose maintenance is incumbent an him: (ISd, K:) or one who finds food sufficient to sustain life: (K:) or one who possesses only what is sufficient for life: (ISk, S, K: *) or one whose property is, or has become, little: further explained in article سكن: (Msb:) or one who has what to eat; (Aboo-'Amr Ibn-El-'Alà;) differing from مِسْكِينٌ, which signifies one who possesses nothing; altogether destitute: (Aboo-'Amr Ibn-El-'Alà, ISk, S, O, K:) or both mean destitute, i. e. possessing nothing: (IAar, S, O:) Aboo-Haneefeh holds the opinion of ISk, (TA,) who cites the following verse from a poem of Er-Rá'ee in praise of 'Abd-El-Melik Ibn-Marwán;
[As to the فقير whose milch camel was sufficient for his household, and nothing (more) was left to him:] (S, O, TA:) As says that the مسكين is better in condition than the فقير: and Yoo says that the فقير is better in condition than the مسكين; and adds, I asked an Arab of the desert, Art thou فقير? and he answered, No, by God, but rather مسكين: (S, O, TA:) or the former signifies needy, needing, or wanting; a needer; and the latter, one abased by need or want, or otherwise; (Ibn-'Arafeh, O, K;) who, if abased by need or want, may lawfully receive of the poor-rate; but if abased otherwise than by need or want, he may not receive of the poorrate; for he may be rich: (Ibn-'Arafeh:) [الفَقِيرُ إِلَى اللّٰهِ the needer of God, i. e., of God's help, &c., and الفَقِيرُ إِلَى رَحْمَةِ اللّٰهِ the needer of the mercy of God, are epithets which a man often writes before his name:] it is said in the Qur'an, 35:16, أَنْتُمُ الفُقَرَاءُ إِلَى اللّٰهِ وَاللّٰهُ هُوَ الْغَنِىُّ الْحَمِيدُ, which is explained as meaning Ye are the needers, or they who stand in need, of God: [and God, He is the Self-sufficient, the Praised in every case:] (O, * TA: [see also the Qur'an, 28:24:]) or فقير signifies one who is crippled, or deprived of the power of motion, by disease, or who suffers from a protracted disease, being weak, and who has no trade; and one who has a mean trade that does not suffice for his need; and مسكين, a beggar, who has a trade that stands in some stead, (حِرْفَةٌ تَقَعُ مَوْقِعًا,) but does not cause him and his household to be without want; (Esh-Sháfi'ee, T, O, K;) so that the former is in a harder condition than the latter according to Esh-Sháfi'ee; (T;) and it seems that he is called فقير because of crippleness, or protracted disease, which prevents his freely employing himself in making gain: (Khálid Ibn-Yezeed:) As also says that the latter is in a better condition than the former; (S, O, K;) and so says Ahmad Ibn-'Obeyd: (TA:) and as to the verse of Er-Rá'ee, cited above, it is said to mean that the person there mentioned had a milch camel in former times, but possessed it no longer, and that لَمْ يُتْرَكْ لَهُ سَبَد means that nothing was left to him: (Mgh:) the plural of the latter epithet is also applied in the Qur'an, 18:78 to men possessing a ship, or boat, which is worth a considerable sum; (Mgh;) whence Aboo-Bekr holds the opinion of As to be correct: (TA:) but it is urged in reply, that these men were hirers, not owners, of the vessel, as appears from one reading, [apparently يُعَمَّلُونَ for يَعْمَلُونَ,] with teshdeed: (TA:) or the former signifies one who has neither property nor gain that suffices for his need; and the latter, one who has property or gain not sufficient for him: or, as some say, the converse is the truth: (Bd in ix. 60:) or both signify the same, (IAar, S, K,) one who possesses nothing: (IAar, S:) or when they are used together, they differ in signification; and when used separately, they both [sometimes] signify the same: (El-Bedr El-Karáfee:) [see more voce مِسْكِينٌ:] feminine with ة: (Msb, K:) plural masculine فُقَرَاءُ; (Msb, K;) plural feminine فَقَايءِرُ, (K,) and فُقَرَاءُ (Lh, Msb, TA) like the masculine, [said to be] the only instance of the kind except سُفَهَاءُ as plural of سَفِيهَةٌ; (Msb;) [though فُقَهَاءُ, and perhaps some other instances, should be added;] but ISd says, I know not how this is. (TA.)أَمَّا الفَقِيرُ الَّذِى كَانَتْ حَلُوبَتُهُوَفْقَ العِيَالِ فَلَمْ يُتْرَكْ لَهُ سَبَدُ