رَفِيقٌ

Gentle, soft, tender, gracious, courteous, or civil; (JK, Msb;) as also رَافِقٌ. (JK.)

And hence, (Msb,) Gentle, delicate, nice, neat, or skilful, in work or operation; opposite of أَخْرَقُ. (S, O, Msb, K.)

[Hence, also,] هٰذَا الأَمْرُ رَفِيقٌ بِكَ and بِكَ رَافِقٌ and رَافِقٌ عَلَيْكَ (assumed tropical:) [This affair, or thing, is easy, or convenient, to thee: see أَرْفَقُ]. (O.)

Also A companion (JK, S, O, Msb, K) and companions (JK, S, O, K) in travel-ling, or journeying, and afterwards: (Kh, S, O, Msb, K:) used as singular and plural, (JK, S, O, K,) like صَدِيقٌ (S, O) and خَلِيطٌ: (O:) plural رُفَقَاءُ; (JK, S, O, K;) with which رُفَاقَةٌ is synonym, as in the phrase فِتْيَةٌ رُفَاقَةٌ [Young men companions &c.]. (JK.) See also رُفْقَةٌ. It is said in the Qur'an, 4:71, وَحَسُنَ أُولَايءِكَ رَفِيقًا, (JK, S, O,) meaning رُفَقَاءَ [i. e. And good, or very good, will be those as companions after the journey of life] in Paradise! (JK.) And Mohammad is related by 'Áïsheh to have said, [just before his death,] when he had been given his choice between continuance in the present world and what was with God, and had chosen the latter, بَلِ الرَّفِيقَ الأَعْلَى مِنَ الجَنَّةِ [Nay, rather, the highest companions of Paradise]; meaning, I desire the company, or congregation, of the prophets. (O.)