زُلْفَةٌ

i. q. قُرْبَةٌ [i. e. Nearness, with respect to rank, degree, or station]; (S, Mgh, O, Msb, K;) as also زُلْفَى, (S, Mgh, O, Msb,) and زَلَفٌ. (IDrd, O, K.) [It would seem that it means also Nearness with respect to place or situation: for SM immediately adds,] hence, in the Qur'an, 67:27, فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ زُلْفَةً, [as though meaning But when they shall see it in a state of nearness: but] Zj says that the meaning is, but when they shall see it (i. e. the punishment) near (قَرِيبًا): and several authors say that زُلْفَةٌ is sometimes used in the sense of قَرِيبٌ, as is stated in the 'Ináyeh. (TA.) And Station, rank, grade, or degree; as also زُلْفَى, (S, O, K, TA,) and زَلْفٌ, (TS, K,) and زَلَفٌ: (K, TA:) plural of the first زُلَفٌ: (S, * TA:) or (K) زُلْفَى is a quasi-verbal noun; (S, K;) and such it is in the saying in the Qur'an, 34:36, وَمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ بِالَّتِى تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِنْدِنَا زُلْفَى, as though meaning ازْدِلَافًا [i. e. And neither your riches nor your children are what will bring you near to us in advancement: but here it may be well rendered, in station]: (S:) according to Ibn- 'Arafeh, زُلْفَى signifies the bringing very near: (TA:) the saying of Ibn-El-Tilimsánee that it is plural of زُلْفَةٌ is very strange, and unknown; the correct plural of this last word being زُلَفٌ. (MF, TA.)

Also A portion (S, K) of the first part (S) of the night, (S, K,) whether small or large: so according to Th: or, according to Akh, of the night absolutely: (TA:) plural زُلَفٌ and زُلَفَاتٌ (S, K) and زُلُفَاتٌ and زُلْفَاتٌ: or زُلَفٌ signifies the hours, or periods, (سَاعَات,) of the night, commencing from the daytime, and the hours, or periods, of the daytime, commencing from the night: (K:) and its singular is زُلْفَةٌ. (TA.) وَزُلَفًا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ, in the Qur'an, 11:116, means And at sunset and nightfall (the مَغْرِب and the عِشَاء): (Zj, TA:) some read زُلُفًا, with two dammehs; which may be a singular, like حُلُمٌ; or a plural of زُلْفَةٌ, like as بُسُرٌ is of بُسُرَةٌ, with damm to the س in each: [but this is not a parallel instance; for بُسُرٌ is a coll. gen. n. of which بُسُرَةٌ is the n. un., and the latter is not of the same measure as زُلْفَةٌ:] and some read زُلْفًا, which is a plural [or rather coll. gen. n.] of زُلْفَةٌ, like as دُرٌّ is of دُرَّةٌ; (K, TA;) or plural of زَلِيفٌ, like as قُرْبٌ is of قَرِيبٌ, and غُرْبٌ of غَرِيبٌ: (TA:) and some read زُلْفَى, in which the alif [written ى] is a denotative of the feminine gender. (K, TA.)