munosabat

Munosabat, also transliterated as munāsabah or munasabat, is a term of Arabic origin used in several languages to denote relation, relevance, or suitability between entities, ideas, or events. The word derives from a root meaning to relate or connect, with the prefix mu- indicating a formal or relational sense. It appears in Urdu, Malay, Indonesian, Turkish, and related linguistic and religious contexts to express how things are connected or appropriate to one another.

In Islamic scholarship, munāsabah refers to the relation or coherence between verses, chapters, or topics. Scholars examine how a verse relates to surrounding verses, to the circumstances of revelation (asbab al-nuzul), or to the broader message of a surah. This concept helps explain thematic linkage, contextual meaning, and the justification of legal or theological conclusions drawn from Qur’anic texts, and there are classical methodological discussions about determining proper munāsabah in tafsir.

In rhetoric and literary studies, munāsabah describes the relation between sentences, lines of poetry, or sections of a discourse, aiming to produce unity, logical flow, and stylistic effect. A text that demonstrates strong munāsabah presents ideas in a connected and coherent sequence.

In social and cultural usage, munāsabah can also indicate suitability or appropriateness in relationships or interactions, such as kinship, marriage, etiquette, or status. The term thus spans religious exegesis, literary criticism, and everyday language, all centered on the idea of relevant and meaningful connections.

See also: asbab al-nuzul, nasab, nisba, coherence, cohesion in rhetoric.