Boy · Arabic · Muslim
Irfan
عرفانSay it ir-FAAN
- Meaning
- Knowledge, cognition; a verbal noun of ʿarafa, 'he knew' Lane, p. 2013
- Say it
- ir-FAAN
- Written
- عرفان
- Other spellings
- Irfaan
Irfan
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Irfan meaning
Irfan (عرفان) is a Muslim boy's name of Arabic origin.
Knowledge, cognition; a verbal noun of ʿarafa, 'he knew'
Irfan (عرفان) is the Arabic ʿirfān, one of the verbal nouns of ʿarafa, "he knew it, had cognition of it", from the root ʿ-r-f, which also gives the name Arif. The verb occurs in the Quran at 2:146, which says that those given the scripture recognise the Prophet as they recognise their own sons. Name lists today give Irfan as "knowledge" or "wisdom", in line with the dictionary. In Persian and Urdu the word ʿirfān has also come to mean mystical knowledge of God, the inward understanding sought in Sufism, which gives the name a reflective, devotional ring. Erfan is the usual Persian spelling and İrfan the Turkish; in India and Pakistan it is usually written Irfan.
Source: Lane, An Arabic–English Lexicon (1863–93), Book I, Part 5, p. 2013 · entry ʿirfān (عِرْفَانٌ), under ʿarafahu; root ʿ-r-f · See the entry
In the Quran: 2:146 (yaʿrifūnahu (يَعْرِفُونَهُۥ)) · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Lane, An Arabic–English Lexicon, ʿirfān (عِرْفَانٌ), p. 2013 · Quran 2:146 · Wikipedia, Irfan (name)
Spellings
Irfan · Irfaan