لِمَ = “Why” Understanding This Arabic Question Word

In Arabic, لِمَ is a short question word that means “why?”

But you can understand where it comes from:

لِـ → for
مَا → what

Together:

لِـ + مَا = لِمَ
→ “For what?” → “Why?”

You’ll see لِمَ used in questions throughout Arabic, including the Qur’an.

📖 Want to understand the Qur’an instead of just reading it?
Full guide in bio.