What does « To abandon / To hand over » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To abandon / To hand over (خذل) in the Quran, with 3 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

خذل

To abandon / To hand over

Root: خ - ذ - ل

Quranic language 3 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To abandon / To hand over

Allah says: 'And the devil is a great abandoner (khadhûl) to man' (Al-Furqân: 29).

Al-khidhlan: abandonment.

The devil abandons those he has misled when they need him most, at the time of punishment.

To abandon / To hand over in the Quran (3)

Meccan: 2 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Âl 'Imrân 1

Al-Isra 1

Al-Furqan 1

Surah Âl 'Imrân : 160 Medinan

﴿إِن يَنصُرْكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمْ وَإِن يَخْذُلْكُمْ فَمَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَنصُرُكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ﴾

If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely.

Surah Al-Isra : 22 Meccan

﴿لَّا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتَقْعُدَ مَذْمُومًا مَّخْذُولًا﴾

Do not make [as equal] with Allah another deity and [thereby] become censured and forsaken.

Surah Al-Furqan : 29 Meccan

﴿لَّقَدْ أَضَلَّنِى عَنِ ٱلذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَآءَنِى وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ لِلْإِنسَٰنِ خَذُولًا﴾

He led me away from the remembrance after it had come to me. And ever is Satan, to man, a deserter."