What does « To begin / To devote oneself » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To begin / To devote oneself (طفق) 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.

طفق
To begin / To devote oneself
Root: ط - ف - ق
Quranic language 3 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To begin / To devote oneself

One says: tafiqa yaf'alu kadha, like saying: he began to do that.

It is used for positive movement.

The Almighty says: 'They began to cover their bodies' (Al-A'raf 22).

Adam and Eve began covering themselves after eating from the tree.

To begin / To devote oneself in the Quran (3)

Meccan: 3 Medinan: 0
Distribution of verses by surah
Al-A'raf 1
Ta-Ha 1
Sad 1
Surah Al-A'raf : 22 Meccan
﴿فَدَلَّىٰهُمَا بِغُرُورٍ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا ٱلشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْءَٰتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ ٱلْجَنَّةِ وَنَادَىٰهُمَا رَبُّهُمَآ أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمَا عَن تِلْكُمَا ٱلشَّجَرَةِ وَأَقُل لَّكُمَآ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنَ لَكُمَا عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
So he made them fall, through deception. And when they tasted of the tree, their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten together over themselves from the leaves of Paradise. And their Lord called to them, "Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you that Satan is to you a clear enemy?"
Surah Ta-Ha : 121 Meccan
﴿فَأَكَلَا مِنْهَا فَبَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْءَٰتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ ٱلْجَنَّةِ وَعَصَىٰٓ ءَادَمُ رَبَّهُۥ فَغَوَىٰ
And Adam and his wife ate of it, and their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten over themselves from the leaves of Paradise. And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred.
Surah Sad : 33 Meccan
﴿رُدُّوهَا عَلَىَّ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًۢا بِٱلسُّوقِ وَٱلْأَعْنَاقِ
[He said], "Return them to me," and set about striking [their] legs and necks.

Words from the same root as To begin / To devote oneself

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