What does « To blacken / To mark » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To blacken / To mark (سفع) in the Quran, with 1 verse in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

سفع

To blacken / To mark

Root: س - ف - ع

Creed (aqida) 1 verse

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To blacken / To mark

As-saf': seizing by the forelock of the horse, meaning the blackness of its forehead.

The Almighty says: 'We will seize him by the forelock' (Al-Alaq 15), meaning dragging and pulling him.

Suf'a is the black mark.

Seizing by the forelock is a sign of humiliation.

To blacken / To mark in the Quran (1)

Meccan: 1 Medinan: 0

Surah Al-'Alaq : 15 Meccan

﴿كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ﴾

No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock -

Words from the same root as To blacken / To mark

To sink / To collapse

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Fri 24 Muharram
الجمعة 24 محرّم