What does « To catch / To grasp » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To catch / To grasp (لقف) 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.

لقف

To catch / To grasp

Root: ل - ق - ف

Quranic language 3 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To catch / To grasp

Al-Laqf refers to catching quickly.

The Almighty says: 'And at once it devoured what they had fabricated' (Al-A'raf 117), meaning Moses' staff quickly swallowed the magicians' snakes.

To catch / To grasp in the Quran (3)

Meccan: 3 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-A'raf 1

Ta-Ha 1

Ash-Shu'ara 1

Surah Al-A'raf : 117 Meccan

﴿وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ﴾

And We inspired to Moses, "Throw your staff," and at once it devoured what they were falsifying.

Surah Ta-Ha : 69 Meccan

﴿وَأَلْقِ مَا فِى يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا۟ كَيْدُ سَٰحِرٍ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلسَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَىٰ﴾

And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is."

Surah Ash-Shu'ara : 45 Meccan

﴿فَأَلْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ﴾

Then Moses threw his staff, and at once it devoured what they falsified.