What does « To compel / To repair » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To compel / To repair (جبر) in the Quran, with 10 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

جبر

To compel / To repair

Root: ج - ب - ر

Creed (aqida) 10 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 3 min read

Definition of To compel / To repair

Al-jabr (compulsion): forcing someone to do something.

Jabara: he forced.

Allah says: 'You are not a tyrant (jabbâr) over them' (Qâf: 45).

Al-Jabbâr: the Compeller, a name of Allah.

Ajbara: he compelled.

Injabara: it was repaired.

To compel / To repair in the Quran (10)

Meccan: 8 Medinan: 2

Distribution of verses by surah

Maryam 2

Al-Maida 1

Hud 1

Ibrahim 1

Ash-Shu'ara 1

Al-Qasas 1

Ghafir 1

Qaf 1

Al-Hashr 1

Surah Al-Maida : 22 Medinan

﴿قَالُوا۟ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّ فِيهَا قَوْمًا جَبَّارِينَ وَإِنَّا لَن نَّدْخُلَهَا حَتَّىٰ يَخْرُجُوا۟ مِنْهَا فَإِن يَخْرُجُوا۟ مِنْهَا فَإِنَّا دَٰخِلُونَ﴾

They said, "O Moses, indeed within it is a people of tyrannical strength, and indeed, we will never enter it until they leave it; but if they leave it, then we will enter."

Surah Hud : 59 Meccan

﴿وَتِلْكَ عَادٌ جَحَدُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَصَوْا۟ رُسُلَهُۥ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ﴾

And that was 'Aad, who rejected the signs of their Lord and disobeyed His messengers and followed the order of every obstinate tyrant.

Surah Ibrahim : 15 Meccan

﴿وَٱسْتَفْتَحُوا۟ وَخَابَ كُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ﴾

And they requested victory from Allah, and disappointed, [therefore], was every obstinate tyrant.

Surah Maryam : 14 Meccan

﴿وَبَرًّۢا بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ وَلَمْ يَكُن جَبَّارًا عَصِيًّا﴾

And dutiful to his parents, and he was not a disobedient tyrant.

Surah Maryam : 32 Meccan

﴿وَبَرًّۢا بِوَٰلِدَتِى وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِى جَبَّارًا شَقِيًّا﴾

And [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant.

Surah Ash-Shu'ara : 130 Meccan

﴿وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُم بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِينَ﴾

And when you strike, you strike as tyrants.

Surah Al-Qasas : 19 Meccan

﴿فَلَمَّآ أَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يَبْطِشَ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ عَدُوٌّ لَّهُمَا قَالَ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ أَتُرِيدُ أَن تَقْتُلَنِى كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْسًۢا بِٱلْأَمْسِ إِن تُرِيدُ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ جَبَّارًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا تُرِيدُ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُصْلِحِينَ﴾

And when he wanted to strike the one who was an enemy to both of them, he said, "O Moses, do you intend to kill me as you killed someone yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant in the land and do not want to be of the amenders."

Surah Ghafir : 35 Meccan

﴿ٱلَّذِينَ يُجَٰدِلُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَٰنٍ أَتَىٰهُمْ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَعِندَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كَذَٰلِكَ يَطْبَعُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ قَلْبِ مُتَكَبِّرٍ جَبَّارٍ﴾

Those who dispute concerning the signs of Allah without an authority having come to them - great is hatred [of them] in the sight of Allah and in the sight of those who have believed. Thus does Allah seal over every heart [belonging to] an arrogant tyrant.

Surah Qaf : 45 Meccan

﴿نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِجَبَّارٍ فَذَكِّرْ بِٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَن يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ﴾

We are most knowing of what they say, and you are not over them a tyrant. But remind by the Qur'an whoever fears My threat.

Surah Al-Hashr : 23 Medinan

﴿هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْقُدُّوسُ ٱلسَّلَٰمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُ ٱلْمُهَيْمِنُ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْجَبَّارُ ٱلْمُتَكَبِّرُ سُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ﴾

He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him.