What does « To corrupt / To damage » mean in the Quran?
Discover the meaning of the word To corrupt / To damage (عثى) 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.
عثى
To corrupt / To damage
Root: ع - ث
Creed (aqida) 1 verse
Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM
📖 1 min read
Definition of To corrupt / To damage
Al-'ayth and al-'ithiyy are close, like jadaba and jabada.
Except that al-'ayth is more specific to disorder.
The Almighty says: 'Do not spread corruption on earth' (Al-Baqara 60).
And [recall] when Moses prayed for water for his people, so We said, "Strike with your staff the stone." And there gushed forth from it twelve springs, and every people knew its watering place. "Eat and drink from the provision of Allah, and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."
Words from the same root as To corrupt / To damage