What does « Crack / Obstacle » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Crack / Obstacle (صدع) in the Quran, with 5 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

صدع

Crack / Obstacle

Root: ص - د - ع

Jurisprudence (fiqh) 5 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Crack / Obstacle

As-sad': the crack in hard bodies like glass and iron.

The Almighty says: 'Proclaim what you are commanded' (Al-Hijr 94), meaning manifest it clearly. 'By the sky that cracks' (At-Tariq 11).

The crack separates and reveals.

Crack / Obstacle in the Quran (5)

Meccan: 4 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Hijr 1

Ar-Rum 1

Al-Waqi'a 1

Al-Hashr 1

At-Tariq 1

Surah Al-Hijr : 94 Meccan

﴿فَٱصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾

Then declare what you are commanded and turn away from the polytheists.

Surah Ar-Rum : 43 Meccan

﴿فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ ٱلْقَيِّمِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِىَ يَوْمٌ لَّا مَرَدَّ لَهُۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصَّدَّعُونَ﴾

So direct your face toward the correct religion before a Day comes from Allah of which there is no repelling. That Day, they will be divided.

Surah Al-Waqi'a : 19 Meccan

﴿لَّا يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنْهَا وَلَا يُنزِفُونَ﴾

No headache will they have therefrom, nor will they be intoxicated -

Surah Al-Hashr : 21 Medinan

﴿لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ لَّرَأَيْتَهُۥ خَٰشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ ٱللَّهِ وَتِلْكَ ٱلْأَمْثَٰلُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾

If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of Allah. And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought.

Surah At-Tariq : 12 Meccan

﴿وَٱلْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ ٱلصَّدْعِ﴾

And [by] the earth which cracks open,