What does « Eclipse / Collapse » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Eclipse / Collapse (كسف) 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.

كسف

Eclipse / Collapse

Root: ك - س - ف

Quranic language 5 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Eclipse / Collapse

Al-Kasf refers to a piece or part of something.

The Almighty says: 'And they see a fragment of the sky falling' (At-Tur 44).

Kisaf as-samā' are pieces of the sky.

Kasafat ash-shams means the sun eclipsed.

Eclipse / Collapse in the Quran (5)

Meccan: 5 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Isra 1

Ash-Shu'ara 1

Ar-Rum 1

Saba 1

At-Tur 1

Surah Al-Isra : 92 Meccan

﴿أَوْ تُسْقِطَ ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَمَا زَعَمْتَ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا أَوْ تَأْتِىَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ قَبِيلًا﴾

Or you make the heaven fall upon us in fragments as you have claimed or you bring Allah and the angels before [us]

Surah Ash-Shu'ara : 187 Meccan

﴿فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ﴾

So cause to fall upon us fragments of the sky, if you should be of the truthful."

Surah Ar-Rum : 48 Meccan

﴿ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى يُرْسِلُ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًا فَيَبْسُطُهُۥ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ كَيْفَ يَشَآءُ وَيَجْعَلُهُۥ كِسَفًا فَتَرَى ٱلْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلَٰلِهِۦ فَإِذَآ أَصَابَ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦٓ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ﴾

It is Allah who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds and spread them in the sky however He wills, and He makes them fragments so you see the rain emerge from within them. And when He causes it to fall upon whom He wills of His servants, immediately they rejoice

Surah Saba : 9 Meccan

﴿أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ﴾

Then, do they not look at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and earth? If We should will, We could cause the earth to swallow them or [could] let fall upon them fragments from the sky. Indeed in that is a sign for every servant turning back [to Allah].

Surah At-Tur : 44 Meccan

﴿وَإِن يَرَوْا۟ كِسْفًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ سَاقِطًا يَقُولُوا۟ سَحَابٌ مَّرْكُومٌ﴾

And if they were to see a fragment from the sky falling, they would say, "[It is merely] clouds heaped up."