What does « To erase / To annihilate » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To erase / To annihilate (محق) in the Quran, with 2 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

محق

To erase / To annihilate

Root: م - ح - ق

Creed (aqida) 2 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To erase / To annihilate

Al-Maḥq refers to gradual annihilation.

The Almighty says: 'Allah destroys usury' (Al-Baqarah 276).

Maḥaqa means to make disappear.

Al-mumḥaq is what is annihilated.

The Almighty says: 'And destroy the disbelievers' (Al-'Imran 141).

To erase / To annihilate in the Quran (2)

Meccan: 0 Medinan: 2

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Baqara 1

Âl 'Imrân 1

Surah Al-Baqara : 276 Medinan

﴿يَمْحَقُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ وَيُرْبِى ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ أَثِيمٍ﴾

Allah destroys interest and gives increase for charities. And Allah does not like every sinning disbeliever.

Surah Âl 'Imrân : 141 Medinan

﴿وَلِيُمَحِّصَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَيَمْحَقَ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ﴾

And that Allah may purify the believers [through trials] and destroy the disbelievers.

Words from the same root as To erase / To annihilate

جحم

Blazing Hellfire

جمح

To get carried away / Ardor

حاق

To wrap / To encircle

حتم

Inevitable / Decided

حدق

Garden / Piercing gaze

حرق

To burn / To set ablaze

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Fri 24 Muharram
الجمعة 24 محرّم