What does « To flatten / To crush » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To flatten / To crush (دك) 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.

دك

To flatten / To crush

Root: د - ك

Creed (aqida) 2 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of To flatten / To crush

Al-dakk: soft flat land.

One says 'dakkahu dakkan' (he flattened it).

Allah says: 'And the earth and mountains will be lifted and crushed (dukkatâ) with a single blow' (Al-Hâqqa: 14).

On the Last Day, mountains will be pulverized.

To flatten / To crush in the Quran (2)

Meccan: 2 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-A'raf 1

Al-Fajr 1

Surah Al-A'raf : 143 Meccan

﴿وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَـٰتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِىٓ أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ لَن تَرَىٰنِى وَلَـٰكِنِ ٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُۥ فَسَوْفَ تَرَىٰنِى ۚ فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُۥ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُۥ دَكًّۭا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًۭا ۚ فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾

And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, "My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You." [Allah] said, "You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me." But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first of the believers."

Surah Al-Fajr : 21 Meccan

﴿كَلَّآ إِذَا دُكَّتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ دَكًّۭا دَكًّۭا﴾

No! When the earth has been leveled - pounded and crushed -