What does « Forbidden / Sacrifice » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Forbidden / Sacrifice (بسل) 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.

بسل

Forbidden / Sacrifice

Root: ب - س - ل

Quranic language 1 verse

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Forbidden / Sacrifice

Al-basl: to tighten and prevent something.

Since it contains the meaning of tightening, it is used metaphorically for frowning.

One says: he has a 'bâsil' (stern) face.

Allah says: 'Lest a soul be given up (tubsala) to destruction' (Al-An'âm: 70).

Ubsila means: to be delivered to punishment, to be abandoned to one's loss without help.

Forbidden / Sacrifice in the Quran (1)

Meccan: 1 Medinan: 0

Surah Al-An'am : 70 Meccan

﴿وَذَرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ دِينَهُمْ لَعِبًا وَلَهْوًا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَذَكِّرْ بِهِۦٓ أَن تُبْسَلَ نَفْسٌۢ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِىٌّ وَلَا شَفِيعٌ وَإِن تَعْدِلْ كُلَّ عَدْلٍ لَّا يُؤْخَذْ مِنْهَآ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُبْسِلُوا۟ بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ﴾

And leave those who take their religion as amusement and diversion and whom the worldly life has deluded. But remind with the Qur'an, lest a soul be given up to destruction for what it earned; it will have other than Allah no protector and no intercessor. And if it should offer every compensation, it would not be taken from it. Those are the ones who are given to destruction for what they have earned. For them will be a drink of scalding water and a painful punishment because they used to disbelieve.