What does « Gift / Offering » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Gift / Offering (عطا) in the Quran, with 12 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

عطا

Gift / Offering

Root: ع - ط

Quranic language 12 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Gift / Offering

Al-'atw: taking.

Al-mu'ata: exchange.

Al-i'ta': the gift.

The Almighty says: 'Gives him a great reward' (An-Nisa 74). 'We gave him Our judgment' (Al-Anbiya 79).

Divine giving is without measure.

Gift / Offering in the Quran (12)

Meccan: 10 Medinan: 2

Distribution of verses by surah

At-Tawba 2

Hud 1

Al-Isra 1

Ta-Ha 1

Sad 1

An-Najm 1

Al-Qamar 1

An-Naba 1

Al-Layl 1

Ad-Duha 1

+ 1 more surahs

Surah At-Tawba : 29 Medinan

﴿قَـٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا بِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَلَا يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَلَا يَدِينُونَ دِينَ ٱلْحَقِّ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ حَتَّىٰ يُعْطُوا۟ ٱلْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍۢ وَهُمْ صَـٰغِرُونَ﴾

Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled.

Surah At-Tawba : 58 Medinan

﴿وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَلْمِزُكَ فِى ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ فَإِنْ أُعْطُوا۟ مِنْهَا رَضُوا۟ وَإِن لَّمْ يُعْطَوْا۟ مِنْهَآ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْخَطُونَ﴾

And among them are some who criticize you concerning the [distribution of] charities. If they are given from them, they approve; but if they are not given from them, at once they become angry.

Surah Hud : 108 Meccan

﴿۞ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ سُعِدُوا۟ فَفِى ٱلْجَنَّةِ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ ۖ عَطَآءً غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍۢ﴾

And as for those who were [destined to be] prosperous, they will be in Paradise, abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord should will - a bestowal uninterrupted.

Surah Al-Isra : 20 Meccan

﴿كُلًّۭا نُّمِدُّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ مِنْ عَطَآءِ رَبِّكَ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَآءُ رَبِّكَ مَحْظُورًا﴾

To each [category] We extend - to these and to those - from the gift of your Lord. And never has the gift of your Lord been restricted.

Surah Ta-Ha : 50 Meccan

﴿قَالَ رَبُّنَا ٱلَّذِىٓ أَعْطَىٰ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلْقَهُۥ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ﴾

He said, "Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided [it]."

Surah Sad : 39 Meccan

﴿هَـٰذَا عَطَآؤُنَا فَٱمْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍۢ﴾

[We said], "This is Our gift, so grant or withhold without account."

Surah An-Najm : 34 Meccan

﴿وَأَعْطَىٰ قَلِيلًۭا وَأَكْدَىٰٓ﴾

And gave a little and [then] refrained?