What does « To grasp / Handful » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To grasp / Handful (قبص) 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.

قبص
To grasp / Handful
Root: ق - ب - ص
Quranic language 1 verse

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To grasp / Handful

Al-Qabṣ refers to taking with the fingertips.

The Almighty says: 'So I took a handful from the trace of the Messenger' (Ta-Ha 96), meaning As-Samiri took a handful of dust from the hoofprint of Jibril's horse.

To grasp / Handful in the Quran (1)

Meccan: 1 Medinan: 0
Surah Ta-Ha : 96 Meccan
﴿قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةًۭ مِّنْ أَثَرِ ٱلرَّسُولِ فَنَبَذْتُهَا وَكَذَٰلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِى نَفْسِى
He said, "I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful [of dust] from the track of the messenger and threw it, and thus did my soul entice me."

Words from the same root as To grasp / Handful

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