What does « To humble oneself » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To humble oneself (دخر) in the Quran, with 4 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

دخر

To humble oneself

Root: د - خ - ر

Quranic language 4 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To humble oneself

Allah says: 'And they are humiliated (dâkhirûn)' (An-Nahl: 48).

Dâkhirûn: lowered, submitted despite themselves.

All creation submits to Allah, even those who refuse to believe.

Humiliation is their lot.

To humble oneself in the Quran (4)

Meccan: 4 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

An-Nahl 1

An-Naml 1

As-Saffat 1

Ghafir 1

Surah An-Nahl : 48 Meccan

﴿أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ مِن شَىْءٍ يَتَفَيَّؤُا۟ ظِلَٰلُهُۥ عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَٱلشَّمَآئِلِ سُجَّدًا لِّلَّهِ وَهُمْ دَٰخِرُونَ﴾

Have they not considered what things Allah has created? Their shadows incline to the right and to the left, prostrating to Allah, while they are humble.

Surah An-Naml : 87 Meccan

﴿وَيَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَفَزِعَ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ وَكُلٌّ أَتَوْهُ دَٰخِرِينَ﴾

And [warn of] the Day the Horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will be terrified except whom Allah wills. And all will come to Him humbled.

Surah As-Saffat : 18 Meccan

﴿قُلْ نَعَمْ وَأَنتُمْ دَٰخِرُونَ﴾

Say, "Yes, and you will be [rendered] contemptible."

Surah Ghafir : 60 Meccan

﴿وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدْعُونِىٓ أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ﴾

And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.