What does « Humiliation / Submission » mean in the Quran?
Discover the meaning of the word Humiliation / Submission (ذل) in the Quran, with 3 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.
ذل
Humiliation / Submission
Root: ذ - ل
Quranic language 3 verses
Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM
📖 3 min read
Definition of Humiliation / Submission
Al-dhull: what comes from constraint.
One says 'dhalla yadhillu dhullan' (he was humiliated).
The opposite is 'izz (power).
Allah says: 'And lower (ikhfid) to them the wing of humility (al-dhull)' (Al-Isrâ': 24).
And say, "Praise to Allah, who has not taken a son and has had no partner in [His] dominion and has no [need of a] protector out of weakness; and glorify Him with [great] glorification."
And you will see them being exposed to the Fire, humbled from humiliation, looking from [behind] a covert glance. And those who had believed will say, "Indeed, the [true] losers are the ones who lost themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably, the wrongdoers are in an enduring punishment."
Words from the same root as Humiliation / Submission