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).

Humility before parents is prescribed.

Humiliation / Submission in the Quran (3)

Meccan: 3 Medinan: 0
Distribution of verses by surah
Al-Isra 2
Ash-Shura 1
Surah Al-Isra : 24 Meccan
﴿وَٱخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًۭا
And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small."
Surah Al-Isra : 111 Meccan
﴿وَقُلِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًۭا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ شَرِيكٌۭ فِى ٱلْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ وَلِىٌّۭ مِّنَ ٱلذُّلِّ ۖ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًۢا
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."
Surah Ash-Shura : 45 Meccan
﴿وَتَرَىٰهُمْ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا خَـٰشِعِينَ مِنَ ٱلذُّلِّ يَنظُرُونَ مِن طَرْفٍ خَفِىٍّۢ ۗ وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَأَهْلِيهِمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ فِى عَذَابٍۢ مُّقِيمٍۢ
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

Share

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Fri 24 Muharram
الجمعة 24 محرّم
هلال متناقص Waning Crescent Day 25.2 / 29.5
Illumination 20%
New moon in 4 days
الله أكبر Allah is the Greatest