What does « Impatience / Agitation » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Impatience / Agitation (جزع) in the Quran, with 2 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

جزع

Impatience / Agitation

Root: ج - ز - ع

Quranic language 2 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of Impatience / Agitation

Allah says: 'Whether we are impatient (jazi'nâ) or patient' (Ibrâhîm: 21).

Al-jaza' is more intense than al-huzn (sadness), because sadness can be concealed but jaza' appears on the limbs.

It is the agitation of distress that cannot be contained.

Impatience / Agitation in the Quran (2)

Meccan: 2 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Ibrahim 1

Al-Ma'arij 1

Surah Ibrahim : 21 Meccan

﴿وَبَرَزُوا۟ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا فَقَالَ ٱلضُّعَفَٰٓؤُا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ تَبَعًا فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّغْنُونَ عَنَّا مِنْ عَذَابِ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ قَالُوا۟ لَوْ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ لَهَدَيْنَٰكُمْ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْنَآ أَجَزِعْنَآ أَمْ صَبَرْنَا مَا لَنَا مِن مَّحِيصٍ﴾

And they will come out [for judgement] before Allah all together, and the weak will say to those who were arrogant, "Indeed, we were your followers, so can you avail us anything against the punishment of Allah?" They will say, "If Allah had guided us, we would have guided you. It is all the same for us whether we show intolerance or are patient: there is for us no place of escape."

Surah Al-Ma'arij : 20 Meccan

﴿إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا﴾

When evil touches him, impatient,