What does « To lean / To incline » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To lean / To incline (تكأ) in the Quran, with 8 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

تكأ

To lean / To incline

Root: ت - ك

Quranic language 8 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of To lean / To incline

Al-muttaka': the place where one reclines.

The cushion: what one reclines on.

Allah says in the story of Yûsuf: 'She prepared for them a place of reclining (muttaka'an)' (Yûsuf: 31).

The women reclined on cushions before seeing Yûsuf's beauty and cutting their hands in amazement.

To lean / To incline in the Quran (8)

Meccan: 7 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Ar-Rahman 2

Yusuf 1

Al-Kahf 1

Sad 1

At-Tur 1

Al-Waqi'a 1

Al-Insan 1

Surah Yusuf : 31 Meccan

﴿فَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْ بِمَكْرِهِنَّ أَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَعْتَدَتْ لَهُنَّ مُتَّكَـًۭٔا وَءَاتَتْ كُلَّ وَٰحِدَةٍۢ مِّنْهُنَّ سِكِّينًۭا وَقَالَتِ ٱخْرُجْ عَلَيْهِنَّ ۖ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَهُۥٓ أَكْبَرْنَهُۥ وَقَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلْنَ حَـٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا هَـٰذَا بَشَرًا إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا مَلَكٌۭ كَرِيمٌۭ﴾

So when she heard of their scheming, she sent for them and prepared for them a banquet and gave each one of them a knife and said [to Joseph], "Come out before them." And when they saw him, they greatly admired him and cut their hands and said, "Perfect is Allah! This is not a man; this is none but a noble angel."

Surah Al-Kahf : 31 Meccan

﴿أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهِمُ ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍۢ وَيَلْبَسُونَ ثِيَابًا خُضْرًۭا مِّن سُندُسٍۢ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٍۢ مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ فِيهَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ ۚ نِعْمَ ٱلثَّوَابُ وَحَسُنَتْ مُرْتَفَقًۭا﴾

Those will have gardens of perpetual residence; beneath them rivers will flow. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and will wear green garments of fine silk and brocade, reclining therein on adorned couches. Excellent is the reward, and good is the resting place.

Surah Sad : 51 Meccan

﴿مُتَّكِـِٔينَ فِيهَا يَدْعُونَ فِيهَا بِفَـٰكِهَةٍۢ كَثِيرَةٍۢ وَشَرَابٍۢ﴾

Reclining within them, they will call therein for abundant fruit and drink.

Surah At-Tur : 20 Meccan

﴿مُتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍۢ مَّصْفُوفَةٍۢ ۖ وَزَوَّجْنَـٰهُم بِحُورٍ عِينٍۢ﴾

They will be reclining on thrones lined up, and We will marry them to fair women with large, [beautiful] eyes.

Surah Ar-Rahman : 54 Meccan

﴿مُتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَىٰ فُرُشٍۭ بَطَآئِنُهَا مِنْ إِسْتَبْرَقٍۢ ۚ وَجَنَى ٱلْجَنَّتَيْنِ دَانٍۢ﴾

[They are] reclining on beds whose linings are of silk brocade, and the fruit of the two gardens is hanging low.

Surah Ar-Rahman : 76 Meccan

﴿مُتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَىٰ رَفْرَفٍ خُضْرٍۢ وَعَبْقَرِىٍّ حِسَانٍۢ﴾

Reclining on green cushions and beautiful fine carpets.