What does « Life / Sustenance » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Life / Sustenance (عيش) 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.

عيش

Life / Sustenance

Root: ع - ش

Jurisprudence (fiqh) 8 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Life / Sustenance

Al-'aysh: life specific to animals.

It is more specific than life (al-hayat) as life also applies to plants.

The Almighty says: 'A satisfied life' (Al-Haqqah 21). 'A life of hardship' (Ta-Ha 124).

Good life is one in obedience to God.

Life / Sustenance in the Quran (8)

Meccan: 8 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-A'raf 1

Al-Hijr 1

Ta-Ha 1

Al-Qasas 1

Az-Zukhruf 1

Al-Haqqa 1

An-Naba 1

Al-Qari'a 1

Surah Al-A'raf : 10 Meccan

﴿وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّٰكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ فِيهَا مَعَٰيِشَ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ﴾

And We have certainly established you upon the earth and made for you therein ways of livelihood. Little are you grateful.

Surah Al-Hijr : 20 Meccan

﴿وَجَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ فِيهَا مَعَٰيِشَ وَمَن لَّسْتُمْ لَهُۥ بِرَٰزِقِينَ﴾

And We have made for you therein means of living and [for] those for whom you are not providers.

Surah Ta-Ha : 124 Meccan

﴿وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِى فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ أَعْمَىٰ﴾

And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind."

Surah Al-Qasas : 58 Meccan

﴿وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍۭ بَطِرَتْ مَعِيشَتَهَا فَتِلْكَ مَسَٰكِنُهُمْ لَمْ تُسْكَن مِّنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا وَكُنَّا نَحْنُ ٱلْوَٰرِثِينَ﴾

And how many a city have We destroyed that was insolent in its [way of] living, and those are their dwellings which have not been inhabited after them except briefly. And it is We who were the inheritors.

Surah Az-Zukhruf : 32 Meccan

﴿أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَتَ رَبِّكَ نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُم مَّعِيشَتَهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَٰتٍ لِّيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا وَرَحْمَتُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ﴾

Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised some of them above others in degrees [of rank] that they may make use of one another for service. But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate.

Surah Al-Haqqa : 21 Meccan

﴿فَهُوَ فِى عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ﴾

So he will be in a pleasant life -

Surah An-Naba : 11 Meccan

﴿وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلنَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا﴾

And made the day for livelihood

Surah Al-Qari'a : 7 Meccan

﴿فَهُوَ فِى عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ﴾

He will be in a pleasant life.