What does « To mend / To sew » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To mend / To sew (خصف) 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.

خصف

To mend / To sew

Root: خ - ص - ف

Creed (aqida) 2 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To mend / To sew

Allah says: 'They began to sew (yakhsifân) over themselves leaves' (Al-A'râf: 22).

Khassafa: to sew, assemble.

Adam and Eve sewed leaves to cover their nakedness after eating from the forbidden tree.

To mend / To sew in the Quran (2)

Meccan: 2 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-A'raf 1

Ta-Ha 1

Surah Al-A'raf : 22 Meccan

﴿فَدَلَّىٰهُمَا بِغُرُورٍ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا ٱلشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْءَٰتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ ٱلْجَنَّةِ وَنَادَىٰهُمَا رَبُّهُمَآ أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمَا عَن تِلْكُمَا ٱلشَّجَرَةِ وَأَقُل لَّكُمَآ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنَ لَكُمَا عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ﴾

So he made them fall, through deception. And when they tasted of the tree, their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten together over themselves from the leaves of Paradise. And their Lord called to them, "Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you that Satan is to you a clear enemy?"

Surah Ta-Ha : 121 Meccan

﴿فَأَكَلَا مِنْهَا فَبَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْءَٰتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ ٱلْجَنَّةِ وَعَصَىٰٓ ءَادَمُ رَبَّهُۥ فَغَوَىٰ﴾

And Adam and his wife ate of it, and their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten over themselves from the leaves of Paradise. And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred.