What does « Misfortune / Sorrow » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Misfortune / Sorrow (شقا) in the Quran, with 12 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

شقا

Misfortune / Sorrow

Root: ش - ق

Creed (aqida) 12 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 3 min read

Definition of Misfortune / Sorrow

Ash-shaqawa: the opposite of happiness (as-sa'ada).

Shaqiya yashqa shaqwatan: he became miserable.

The Almighty says: 'As for the wretched, they will be in the Fire' (Hud 106). 'And I have never been unhappy in my supplication' (Maryam 4).

True misery is distance from God.

Misfortune / Sorrow in the Quran (12)

Meccan: 12 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Maryam 3

Ta-Ha 3

Hud 2

Al-Mu'minun 1

Al-A'la 1

Ash-Shams 1

Al-Layl 1

Surah Hud : 105 Meccan

﴿يَوْمَ يَأْتِ لَا تَكَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِىٌّۭ وَسَعِيدٌۭ﴾

The Day it comes no soul will speak except by His permission. And among them will be the wretched and the prosperous.

Surah Hud : 106 Meccan

﴿فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ شَقُوا۟ فَفِى ٱلنَّارِ لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌۭ وَشَهِيقٌ﴾

As for those who were [destined to be] wretched, they will be in the Fire. For them therein is [violent] exhaling and inhaling.

Surah Maryam : 4 Meccan

﴿قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى وَهَنَ ٱلْعَظْمُ مِنِّى وَٱشْتَعَلَ ٱلرَّأْسُ شَيْبًۭا وَلَمْ أَكُنۢ بِدُعَآئِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّۭا﴾

He said, "My Lord, indeed my bones have weakened, and my head has filled with white, and never have I been in my supplication to You, my Lord, unhappy.

Surah Maryam : 32 Meccan

﴿وَبَرًّۢا بِوَٰلِدَتِى وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِى جَبَّارًۭا شَقِيًّۭا﴾

And [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant.

Surah Maryam : 48 Meccan

﴿وَأَعْتَزِلُكُمْ وَمَا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَدْعُوا۟ رَبِّى عَسَىٰٓ أَلَّآ أَكُونَ بِدُعَآءِ رَبِّى شَقِيًّۭا﴾

And I will leave you and those you invoke other than Allah and will invoke my Lord. I expect that I will not be in invocation to my Lord unhappy."

Surah Ta-Ha : 2 Meccan

﴿مَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِتَشْقَىٰٓ﴾

We have not sent down to you the Qur'an that you be distressed

Surah Ta-Ha : 117 Meccan

﴿فَقُلْنَا يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا عَدُوٌّۭ لَّكَ وَلِزَوْجِكَ فَلَا يُخْرِجَنَّكُمَا مِنَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ فَتَشْقَىٰٓ﴾

So We said, "O Adam, indeed this is an enemy to you and to your wife. Then let him not remove you from Paradise so you would suffer.

Surah Ta-Ha : 123 Meccan

﴿قَالَ ٱهْبِطَا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًۢا ۖ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّۭ ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدًۭى فَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَىٰ﴾

[Allah] said, "Descend from Paradise - all, [your descendants] being enemies to one another. And if there should come to you guidance from Me - then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter].

Surah Al-Mu'minun : 106 Meccan

﴿قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْنَا شِقْوَتُنَا وَكُنَّا قَوْمًۭا ضَآلِّينَ﴾

They will say, "Our Lord, our wretchedness overcame us, and we were a people astray.

Surah Al-A'la : 11 Meccan

﴿وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَشْقَى﴾

But the wretched one will avoid it -

Surah Ash-Shams : 12 Meccan

﴿إِذِ ٱنۢبَعَثَ أَشْقَىٰهَا﴾

When the most wretched of them was sent forth.

Surah Al-Layl : 15 Meccan

﴿لَا يَصْلَىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلْأَشْقَى﴾

None will [enter to] burn therein except the most wretched one.