What does « Palace / To shorten » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Palace / To shorten (قصر) in the Quran, with 11 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

قصر

Palace / To shorten

Root: ق - ص - ر

Quranic language 11 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Palace / To shorten

Al-Qaṣr refers to shortening and limitation.

The Almighty says: 'There is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer' (An-Nisa 101).

Al-qaṣr is also the palace because it is limited and protected.

The Almighty says: 'Sparks like huge castles' (Al-Mursalat 32).

Palace / To shorten in the Quran (11)

Meccan: 8 Medinan: 3

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-A'raf 2

Ar-Rahman 2

An-Nisa 1

Al-Hajj 1

Al-Furqan 1

As-Saffat 1

Sad 1

Al-Fath 1

Al-Mursalat 1

Surah An-Nisa : 101 Medinan

﴿وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَن يَفْتِنَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ كَانُوا۟ لَكُمْ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا﴾

And when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer, [especially] if you fear that those who disbelieve may disrupt [or attack] you. Indeed, the disbelievers are ever to you a clear enemy.

Surah Al-A'raf : 74 Meccan

﴿وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ عَادٍ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِن سُهُولِهَا قُصُورًا وَتَنْحِتُونَ ٱلْجِبَالَ بُيُوتًا فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ﴾

And remember when He made you successors after the 'Aad and settled you in the land, [and] you take for yourselves palaces from its plains and carve from the mountains, homes. Then remember the favors of Allah and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."

Surah Al-A'raf : 202 Meccan

﴿وَإِخْوَٰنُهُمْ يَمُدُّونَهُمْ فِى ٱلْغَىِّ ثُمَّ لَا يُقْصِرُونَ﴾

But their brothers - the devils increase them in error; then they do not stop short.

Surah Al-Hajj : 45 Medinan

﴿فَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَٰهَا وَهِىَ ظَالِمَةٌ فَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَبِئْرٍ مُّعَطَّلَةٍ وَقَصْرٍ مَّشِيدٍ﴾

And how many a city did We destroy while it was committing wrong - so it is [now] fallen into ruin - and [how many] an abandoned well and [how many] a lofty palace.

Surah Al-Furqan : 10 Meccan

﴿تَبَارَكَ ٱلَّذِىٓ إِن شَآءَ جَعَلَ لَكَ خَيْرًا مِّن ذَٰلِكَ جَنَّٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ وَيَجْعَل لَّكَ قُصُورًۢا﴾

Blessed is He who, if He willed, could have made for you [something] better than that - gardens beneath which rivers flow - and could make for you palaces.

Surah As-Saffat : 48 Meccan

﴿وَعِندَهُمْ قَٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ عِينٌ﴾

And with them will be women limiting [their] glances, with large, [beautiful] eyes,

Surah Sad : 52 Meccan

﴿وَعِندَهُمْ قَٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ أَتْرَابٌ﴾

And with them will be women limiting [their] glances and of equal age.

Surah Al-Fath : 27 Medinan

﴿لَّقَدْ صَدَقَ ٱللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ ٱلرُّءْيَا بِٱلْحَقِّ لَتَدْخُلُنَّ ٱلْمَسْجِدَ ٱلْحَرَامَ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ءَامِنِينَ مُحَلِّقِينَ رُءُوسَكُمْ وَمُقَصِّرِينَ لَا تَخَافُونَ فَعَلِمَ مَا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوا۟ فَجَعَلَ مِن دُونِ ذَٰلِكَ فَتْحًا قَرِيبًا﴾

Certainly has Allah showed to His Messenger the vision in truth. You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Haram, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened, not fearing [anyone]. He knew what you did not know and has arranged before that a conquest near [at hand].

Surah Ar-Rahman : 56 Meccan

﴿فِيهِنَّ قَٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنسٌ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلَا جَآنٌّ﴾

In them are women limiting [their] glances, untouched before them by man or jinni -

Surah Ar-Rahman : 72 Meccan

﴿حُورٌ مَّقْصُورَٰتٌ فِى ٱلْخِيَامِ﴾

Fair ones reserved in pavilions -

Surah Al-Mursalat : 32 Meccan

﴿إِنَّهَا تَرْمِى بِشَرَرٍ كَٱلْقَصْرِ﴾

Indeed, it throws sparks [as huge] as a fortress,