What does « To postpone / To defer » mean in the Quran?
Discover the meaning of the word To postpone / To defer (نسأ) 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.
نسأ
To postpone / To defer
Root: ن - س
Creed (aqida) 2 verses
Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM
📖 2 min read
Definition of To postpone / To defer
An-Nas' refers to postponement and delay.
The Almighty says: 'Postponement is but an increase in disbelief' (At-Tawbah 37).
Indeed, the postponing [of restriction within sacred months] is an increase in disbelief by which those who have disbelieved are led [further] astray. They make it lawful one year and unlawful another year to correspond to the number made unlawful by Allah and [thus] make lawful what Allah has made unlawful. Made pleasing to them is the evil of their deeds; and Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.
And when We decreed for Solomon death, nothing indicated to the jinn his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff. But when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating punishment.
Words from the same root as To postpone / To defer