What does « To refute / To counter » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To refute / To counter (دحض) in the Quran, with 4 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

دحض

To refute / To counter

Root: د - ح - ض

Jurisprudence (fiqh) 4 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of To refute / To counter

Allah says: 'Their argument is refuted (dâhida) with their Lord' (Ash-Shûrâ: 16).

Dâhida: invalidated, refuted, without foundation.

Disbelievers' arguments against resurrection are worthless before Allah.

To refute / To counter in the Quran (4)

Meccan: 4 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Kahf 1

As-Saffat 1

Ghafir 1

Ash-Shura 1

Surah Al-Kahf : 56 Meccan

﴿وَمَا نُرْسِلُ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَيُجَٰدِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱلْبَٰطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا۟ بِهِ ٱلْحَقَّ وَٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ ءَايَٰتِى وَمَآ أُنذِرُوا۟ هُزُوًا﴾

And We send not the messengers except as bringers of good tidings and warners. And those who disbelieve dispute by [using] falsehood to [attempt to] invalidate thereby the truth and have taken My verses, and that of which they are warned, in ridicule.

Surah As-Saffat : 141 Meccan

﴿فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُدْحَضِينَ﴾

And he drew lots and was among the losers.

Surah Ghafir : 5 Meccan

﴿كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَٱلْأَحْزَابُ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ وَهَمَّتْ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍۭ بِرَسُولِهِمْ لِيَأْخُذُوهُ وَجَٰدَلُوا۟ بِٱلْبَٰطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا۟ بِهِ ٱلْحَقَّ فَأَخَذْتُهُمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ﴾

The people of Noah denied before them and the [disbelieving] factions after them, and every nation intended [a plot] for their messenger to seize him, and they disputed by [using] falsehood to [attempt to] invalidate thereby the truth. So I seized them, and how [terrible] was My penalty.

Surah Ash-Shura : 16 Meccan

﴿وَٱلَّذِينَ يُحَآجُّونَ فِى ٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا ٱسْتُجِيبَ لَهُۥ حُجَّتُهُمْ دَاحِضَةٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ﴾

And those who argue concerning Allah after He has been responded to - their argument is invalid with their Lord, and upon them is [His] wrath, and for them is a severe punishment.