What does « To repel / To defend » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To repel / To defend (درأ) in the Quran, with 5 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

درأ

To repel / To defend

Root: د - ر

Jurisprudence (fiqh) 5 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of To repel / To defend

Al-dar': inclination to one side.

One says 'qawwamtu dar'a al-'ûd' (I straightened the stick's curve).

Al-tadâru' is mutual repelling.

Allah says: 'Repel (idra') with what is better' (Fussilat: 34).

Respond to evil with good.

To repel / To defend in the Quran (5)

Meccan: 1 Medinan: 4

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Baqara 1

Âl 'Imrân 1

Ar-Ra'd 1

An-Nur 1

Al-Qasas 1

Surah Al-Baqara : 72 Medinan

﴿وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسًا فَٱدَّٰرَْٰٔتُمْ فِيهَا وَٱللَّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ﴾

And [recall] when you slew a man and disputed over it, but Allah was to bring out that which you were concealing.

Surah Âl 'Imrân : 168 Medinan

﴿ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ لِإِخْوَٰنِهِمْ وَقَعَدُوا۟ لَوْ أَطَاعُونَا مَا قُتِلُوا۟ قُلْ فَٱدْرَءُوا۟ عَنْ أَنفُسِكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ﴾

Those who said about their brothers while sitting [at home], "If they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed." Say, "Then prevent death from yourselves, if you should be truthful."

Surah Ar-Ra'd : 22 Medinan

﴿وَٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا۟ ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنفَقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَٰهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِٱلْحَسَنَةِ ٱلسَّيِّئَةَ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عُقْبَى ٱلدَّارِ﴾

And those who are patient, seeking the countenance of their Lord, and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided for them secretly and publicly and prevent evil with good - those will have the good consequence of [this] home -

Surah An-Nur : 8 Medinan

﴿وَيَدْرَؤُا۟ عَنْهَا ٱلْعَذَابَ أَن تَشْهَدَ أَرْبَعَ شَهَٰدَٰتٍۭ بِٱللَّهِ إِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلْكَٰذِبِينَ﴾

But it will prevent punishment from her if she gives four testimonies [swearing] by Allah that indeed, he is of the liars.

Surah Al-Qasas : 54 Meccan

﴿أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يُؤْتَوْنَ أَجْرَهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ بِمَا صَبَرُوا۟ وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِٱلْحَسَنَةِ ٱلسَّيِّئَةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ﴾

Those will be given their reward twice for what they patiently endured and [because] they avert evil through good, and from what We have provided them they spend.