What does « To run out / To lack » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To run out / To lack (نفد) 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.

نفد
To run out / To lack
Root: ن - ف - د
Quranic language 4 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of To run out / To lack

An-Nafād refers to depletion.

The Almighty says: 'The words of my Lord would not be exhausted' (Al-Kahf 109).

Nafida means to be exhausted.

Al-manfūd is the exhausted.

Allah's words are infinite.

To run out / To lack in the Quran (4)

Meccan: 4 Medinan: 0
Distribution of verses by surah
An-Nahl 1
Al-Kahf 1
Luqman 1
Sad 1
Surah An-Nahl : 96 Meccan
﴿مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ بَاقٍ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوٓا۟ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is lasting. And We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.
Surah Al-Kahf : 109 Meccan
﴿قُل لَّوْ كَانَ ٱلْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِّكَلِمَٰتِ رَبِّى لَنَفِدَ ٱلْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَٰتُ رَبِّى وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِۦ مَدَدًا
Say, "If the sea were ink for [writing] the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We brought the like of it as a supplement."
Surah Luqman : 27 Meccan
﴿وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلَٰمٌ وَٱلْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُۥ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَّا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
And if whatever trees upon the earth were pens and the sea [was ink], replenished thereafter by seven [more] seas, the words of Allah would not be exhausted. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Surah Sad : 54 Meccan
﴿إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَرِزْقُنَا مَا لَهُۥ مِن نَّفَادٍ
Indeed, this is Our provision; for it there is no depletion.

Words from the same root as To run out / To lack

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