What does « To scatter / To strew » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To scatter / To strew (بعثر) 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.

بعثر

To scatter / To strew

Root: ب - ع - ث

Creed (aqida) 2 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To scatter / To strew

Allah says: 'And when the graves are overturned (bu'thirat)' (Al-Infitâr: 4).

That is: their earth will be turned over and what they contain will be extracted.

Al-ba'thara means to dig up and scatter the contents.

This term is used to describe the events of the Last Day when the dead will emerge from their graves for resurrection.

To scatter / To strew in the Quran (2)

Meccan: 2 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Infitar 1

Al-'Adiyat 1

Surah Al-Infitar : 4 Meccan

﴿وَإِذَا ٱلْقُبُورُ بُعْثِرَتْ﴾

And when the [contents of] graves are scattered,

Surah Al-'Adiyat : 9 Meccan

﴿أَفَلَا يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعْثِرَ مَا فِى ٱلْقُبُورِ﴾

But does he not know that when the contents of the graves are scattered

Words from the same root as To scatter / To strew

أصبع

Finger

بث

To spread / To scatter

بحث

To search / To rummage

بخع

To grieve oneself to death

To resurrect / To send

بعد

Far / Distance

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Fri 24 Muharram
الجمعة 24 محرّم