What does « To search / To rummage » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To search / To rummage (بحث) in the Quran, with 1 verse in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

بحث

To search / To rummage

Root: ب - ح - ث

Creed (aqida) 1 verse

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To search / To rummage

Al-bahth: uncovering and searching.

One says 'bahathtu 'an al-amr' (I searched for the matter) and 'bahathtu kadhâ' (I examined such thing).

Allah says: 'Allah sent a crow scratching (yabhath) the ground' (Al-Mâ'ida: 31).

Al-bahth implies a thorough search, an effort to discover what is hidden or unknown.

To search / To rummage in the Quran (1)

Meccan: 0 Medinan: 1

Surah Al-Maida : 31 Medinan

﴿فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ غُرَابًا يَبْحَثُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيُرِيَهُۥ كَيْفَ يُوَٰرِى سَوْءَةَ أَخِيهِ قَالَ يَٰوَيْلَتَىٰٓ أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَٰذَا ٱلْغُرَابِ فَأُوَٰرِىَ سَوْءَةَ أَخِى فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ ٱلنَّٰدِمِينَ﴾

Then Allah sent a crow searching in the ground to show him how to hide the disgrace of his brother. He said, "O woe to me! Have I failed to be like this crow and hide the body of my brother?" And he became of the regretful.