What does « Space / Crack » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Space / Crack (فجا) 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.

فجا

Space / Crack

Root: ف - ج

Quranic language 1 verse

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of Space / Crack

The Almighty says: 'And they are in an open space' (Al-Kahf 17), meaning a wide, open area.

From this comes: qaws fijā' and fujā': a bow whose two ends are spread apart.

Al-fajwah refers to the space between two things.

Space / Crack in the Quran (1)

Meccan: 1 Medinan: 0

Surah Al-Kahf : 17 Meccan

﴿۞ وَتَرَى ٱلشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَت تَّزَٰوَرُ عَن كَهْفِهِمْ ذَاتَ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَت تَّقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِ وَهُمْ فِى فَجْوَةٍۢ مِّنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ مَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ وَلِيًّۭا مُّرْشِدًۭا﴾

And [had you been present], you would see the sun when it rose, inclining away from their cave on the right, and when it set, passing away from them on the left, while they were [laying] within an open space thereof. That was from the signs of Allah. He whom Allah guides is the [rightly] guided, but he whom He leaves astray - never will you find for him a protecting guide.