What does « To split / Dawn » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To split / Dawn (فلق) 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.

فلق

To split / Dawn

Root: ف - ل - ق

Creed (aqida) 4 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of To split / Dawn

Al-Falq refers to splitting in length or width.

The Almighty says: 'Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak' (Al-Falaq 1), because dawn splits the darkness.

And: 'It is He who splits the grain and the date-seed' (Al-An'am 95).

To split / Dawn in the Quran (4)

Meccan: 4 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-An'am 2

Ash-Shu'ara 1

Al-Falaq 1

Surah Al-An'am : 95 Meccan

﴿إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ فَالِقُ ٱلْحَبِّ وَٱلنَّوَىٰ يُخْرِجُ ٱلْحَىَّ مِنَ ٱلْمَيِّتِ وَمُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَيِّتِ مِنَ ٱلْحَىِّ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ﴾

Indeed, Allah is the cleaver of grain and date seeds. He brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living. That is Allah; so how are you deluded?

Surah Al-An'am : 96 Meccan

﴿فَالِقُ ٱلْإِصْبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ ٱلَّيْلَ سَكَنًا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ حُسْبَانًا ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْعَلِيمِ﴾

[He is] the cleaver of daybreak and has made the night for rest and the sun and moon for calculation. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.

Surah Ash-Shu'ara : 63 Meccan

﴿فَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنِ ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَٱنفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍ كَٱلطَّوْدِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ﴾

Then We inspired to Moses, "Strike with your staff the sea," and it parted, and each portion was like a great towering mountain.

Surah Al-Falaq : 1 Meccan

﴿قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ﴾

Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak