What does « Spring / To gush » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Spring / To gush (نبع) 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.

نبع

Spring / To gush

Root: ن - ب - ع

Quranic language 2 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

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Definition of Spring / To gush

An-Nab' and al-yanbū' refer to the spring.

The Almighty says: 'Or cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth' (Al-Isra 90).

Naba'a al-mā' means the water gushed.

Al-yanbū' is the gushing spring.

Spring / To gush in the Quran (2)

Meccan: 2 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Isra 1

Az-Zumar 1

Surah Al-Isra : 90 Meccan

﴿وَقَالُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ يَنۢبُوعًا﴾

And they say, "We will not believe you until you break open for us from the ground a spring.

Surah Az-Zumar : 21 Meccan

﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَلَكَهُۥ يَنَٰبِيعَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهِۦ زَرْعًا مُّخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَٰنُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُۥ حُطَٰمًا إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ﴾

Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky and makes it flow as springs [and rivers] in the earth; then He produces thereby crops of varying colors; then they dry and you see them turned yellow; then He makes them [scattered] debris. Indeed in that is a reminder for those of understanding.