What does « To study / To learn » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To study / To learn (درس) in the Quran, with 6 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

درس

To study / To learn

Root: د - ر - س

Creed (aqida) 6 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of To study / To learn

Darasa al-dâr: traces of the dwelling remain.

Remaining traces implies fading.

One also says 'darastu al-'ilm' (I studied knowledge).

Allah says: 'And so they say: You have studied (darasta)' (Al-An'âm: 105).

Disbelievers accused the Prophet ﷺ of learning from others.

To study / To learn in the Quran (6)

Meccan: 5 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-An'am 2

Âl 'Imrân 1

Al-A'raf 1

Saba 1

Al-Qalam 1

Surah Âl 'Imrân : 79 Medinan

﴿مَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُؤْتِيَهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولَ لِلنَّاسِ كُونُوا۟ عِبَادًا لِّى مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِن كُونُوا۟ رَبَّٰنِيِّۦنَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ﴾

It is not for a human [prophet] that Allah should give him the Scripture and authority and prophethood and then he would say to the people, "Be servants to me rather than Allah," but [instead, he would say], "Be pious scholars of the Lord because of what you have taught of the Scripture and because of what you have studied."

Surah Al-An'am : 105 Meccan

﴿وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ وَلِيَقُولُوا۟ دَرَسْتَ وَلِنُبَيِّنَهُۥ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾

And thus do We diversify the verses so the disbelievers will say, "You have studied," and so We may make the Qur'an clear for a people who know.

Surah Al-An'am : 156 Meccan

﴿أَن تَقُولُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبُ عَلَىٰ طَآئِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا وَإِن كُنَّا عَن دِرَاسَتِهِمْ لَغَٰفِلِينَ﴾

[We revealed it] lest you say, "The Scripture was only sent down to two groups before us, but we were of their study unaware,"

Surah Al-A'raf : 169 Meccan

﴿فَخَلَفَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ وَرِثُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَٰذَا ٱلْأَدْنَىٰ وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا وَإِن يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِّثْلُهُۥ يَأْخُذُوهُ أَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِم مِّيثَٰقُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ أَن لَّا يَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ وَدَرَسُوا۟ مَا فِيهِ وَٱلدَّارُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ﴾

And there followed them successors who inherited the Scripture [while] taking the commodities of this lower life and saying, "It will be forgiven for us." And if an offer like it comes to them, they will [again] take it. Was not the covenant of the Scripture taken from them that they would not say about Allah except the truth, and they studied what was in it? And the home of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah, so will you not use reason?

Surah Saba : 44 Meccan

﴿وَمَآ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُم مِّن كُتُبٍ يَدْرُسُونَهَا وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ مِن نَّذِيرٍ﴾

And We had not given them any scriptures which they could study, and We had not sent to them before you, [O Muhammad], any warner.

Surah Al-Qalam : 37 Meccan

﴿أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَٰبٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ﴾

Or do you have a scripture in which you learn