What does « Terror / Fear » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Terror / Fear (فزع) 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.

فزع

Terror / Fear

Root: ف - ز - ع

Creed (aqida) 6 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Terror / Fear

Al-Faza' refers to terror caused by something disliked.

One says: fazi'a faza'an.

The Almighty says: 'When terror is removed from their hearts' (Saba 23), and: 'They will not be grieved by the greatest terror' (Al-Anbiya 103).

Faza'a ilayhi means to seek refuge with someone.

Terror / Fear in the Quran (6)

Meccan: 6 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

An-Naml 2

Saba 2

Al-Anbiya 1

Sad 1

Surah Al-Anbiya : 103 Meccan

﴿لَا يَحْزُنُهُمُ ٱلْفَزَعُ ٱلْأَكْبَرُ وَتَتَلَقَّىٰهُمُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ هَٰذَا يَوْمُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ﴾

They will not be grieved by the greatest terror, and the angels will meet them, [saying], "This is your Day which you have been promised" -

Surah An-Naml : 87 Meccan

﴿وَيَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَفَزِعَ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ وَكُلٌّ أَتَوْهُ دَٰخِرِينَ﴾

And [warn of] the Day the Horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will be terrified except whom Allah wills. And all will come to Him humbled.

Surah An-Naml : 89 Meccan

﴿مَن جَآءَ بِٱلْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُۥ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهَا وَهُم مِّن فَزَعٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ ءَامِنُونَ﴾

Whoever comes [at Judgement] with a good deed will have better than it, and they, from the terror of that Day, will be safe.

Surah Saba : 23 Meccan

﴿وَلَا تَنفَعُ ٱلشَّفَٰعَةُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُۥ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا۟ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْكَبِيرُ﴾

And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits. [And those wait] until, when terror is removed from their hearts, they will say [to one another], "What has your Lord said?" They will say, "The truth." And He is the Most High, the Grand.

Surah Saba : 51 Meccan

﴿وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ فَزِعُوا۟ فَلَا فَوْتَ وَأُخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ﴾

And if you could see when they are terrified but there is no escape, and they will be seized from a place nearby.

Surah Sad : 22 Meccan

﴿إِذْ دَخَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ دَاوُۥدَ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ قَالُوا۟ لَا تَخَفْ خَصْمَانِ بَغَىٰ بَعْضُنَا عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تُشْطِطْ وَٱهْدِنَآ إِلَىٰ سَوَآءِ ٱلصِّرَٰطِ﴾

When they entered upon David and he was alarmed by them? They said, "Fear not. [We are] two adversaries, one of whom has wronged the other, so judge between us with truth and do not exceed [it] and guide us to the sound path.