What does « Trembling / Tremor » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Trembling / Tremor (رجف) in the Quran, with 7 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

رجف

Trembling / Tremor

Root: ر - ج - ف

Quranic language 7 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Trembling / Tremor

Al-rajf: violent agitation.

One says 'rajafat al-ard' (the earth shook).

Allah says: 'The shaker (al-râjifa) will shake' (An-Nâzi'ât: 6).

This is the first Trumpet blast that will shake everything.

Trembling / Tremor in the Quran (7)

Meccan: 6 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-A'raf 3

Al-'Ankabut 1

Al-Ahzab 1

Al-Muzzammil 1

An-Nazi'at 1

Surah Al-A'raf : 78 Meccan

﴿فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِى دَارِهِمْ جَٰثِمِينَ﴾

So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.

Surah Al-A'raf : 91 Meccan

﴿فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِى دَارِهِمْ جَٰثِمِينَ﴾

So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.

Surah Al-A'raf : 155 Meccan

﴿وَٱخْتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوْمَهُۥ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا لِّمِيقَٰتِنَا فَلَمَّآ أَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّجْفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّٰىَ أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ مِنَّآ إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّا فِتْنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَن تَشَآءُ وَتَهْدِى مَن تَشَآءُ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْغَٰفِرِينَ﴾

And Moses chose from his people seventy men for Our appointment. And when the earthquake seized them, he said, "My Lord, if You had willed, You could have destroyed them before and me [as well]. Would You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done? This is not but Your trial by which You send astray whom You will and guide whom You will. You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy upon us; and You are the best of forgivers.

Surah Al-'Ankabut : 37 Meccan

﴿فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِى دَارِهِمْ جَٰثِمِينَ﴾

But they denied him, so the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.

Surah Al-Ahzab : 60 Medinan

﴿لَّئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ ٱلْمُنَٰفِقُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَٱلْمُرْجِفُونَ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ لَنُغْرِيَنَّكَ بِهِمْ ثُمَّ لَا يُجَاوِرُونَكَ فِيهَآ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا﴾

If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease and those who spread rumors in al-Madinah do not cease, We will surely incite you against them; then they will not remain your neighbors therein except for a little.

Surah Al-Muzzammil : 14 Meccan

﴿يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ ٱلْأَرْضُ وَٱلْجِبَالُ وَكَانَتِ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَثِيبًا مَّهِيلًا﴾

On the Day the earth and the mountains will convulse and the mountains will become a heap of sand pouring down.

Surah An-Nazi'at : 6 Meccan

﴿يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ﴾

On the Day the blast [of the Horn] will convulse [creation],