What does « To withdraw / To go back » mean in the Quran?
Discover the meaning of the word To withdraw / To go back (خنس) 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.
خنس
To withdraw / To go back
Root: خ - ن - س
Creed (aqida) 2 verses
Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM
📖 1 min read
Definition of To withdraw / To go back
Allah says: 'From the evil of the retreating tempter (al-khannâs)' (An-Nâs: 4).
Al-khannâs: one who hides and retreats.
The devil is khannâs because he retreats when Allah is mentioned and returns when one is negligent.
To withdraw / To go back in the Quran (2)
Meccan: 2 Medinan: 0
Distribution of verses by surah
At-Takwir1
An-Nas1
Surah At-Takwir : 15 Meccan
﴿فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلْخُنَّسِ﴾
So I swear by the retreating stars -
Surah An-Nas : 4 Meccan
﴿مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ﴾
From the evil of the retreating whisperer -
Words from the same root as To withdraw / To go back