Discover the meaning of the term Al-dhnb (ذنب) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 2 min readWhat veils you from Allah, exalted be He.
With fatha of the first and fatha of the second; in Persian (dam wa dunbala jashm). Its plural: al-adhnab. In the Lata'if: 'al-dhanab' is a star among the stars. With fatha of the first and sukun of the second: (sin, in Persian).
In origin: taking the tail (dhanab); one says 'dhantubtu': I reached its tail; and it is used for every deed whose consequences are dreaded, in allusion to its tail; hence sin was called 'tabi'a' (consequence), in allusion to the punishment resulting from it. [Basa'ir dhi al-tamyiz 2/19-20].
Sin; its origin: taking the tail of the thing, and it is used for every deed whose sanction is dreaded; hence it was called 'tabi'a' (consequence), in allusion to the punishment resulting from it.
Fault and blemish; al-Sayyid said: 'it is what veils you from Allah, exalted be He'.
﴿يُوسُفُ أَعْرِضْ عَنْ هَـٰذَا ۚ وَٱسْتَغْفِرِى لِذَنۢبِكِ ۖ إِنَّكِ كُنتِ مِنَ ٱلْخَاطِـِٔينَ﴾
« Joseph, ignore this. And, [my wife], ask forgiveness for your sin. Indeed, you were of the sinful." »
Surah يوسف : 29
﴿وَلَهُمْ عَلَىَّ ذَنۢبٌۭ فَأَخَافُ أَن يَقْتُلُونِ﴾
« And they have upon me a [claim due to] sin, so I fear that they will kill me." »
Surah الشعراء : 14
﴿فَكُلًّا أَخَذْنَا بِذَنۢبِهِۦ ۖ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ حَاصِبًۭا وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ أَخَذَتْهُ ٱلصَّيْحَةُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ خَسَفْنَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ أَغْرَقْنَا ۚ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ﴾
« So each We seized for his sin; and among them were those upon whom We sent a storm of stones, and among them were those who were seized by the blast [from the sky], and among them were those whom We caused the earth to swallow, and among them were those whom We drowned. And Allah would not have wronged them, but it was they who were wronging themselves. »
Surah العنكبوت : 40
﴿غَافِرِ ٱلذَّنۢبِ وَقَابِلِ ٱلتَّوْبِ شَدِيدِ ٱلْعِقَابِ ذِى ٱلطَّوْلِ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ إِلَيْهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ﴾
« The forgiver of sin, acceptor of repentance, severe in punishment, owner of abundance. There is no deity except Him; to Him is the destination. »
Surah غافر : 3
﴿فَٱصْبِرْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّۭ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنۢبِكَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلْعَشِىِّ وَٱلْإِبْكَـٰرِ﴾
« So be patient, [O Muhammad]. Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth. And ask forgiveness for your sin and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning. »
Surah غافر : 55
﴿فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنۢبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَىٰكُمْ﴾
« So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allah and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allah knows of your movement and your resting place. »
Surah محمد : 19
This term appears in 11 verses of the Quran.