What does « Zhaqa » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Zhaqa (زهق) in the Quran, with 4 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

زهق
Zhaqa
Root: ز - ه - ق
Quranic language 4 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of Zhaqa

Zahaqat nafsuhu: his soul departed out of intense regret for something.

The Almighty says: 'and their souls depart' (At-Tawba 55), 'Indeed, falsehood is bound to perish' (Al-Isra 81).

It refers to gradual annihilation like the departing soul.

Az-zahiq: the lost and annihilated.

An arrow that goes beyond the target is called zahiq.

Zhaqa in the Quran (4)

Meccan: 2 Medinan: 2
Distribution of verses by surah
At-Tawba 2
Al-Isra 1
Al-Anbiya 1
Surah At-Tawba : 55 Medinan
﴿فَلَا تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَٰلُهُمْ وَلَآ أَوْلَٰدُهُمْ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَٰفِرُونَ﴾
So let not their wealth or their children impress you. Allah only intends to punish them through them in worldly life and that their souls should depart [at death] while they are disbelievers.
Surah At-Tawba : 85 Medinan
﴿وَلَا تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَٰلُهُمْ وَأَوْلَٰدُهُمْ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَٰفِرُونَ﴾
And let not their wealth and their children impress you. Allah only intends to punish them through them in this world and that their souls should depart [at death] while they are disbelievers.
Surah Al-Isra : 81 Meccan
﴿وَقُلْ جَآءَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ ٱلْبَٰطِلُ إِنَّ ٱلْبَٰطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا﴾
And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart."
Surah Al-Anbiya : 18 Meccan
﴿بَلْ نَقْذِفُ بِٱلْحَقِّ عَلَى ٱلْبَٰطِلِ فَيَدْمَغُهُۥ فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌ وَلَكُمُ ٱلْوَيْلُ مِمَّا تَصِفُونَ﴾
Rather, We dash the truth upon falsehood, and it destroys it, and thereupon it departs. And for you is destruction from that which you describe.

Words from the same root as Zhaqa

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إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ ۚ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا

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Al-Ahzab 33:56

Blessings on the Prophet ﷺ