What does « ʿunuq » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word ʿunuq (عنق) in the Quran, with 9 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

عنق

ʿunuq

Root: ع - ن - ق

Quranic language 9 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of ʿunuq

Al-'unuq: the neck, plural a'naq.

The Almighty says: 'We have attached every person's fate to his neck' (Al-Isra 13). 'We will put shackles on their necks' (Ya-Sin 8).

The neck carries the head and symbolizes responsibility.

ʿunuq in the Quran (9)

Meccan: 7 Medinan: 2

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Isra 2

Al-Anfal 1

Ar-Ra'd 1

Ash-Shu'ara 1

Saba 1

Ya-Sin 1

Sad 1

Ghafir 1

Surah Al-Anfal : 12 Medinan

﴿إِذْ يُوحِى رَبُّكَ إِلَى ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ أَنِّى مَعَكُمْ فَثَبِّتُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ سَأُلْقِى فِى قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلرُّعْبَ فَٱضْرِبُوا۟ فَوْقَ ٱلْأَعْنَاقِ وَٱضْرِبُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ كُلَّ بَنَانٍ﴾

[Remember] when your Lord inspired to the angels, "I am with you, so strengthen those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieved, so strike [them] upon the necks and strike from them every fingertip."

Surah Ar-Ra'd : 5 Medinan

﴿وَإِن تَعْجَبْ فَعَجَبٌ قَوْلُهُمْ أَءِذَا كُنَّا تُرَٰبًا أَءِنَّا لَفِى خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلْأَغْلَٰلُ فِىٓ أَعْنَاقِهِمْ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ﴾

And if you are astonished, [O Muhammad] - then astonishing is their saying, "When we are dust, will we indeed be [brought] into a new creation?" Those are the ones who have disbelieved in their Lord, and those will have shackles upon their necks, and those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.

Surah Al-Isra : 13 Meccan

﴿وَكُلَّ إِنسَٰنٍ أَلْزَمْنَٰهُ طَٰٓئِرَهُۥ فِى عُنُقِهِۦ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ كِتَٰبًا يَلْقَىٰهُ مَنشُورًا﴾

And [for] every person We have imposed his fate upon his neck, and We will produce for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will encounter spread open.

Surah Al-Isra : 29 Meccan

﴿وَلَا تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَىٰ عُنُقِكَ وَلَا تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ ٱلْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا مَّحْسُورًا﴾

And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck or extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.

Surah Ash-Shu'ara : 4 Meccan

﴿إِن نَّشَأْ نُنَزِّلْ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ءَايَةً فَظَلَّتْ أَعْنَٰقُهُمْ لَهَا خَٰضِعِينَ﴾

If We willed, We could send down to them from the sky a sign for which their necks would remain humbled.

Surah Saba : 33 Meccan

﴿وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ بَلْ مَكْرُ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَآ أَن نَّكْفُرَ بِٱللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُۥٓ أَندَادًا وَأَسَرُّوا۟ ٱلنَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلْأَغْلَٰلَ فِىٓ أَعْنَاقِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ﴾

Those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, "Rather, [it was your] conspiracy of night and day when you were ordering us to disbelieve in Allah and attribute to Him equals." But they will [all] confide regret when they see the punishment; and We will put shackles on the necks of those who disbelieved. Will they be recompensed except for what they used to do?

Surah Ya-Sin : 8 Meccan

﴿إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِىٓ أَعْنَٰقِهِمْ أَغْلَٰلًا فَهِىَ إِلَى ٱلْأَذْقَانِ فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ﴾

Indeed, We have put shackles on their necks, and they are to their chins, so they are with heads [kept] aloft.

Surah Sad : 33 Meccan

﴿رُدُّوهَا عَلَىَّ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًۢا بِٱلسُّوقِ وَٱلْأَعْنَاقِ﴾

[He said], "Return them to me," and set about striking [their] legs and necks.

Surah Ghafir : 71 Meccan

﴿إِذِ ٱلْأَغْلَٰلُ فِىٓ أَعْنَٰقِهِمْ وَٱلسَّلَٰسِلُ يُسْحَبُونَ﴾

When the shackles are around their necks and the chains; they will be dragged

Words from the same root as ʿunuq

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Fri 26 Rabi' al-Thani
الجمعة 26 ربيع الآخر

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

God and His angels shower their blessings on the Prophet. O believers, you should also send your blessings on him, and salute him with a worthy greeting.

Al-Ahzab 33:56

Blessings on the Prophet ﷺ

What does « ʿunuq » mean in the Quran?

Definition of ʿunuq

ʿunuq in the Quran (9)

Words from the same root as ʿunuq

What does « ʿunuq » mean in the Quran?