What does « ʿṢf » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word ʿṢf (عصف) in the Quran, with 6 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

عصف

ʿṢf

Root: ع - ص - ف

Quranic language 6 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of ʿṢf

Al-'asf and al-'asifa: what is cut from grain.

One says for plant debris: 'asf.

The Almighty says: 'He made them like eaten straw' (Al-Fil 5). 'Grain and chaff' (Ar-Rahman 12).

Al-'asf symbolizes what remains after harvest.

ʿṢf in the Quran (6)

Meccan: 6 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Yunus 1

Ibrahim 1

Al-Anbiya 1

Ar-Rahman 1

Al-Mursalat 1

Al-Fil 1

Surah Yunus : 22 Meccan

﴿هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا كُنتُمْ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ وَجَرَيْنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٍ طَيِّبَةٍ وَفَرِحُوا۟ بِهَا جَآءَتْهَا رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌ وَجَآءَهُمُ ٱلْمَوْجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَنَّهُمْ أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ دَعَوُا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ لَئِنْ أَنجَيْتَنَا مِنْ هَٰذِهِۦ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ﴾

It is He who enables you to travel on land and sea until, when you are in ships and they sail with them by a good wind and they rejoice therein, there comes a storm wind and the waves come upon them from everywhere and they assume that they are surrounded, supplicating Allah, sincere to Him in religion, "If You should save us from this, we will surely be among the thankful."

Surah Ibrahim : 18 Meccan

﴿مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ أَعْمَٰلُهُمْ كَرَمَادٍ ٱشْتَدَّتْ بِهِ ٱلرِّيحُ فِى يَوْمٍ عَاصِفٍ لَّا يَقْدِرُونَ مِمَّا كَسَبُوا۟ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلضَّلَٰلُ ٱلْبَعِيدُ﴾

The example of those who disbelieve in their Lord is [that] their deeds are like ashes which the wind blows forcefully on a stormy day; they are unable [to keep] from what they earned a [single] thing. That is what is extreme error.

Surah Al-Anbiya : 81 Meccan

﴿وَلِسُلَيْمَٰنَ ٱلرِّيحَ عَاصِفَةً تَجْرِى بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلَّتِى بَٰرَكْنَا فِيهَا وَكُنَّا بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَٰلِمِينَ﴾

And to Solomon [We subjected] the wind, blowing forcefully, proceeding by his command toward the land which We had blessed. And We are ever, of all things, Knowing.

Surah Ar-Rahman : 12 Meccan

﴿وَٱلْحَبُّ ذُو ٱلْعَصْفِ وَٱلرَّيْحَانُ﴾

And grain having husks and scented plants.

Surah Al-Mursalat : 2 Meccan

﴿فَٱلْعَٰصِفَٰتِ عَصْفًا﴾

And the winds that blow violently

Surah Al-Fil : 5 Meccan

﴿فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُولٍۭ﴾

And He made them like eaten straw.