What does « ʿudhr » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word ʿudhr (عذر) in the Quran, with 11 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

عذر

ʿudhr

Root: ع - ذ - ر

Creed (aqida) 11 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 4 min read

Definition of ʿudhr

Al-'udhr: man's search for what erases his sins.

One says: 'udhr and 'udhur.

The Almighty says: 'Presenting their excuses' (At-Tawba 90). 'To have an excuse before your Lord' (Al-A'raf 164).

Valid excuse is accepted.

ʿudhr in the Quran (11)

Meccan: 7 Medinan: 4

Distribution of verses by surah

At-Tawba 3

Al-Mursalat 2

Al-A'raf 1

Al-Kahf 1

Ar-Rum 1

Ghafir 1

At-Tahrim 1

Al-Qiyama 1

Surah Al-A'raf : 164 Meccan

﴿وَإِذْ قَالَتْ أُمَّةٌ مِّنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا ٱللَّهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا قَالُوا۟ مَعْذِرَةً إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ﴾

And when a community among them said, "Why do you advise [or warn] a people whom Allah is [about] to destroy or to punish with a severe punishment?" they [the advisors] said, "To be absolved before your Lord and perhaps they may fear Him."

Surah At-Tawba : 66 Medinan

﴿لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَٰنِكُمْ إِن نَّعْفُ عَن طَآئِفَةٍ مِّنكُمْ نُعَذِّبْ طَآئِفَةًۢ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ﴾

Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you - We will punish another faction because they were criminals.

Surah At-Tawba : 90 Medinan

﴿وَجَآءَ ٱلْمُعَذِّرُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ لِيُؤْذَنَ لَهُمْ وَقَعَدَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ سَيُصِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴾

And those with excuses among the bedouins came to be permitted [to remain], and they who had lied to Allah and His Messenger sat [at home]. There will strike those who disbelieved among them a painful punishment.

Surah At-Tawba : 94 Medinan

﴿يَعْتَذِرُونَ إِلَيْكُمْ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ قُل لَّا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكُمْ قَدْ نَبَّأَنَا ٱللَّهُ مِنْ أَخْبَارِكُمْ وَسَيَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُۥ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ﴾

They will make excuses to you when you have returned to them. Say, "Make no excuse - never will we believe you. Allah has already informed us of your news. And Allah will observe your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger; then you will be taken back to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and He will inform you of what you used to do."

Surah Al-Kahf : 76 Meccan

﴿قَالَ إِن سَأَلْتُكَ عَن شَىْءٍۭ بَعْدَهَا فَلَا تُصَٰحِبْنِى قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِن لَّدُنِّى عُذْرًا﴾

[Moses] said, "If I should ask you about anything after this, then do not keep me as a companion. You have obtained from me an excuse."

Surah Ar-Rum : 57 Meccan

﴿فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا يَنفَعُ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ﴾

So that Day, their excuse will not benefit those who wronged, nor will they be asked to appease [Allah].

Surah Ghafir : 52 Meccan

﴿يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ وَلَهُمُ ٱللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوٓءُ ٱلدَّارِ﴾

The Day their excuse will not benefit the wrongdoers, and they will have the curse, and they will have the worst home.

Surah At-Tahrim : 7 Medinan

﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ ٱلْيَوْمَ إِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ﴾

O you who have disbelieved, make no excuses that Day. You will only be recompensed for what you used to do.

Surah Al-Qiyama : 15 Meccan

﴿وَلَوْ أَلْقَىٰ مَعَاذِيرَهُۥ﴾

Even if he presents his excuses.

Surah Al-Mursalat : 6 Meccan

﴿عُذْرًا أَوْ نُذْرًا﴾

As justification or warning,

Surah Al-Mursalat : 36 Meccan

﴿وَلَا يُؤْذَنُ لَهُمْ فَيَعْتَذِرُونَ﴾

Nor will it be permitted for them to make an excuse.

Words from the same root as ʿudhr

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Mon 21 Jumada al-Awwal
الاثنين 21 جمادى الأولى

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 « ʿudhr » mean in the Quran?

Definition of ʿudhr

ʿudhr in the Quran (11)

Words from the same root as ʿudhr

What does « ʿudhr » mean in the Quran?