What does « Dab » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Dab (دأب) 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.

دأب
Dab
Root: د - ب
Quranic language 6 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Dab

Al-da'b: persisting in walking.

One says 'da'aba fî al-sayr da'ban'.

Allah says: 'Like the custom (da'b) of Pharaoh's family' (Âl 'Imrân: 11).

Their custom was to deny signs.

Da'b is constant habit.

Dab in the Quran (6)

Meccan: 3 Medinan: 3
Distribution of verses by surah
Al-Anfal 2
Âl 'Imrân 1
Yusuf 1
Ibrahim 1
Ghafir 1
Surah Âl 'Imrân : 11 Medinan
﴿كَدَأْبِ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَٱللَّهُ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ﴾
[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and those before them. They denied Our signs, so Allah seized them for their sins. And Allah is severe in penalty.
Surah Al-Anfal : 52 Medinan
﴿كَدَأْبِ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ﴾
[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them. They disbelieved in the signs of Allah, so Allah seized them for their sins. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and severe in penalty.
Surah Al-Anfal : 54 Medinan
﴿كَدَأْبِ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ فَأَهْلَكْنَٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَآ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَكُلٌّ كَانُوا۟ ظَٰلِمِينَ﴾
[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them. They denied the signs of their Lord, so We destroyed them for their sins, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh. And all [of them] were wrongdoers.
Surah Yusuf : 47 Meccan
﴿قَالَ تَزْرَعُونَ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ دَأَبًا فَمَا حَصَدتُّمْ فَذَرُوهُ فِى سُنۢبُلِهِۦٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ﴾
[Joseph] said, "You will plant for seven years consecutively; and what you harvest leave in its spikes, except a little from which you will eat.
Surah Ibrahim : 33 Meccan
﴿وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ دَآئِبَيْنِ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ﴾
And He subjected for you the sun and the moon, continuous [in orbit], and subjected for you the night and the day.
Surah Ghafir : 31 Meccan
﴿مِثْلَ دَأْبِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَعَادٍ وَثَمُودَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ظُلْمًا لِّلْعِبَادِ﴾
Like the custom of the people of Noah and of 'Aad and Thamud and those after them. And Allah wants no injustice for [His] servants.

Words from the same root as Dab

أبد
Abd
باد
Bād
بدأ
Bda
بدا
Bdā
بدر
Badr
بدع
Badiʿ
بدل
Bdil
بدن
Badan

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