What does « ʿĀb » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word ʿĀb (عاب) in the Quran, with 1 verse in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

عاب
ʿĀb
Root: ع - ب
Jurisprudence (fiqh) 1 verse

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of ʿĀb

Al-'ayb and al-'ab: the thing by which something becomes defective, meaning contemptible.

One says: a thing is 'iba when it has a defect.

The Almighty mentions the defective ship.

Defects diminish value.

ʿĀb in the Quran (1)

Meccan: 1 Medinan: 0
Surah Al-Kahf : 79 Meccan
﴿أَمَّا ٱلسَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتْ لِمَسَـٰكِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ فَأَرَدتُّ أَنْ أَعِيبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَآءَهُم مَّلِكٌۭ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصْبًۭا﴾
As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea. So I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every [good] ship by force.

Words from the same root as ʿĀb

أصبع
Aṣbʿ
بخع
Bakhʿ
بدع
Badiʿ
بضع
Baḍʿ
بعث
Baʿth
بعثر
Buʿthira
بعد
Buʿd
بعر
Baʿīr

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