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Quran verses about Purification of the soul (tazkiyah)

التزكية

13 verses in 9 surahs

Purification of the soul (tazkiyah) is approached here through the Messenger ﷺ sent to recite the verses, teach the Book and wisdom and purify the believers, through charity that purifies, and through conduct described as purer, such as lowering the gaze. The verses censure those who claim to be pure, and recall that it is Allah who purifies whom He wills and that whoever purifies himself does so for his own soul.

Verses gathered from a topical index of the Quran, in Mushaf order; every verse is quoted in full.

13 verses

Al-Baqarah2:129

رَبَّنَا وَٱبْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ۝١٢٩

Our Lord, and send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise."

Al-Baqarah2:151

كَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولًا مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْكُمْ ءَايَٰتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُوا۟ تَعْلَمُونَ ۝١٥١

Just as We have sent among you a messenger from yourselves reciting to you Our verses and purifying you and teaching you the Book and wisdom and teaching you that which you did not know.

Al-Baqarah2:232

وَإِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَبَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ أَن يَنكِحْنَ أَزْوَٰجَهُنَّ إِذَا تَرَٰضَوْا۟ بَيْنَهُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ذَٰلِكَ يُوعَظُ بِهِۦ مَن كَانَ مِنكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَزْكَىٰ لَكُمْ وَأَطْهَرُ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ۝٢٣٢

And when you divorce women and they have fulfilled their term, do not prevent them from remarrying their [former] husbands if they [i.e., all parties] agree among themselves on an acceptable basis. That is instructed to whoever of you believes in Allāh and the Last Day. That is better for you and purer, and Allāh knows and you know not.

Ali ’Imran3:164

لَقَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ لَفِى ضَلَٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ ۝١٦٤

Certainly did Allāh confer [great] favor upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] and wisdom, although they had been before in manifest error.

An-Nisa4:49

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنفُسَهُم بَلِ ٱللَّهُ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا ۝٤٩

Have you not seen those who claim themselves to be pure? Rather, Allāh purifies whom He wills, and injustice is not done to them, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed].

At-Tawbah9:103

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ صَلَوٰتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَّهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ۝١٠٣

Take, [O Muḥammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [Allāh's blessings] upon them. Indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.

Al-Kahf18:74

فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَٰمًا فَقَتَلَهُۥ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةًۢ بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَّقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْـًٔا نُّكْرًا ۝٧٤

So they set out, until when they met a boy, he [i.e., al-Khiḍr] killed him. [Moses] said, "Have you killed a pure soul for other than [having killed] a soul? You have certainly done a deplorable thing."

Maryam19:19

قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَٰمًا زَكِيًّا ۝١٩

He said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son]."

Taha20:75

وَمَن يَأْتِهِۦ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلدَّرَجَٰتُ ٱلْعُلَىٰ ۝٧٥

But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds - for those will be the highest degrees [in position]:

An-Nur24:21

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ وَمَن يَتَّبِعْ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ مَا زَكَىٰ مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَدًا وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ۝٢١

O you who have believed, do not follow the footsteps of Satan. And whoever follows the footsteps of Satan - indeed, he enjoins immorality and wrongdoing. And if not for the favor of Allāh upon you and His mercy, not one of you would have been pure, ever, but Allāh purifies whom He wills, and Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.

An-Nur24:28

فَإِن لَّمْ تَجِدُوا۟ فِيهَآ أَحَدًا فَلَا تَدْخُلُوهَا حَتَّىٰ يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ وَإِن قِيلَ لَكُمُ ٱرْجِعُوا۟ فَٱرْجِعُوا۟ هُوَ أَزْكَىٰ لَكُمْ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ ۝٢٨

And if you do not find anyone therein, do not enter them until permission has been given you. And if it is said to you, "Go back," then go back; it is purer for you. And Allāh is Knowing of what you do.

An-Nur24:30

قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا۟ مِنْ أَبْصَٰرِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا۟ فُرُوجَهُمْ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ ۝٣٠

Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allāh is [fully] Aware of what they do.

Fatir35:18

وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ وَإِن تَدْعُ مُثْقَلَةٌ إِلَىٰ حِمْلِهَا لَا يُحْمَلْ مِنْهُ شَىْءٌ وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَىٰٓ إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمَن تَزَكَّىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَتَزَكَّىٰ لِنَفْسِهِۦ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ۝١٨

And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And if a heavily laden soul calls [another] to [carry some of] its load, nothing of it will be carried, even if he should be a close relative. You can only warn those who fear their Lord unseen and have established prayer. And whoever purifies himself only purifies himself for [the benefit of] his soul. And to Allāh is the [final] destination.

In the Sunnah

Hadiths that quote these verses, with their grade of authenticity.

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 2728

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Moses the Messenger of Allah," and then he narrated the whole story about him. Al-Khadir said to Moses, "Did not I tell you that you can have no patience with me." (18.72). Moses then violated the agreement for the first time because of forgetfulness, then Moses…

‏ مُوسَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏"‏ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ ‏‏{‏قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا‏}‏ كَانَتِ الأُولَى نِسْيَانًا، وَالْوُسْطَى شَرْطًا، وَالثَّالِثَةُ عَمْدًا ‏‏{‏قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي…

Narrated by ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b + 20 other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 4727

I said to Ibn `Abbas, "Nauf-al-Bakali " claims that Moses of Bani Israel was not Moses, the companion of Al-Khadir." Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah's enemy tells a lie! Ubai bin Ka`b narrated to us that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Moses got up to deliver a sermon before Bani Israel and he was asked, 'Who…

قَامَ مُوسَى خَطِيبًا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ أَنَا، فَعَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ، إِذْ لَمْ يَرُدَّ الْعِلْمَ إِلَيْهِ، وَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ بَلَى عَبْدٌ مِنْ عِبَادِي بِمَجْمَعِ…

Narrated by ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b + 20 other versions

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 4529

The sister of Ma'qal bin Yasar was divorced by her husband who left her till she had fulfilled her term of 'Iddat (i.e. the period which should elapse before she can Remarry) and then he wanted to remarry her but Maqal refused, so this Verse was revealed:-- "Do not prevent them from marrying their…

أُخْتَ، مَعْقِلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ طَلَّقَهَا زَوْجُهَا، فَتَرَكَهَا حَتَّى انْقَضَتْ عِدَّتُهَا، فَخَطَبَهَا فَأَبَى مَعْقِلٌ، فَنَزَلَتْ ‏‏{‏فَلاَ تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ أَنْ يَنْكِحْنَ أَزْوَاجَهُنَّ‏}‏‏.‏

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 5331

The sister of Ma'qil bin Yasar was married to a man and then that man divorced her and remained away from her till her period of the 'Iddah expired. Then he demanded for her hand in marriage, but Ma'qil got angry out of pride and haughtiness and said, "He kept away from her when he could still…

فَدَعَاهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ، فَتَرَكَ الْحَمِيَّةَ وَاسْتَقَادَ لأَمْرِ اللَّهِ‏.‏

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 4707

Ubayy b. Ka’b told me that the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said : Al-khidr saw a youth playing with boys. He took him by his head and uprooted it. Moses then said : Have you slain an innocent person who had slain none.

أَبْصَرَ الْخَضِرُ غُلاَمًا يَلْعَبُ مَعَ الصِّبْيَانِ فَتَنَاوَلَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَلَعَهُ فَقَالَ مُوسَى ‏‏{‏ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً ‏}‏ ‏"

Narrated by ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 2087

I had a sister and I was asked to give her in marriage. My cousin came to me and I married her to him. He then divorced her one revocable divorce. He abandoned her till her waiting period passed. When I was asked to give her in marriage, he again came to me and asked her in marriage. Thereupon I…

فَأَتَانِي ابْنُ عَمٍّ لِي فَأَنْكَحْتُهَا إِيَّاهُ ثُمَّ طَلَّقَهَا طَلاَقًا لَهُ رَجْعَةٌ ثُمَّ تَرَكَهَا حَتَّى انْقَضَتْ عِدَّتُهَا فَلَمَّا خُطِبَتْ إِلَىَّ أَتَانِي يَخْطُبُهَا فَقُلْتُ لاَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ…

Narrated by Ma‘qil ibn Yasār

The root ز ك و in the Quran · All topics · Search “Purification of the soul (tazkiyah)” in the Quran

Verses gathered from a human-made thematic index of the Quran; the introduction summarises its subtopics. For a legal opinion, consult a scholar.

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 2 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ