Human Nature · Quran topic
Self-Admiration
العجب · Ujb
Examining wonder, misplaced astonishment, and the allure of worldly appearances.
32 verses · 5 parts · 7 min read
Study guide based on
موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم
مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية
«العجب» · Volume 12
At a glance
The Quran frequently addresses the human experience of wonder and astonishment, known in Arabic as العَجَب al-'ajab, as well as the related pull of infatuation and fascination, known as الإِعْجَاب al-i'jab. At its core, wonder is an internal stirring or state of awe that overcomes a person when encountering something extraordinary, unfamiliar, or whose cause remains hidden.
Throughout the sacred text, this state of wonder appears in two distinct lights. In one sense, it reflects misplaced astonishment: people expressing disbelief at divine oneness, mortal messengers, or bodily resurrection, while remaining blind to their own irrational worship of powerless idols. In another sense, it describes praiseworthy marveling at the sublime majesty of divine speech or the miraculous workings of Allah's decree.
By examining where wonder and fascination arise, the Quran trains the believer's inner gaze. It warns against being charmed by deceptive rhetoric, imposing appearances, or mere numbers, calling you instead to evaluate reality by spiritual substance and enduring truth.
Key verses
- As-Saffat 37:12: Highlights the Prophet's profound wonder at the disbelievers' stubborn denial of resurrection despite clear proofs, while they responded with mocking dismissal.
- Yunus 10:2: Reproves the astonishment of the people that divine revelation was entrusted to a mortal man from among themselves to warn and bring glad tidings.
- Hud 11:72: Captures the natural human amazement of Sarah when gifted the news of childbearing in old age, paired with the angelic reminder of Allah's limitless power.
Words to know
- العَجَب al-'ajab
A state of awe, astonishment, and emotional change that overcomes a person when witnessing something extraordinary or hidden in cause.
Appears 27 times in the Quran.
Most common forms: أَعْجَبَ (11), عَجِبُ (8), عَجَب (5), عَجِيب (2), عُجاب (1)
Root: ع ج ب
- الذُّهُول al-dhuhul
An overwhelming distraction or absorption that induces bewilderment, grief, or forgetfulness of surrounding realities.
1. Wonder at the oneness of Allah
From the paper: «1. التعجب من وحدانية الله تعالى.»
Humanity often directs its astonishment at the wrong things, marveling at divine truths while accepting absurd falsehoods as normal. The Quran illustrates how the polytheists of Mecca reacted with extreme disbelief when the Prophet called them to abandon idols for one single Lord, exclaiming that unifying worship into one God was something exceedingly astonishing and beyond comprehension Sad 38:5. Their blindness stemmed from uncritically following inherited ancestral traditions, viewing anything that challenged their customary norms as bizarre.
The Quran turns this astonishment back upon the deniers through sharp rebukes. It questions how intelligent beings can turn in worship to entities that possess neither power to harm nor power to benefit Al-Ma'idah 5:76. Prophet Ibrahim similarly confronted his people with clear logic, asking them why they chose to worship stones and wood carved with their own hands while neglecting the Creator who brought both them and their works into being As-Saffat 37:95-96.
This inverted perception also extended to the messengers themselves. Nations throughout history expressed shock that ordinary human beings were chosen to guide them, demanding signs beyond human nature At-Taghabun 64:6. Their astonishment at mortal prophet-hood blinded them to the clear proofs, causing them to turn away in defiant denial.
4. Wonder at revelation descending upon mortals
From the paper: «4. التعجب من نزول الوحي على البشر.»
A recurring theme in the Quran is the disbelievers' disbelief that divine revelation would descend upon a human being living right among them. The Quran rebukes this attitude directly, asking whether it is truly a matter of wonder that Allah should inspire a man from their own community to warn people and convey tidings of honor for the believers Yunus 10:2. Al-Zamakhshari notes that the deniers turned this reality into an object of persistent mockery, deeming it unfathomable that prophecy would be granted to an orphan rather than an elite tribal chieftain.
Yet the Quran makes clear that divine wisdom necessitates that messengers be human. If angels walked peacefully on earth, an angelic messenger would have been sent Al-Isra 17:95. Human beings relate naturally to those of their own kind, and worldly wealth or lineage plays no role in earning spiritual elevation Saba 34:37.
Furthermore, the deniers expressed shock at the Quran itself, wondering at its sublime admonitions while rejecting its origin An-Najm 53:59. They looked upon a familiar neighbor chosen as an honest warner and labeled him an astonished liar or sorcerer simply because his message challenged their corrupt status quo Sad 38:4.
Allah says if you wonder then wondrous is their saying
From the paper: «قال تعالى: ﴿وَإِن تَعۡجَبۡ فَعَجَبٞ قَوۡلُهُمۡ أَءِذَا كُنَّا تُرَٰبًا أَءِنَّا لَفِي خَلۡقٖ جَدِيدٍۗ﴾ [الرعد: 5]»
While people often express shock at the idea of bodily resurrection, the Quran declares that the true wonder is their denial of it. If anything deserves astonishment, it is their claim that decomposed dust cannot be returned to life, when the initial creation of the heavens and earth proves that renewing life is effortless for Allah Ar-Ra'd 13:5. On the Day of Judgment, humanity will be seized by genuine, terrified bewilderment at the earth's shaking, crying out in shock at what has befallen it Az-Zalzalah 99:3.
In contrast to the deniers' disbelief, the jinn listened to the Quran and recognized its unparalleled majesty, openly professing their awe at a marvelous recitation that guides unerringly to uprightness Al-Jinn 72:1.
The Quran also highlights moments where noble individuals felt natural human wonder at extraordinary miracles. Sarah expressed astonishment at the glad tidings of a child despite her advanced age and barrenness, prompting the angels to remind her that nothing is beyond Allah's mercy and divine command Hud 11:72-73. Zakariyya voiced a similar inquiry regarding how a son could come to him amidst old age and an infertile spouse Maryam 19:8, and Maryam reacted with holy wonder when informed of bearing a child without a husband Maryam 19:20.
Finally, the sleep of the Companions of the Cave for centuries was presented not as an isolated impossibility, but as an ordinary demonstration of Allah's limitless dominion Al-Kahf 18:9, just as the remarkable revival and escape of the fish in the journey of Musa and Yusha showed how divine wonders unfold beyond customary physical laws Al-Kahf 18:63.
Al-Razi on interpretations of taking its course wondrously
From the paper: «قال الرازي: قوله: ﴿وَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ عَجَبٗا﴾ فيه وجوه»
Beyond theological debates, Quranic astonishment turns toward perverse moral conduct and glaring spiritual contradictions. When Prophet Lut challenged his society, his words carried deep astonishment at their shamelessness. He rebuked them for committing unnatural obscenities in open view of one another, pointing out that their actions contradicted even the innate tendencies observed across the animal kingdom An-Naml 27:54-55. Al-Alusi remarks that Lut's phrasing intensified the denunciation, signaling that such vile deviation was something that sound human reason could scarcely believe.
The Quran expresses an equally piercing astonishment at those whose spoken piety is undermined by their private lives. It reprimands those who command other people to righteousness while neglecting their own souls, despite reading and reciting sacred scripture Al-Baqarah 2:44. Such hypocrisy defies rational thought: knowledge of the truth should guide conduct, making a disconnect between words and practice deeply shocking.
Similarly, believers are sternly addressed regarding why they say what they do not do, warning that uttering unfulfilled promises is an enormity that incurs immense divine detestation As-Saff 61:2-3. Al-Zamakhshari notes that the phrasing conveys an inherent wonderment at how someone claiming faith could tolerate so severe a moral failure.
Types of admiration
From the paper: «أنواع الإعجاب»
The Quran examines human fascination, termed الإِعْجَاب al-i'jab, warning against being dazzled by superficial splendor. One dangerous manifestation is fascination with persuasive speech: some individuals speak so eloquently about worldly affairs that their presentation charms the listener, even swearing by Allah to their sincerity, while concealing intense enmity within their hearts Al-Baqarah 2:204.
A second manifestation is fascination with outward appearance and status. The Quran instructs believers that a believing bondwoman is vastly superior to a free polytheist woman, even if the latter dazzles you with her beauty or lineage Al-Baqarah 2:221. Conversely, it praises the flourishing growth of the Prophet's companions, comparing them to a firm seed that shoots forth and stands strong, delighting the sowers with its wholesome vitality Al-Fath 48:29. Worldly glamour, by contrast, is likened to rain-fed vegetation that delights worldly minds momentarily before drying into lifeless stubble Al-Hadid 57:20, just as hypocrites possess impressive, handsome frames that conceal hollow, timber-like souls Al-Munafiqun 63:4.
Finally, the Quran warns against fascination with sheer numbers. It establishes that the foul and the pure can never be equal, even if the sheer abundance of the foul fascinates you Al-Ma'idah 5:100. During the Battle of Hunayn, the believers were momentarily charmed by their vast army, only for that pride to bring initial defeat until they realized that victory belongs solely to Allah At-Tawbah 9:25.
Takeaways
Question inherited assumptions
Do not treat familiarity as the standard for truth. The Meccans found monotheism astonishing simply because it clashed with inherited customs Sad 38:5.
Never limit divine decree to worldly habits
Miracles like late-life childbearing remind you that Allah's boundless power is never constrained by physical routine or biological norms Hud 11:72-73.
Align your private actions with your public words
Preaching righteousness to others while abandoning personal obedience is a deeply shocking contradiction that draws intense divine anger Al-Baqarah 2:44, As-Saff 61:2-3.
Do not be swayed by eloquent deception
Look past silver-tongued rhetoric and appealing physical appearances; true worth lies in spiritual integrity and fear of God Al-Baqarah 2:204, Al-Munafiqun 63:4.
Rely on divine support rather than numbers
Fascination with sheer majority or personal resources leads to weakness, as the believers learned when their large numbers failed them at Hunayn At-Tawbah 9:25.
Reflect
- What prevailing cultural norms in your environment do you accept without questioning their spiritual validity?
- When facing seemingly impossible personal challenges, does your heart default to worldly limitations or rely on Allah's boundless capacity?
- Are there areas in your life where your spoken advice to others exceeds your own daily commitment?
- How often do you find yourself dazzled by the popularity or superficial glamour of something corrupt?
Go deeper
Linguistic meaning
An internal state that affects a human being upon being ignorant of the cause of something, which is why scholars said that wonder is that whose cause remains unknown.
قال الراغب الأصفهاني: «العجب والتعجب: حالةٌ تعرض للإنسان عند الجهل بسبب الشيء، ولهذا قال بعض الحكماء: العجب ما لا يعرف سببه».موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم
مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية
Volume 12
Technical meaning
A state of awe, magnification, and bewilderment that strikes a person upon observing something that departs from customary habit and ordinary expectation.
«يقول الباحث: بعد الاطلاع على أقوال العلماء في معنى العجب نستطيع أن نقول بأن العجب هو: حالة تصيب الإنسان من الاستعظام والذهول عند رؤيته لشيء خرج عن العادة والمألوف.»موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم
مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية
Volume 12
How it differs from related terms
- الذهول Distracted Bewilderment
- While wonder is the emotional stirring and magnification felt upon witnessing an extraordinary or hidden matter, al-dhuhul is the resulting mental absorption and distraction that causes a person to lose focus, forget, or be overcome with confusion.
Every verse in the paper
All 32 verses the research paper discusses, grouped under its own headings.
Wonder in Quranic usage «العجب في الاستعمال القرآني»
The forms in which it appears «والصيغ التي وردت عليها هي»
37:12, 13:5, 10:2, 11:72, 38:5
Two aspects of wonder in Quranic usage «وجاء العجب في الاستعمال القرآني على وجهين(6)»
Wonder and its forms «التعجب وصوره»
1. Wonder at the oneness of Allah «1. التعجب من وحدانية الله تعالى.»
2. Wonder at worshipping other than Allah «2. التعجب من عبادة غير الله.»
3. Wonder at the humanity of the messengers «3. التعجب من بشرية الرسل.»
4. Wonder at revelation descending upon mortals «4. التعجب من نزول الوحي على البشر.»
5. Wonder that the messenger is from their own people «5. التعجب من كون الرسول من القوم أنفسهم.»
Allah says if you wonder then wondrous is their saying «قال تعالى: ﴿وَإِن تَعۡجَبۡ فَعَجَبٞ قَوۡلُهُمۡ أَءِذَا كُنَّا تُرَٰبًا أَءِنَّا لَفِي خَلۡقٖ جَدِيدٍۗ﴾ [الرعد: 5]»
99:3, 72:1, 11:72-73, 19:8, 19:20, 18:9, 18:63
Al-Razi on interpretations of taking its course wondrously «قال الرازي: قوله: ﴿وَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ عَجَبٗا﴾ فيه وجوه»
Types of admiration «أنواع الإعجاب»
About this source
موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم
مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية
- Volume
- 12
- Research paper
- «العجب» (Self-Admiration)
Encyclopedia of Thematic Tafsir of the Noble Quran, published by the Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.
This study guide summarizes the Arabic research paper. For full scholarly detail, refer to the original. This preview has not been reviewed yet.