# Ayn-Fe-Fe — عفف (Eff)

> Occurs in 4 verses of the Quran.

- **Source:** https://quran.so/root/Eff

- **Meaning:** To abstain from what is unlawful, be abstinent, restrain. (The verb is of the assimilated type. In genitive cases shadda is removed and cluster is pronounced separelt as in 4:6 ta'affuf - modest/abstinence)
- **Derived forms:** تَّعَفُّف (1) · يَسْتَعْفِفْ (3)

## Verses containing this root

### 2. Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 273

- **Form in this verse:** ٱلتَّعَفُّفِ — l-taʿafufi · "(their) restraint"
  - **Grammar:** noun · pattern of tefa'ul · noun-verb · masculine · genitive case

لِلْفُقَـرَٓاءِ الَّذ۪ينَ اُحْصِرُوا ف۪ي سَب۪يلِ اللّٰهِ لَا يَسْتَط۪يعُونَ ضَـرْباً فِي الْاَرْضِۘ يَحْسَبُهُمُ الْجَاهِلُ اَغْنِيَٓاءَ مِنَ التَّعَفُّفِۚ تَعْرِفُهُمْ بِس۪يمٰيهُمْۚ لَا يَسْـَٔلُونَ النَّاسَ اِلْحَافاًۜ وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ بِه۪ عَل۪يمٌ۟

Lilfuqara-i allatheena ohsiroofee sabeeli Allahi la yastateeAAoona darbanfee al-ardi yahsabuhumu aljahilu aghniyaamina attaAAaffufi taAArifuhum biseemahum layas-aloona annasa ilhafan wamatunfiqoo min khayrin fa-inna Allaha bihi AAaleem

On the poor who are straitened in the cause of God, unable to make a way in the earth: the ignorant considers them free from need due to their reticence. Thou wilt know them by their mark: they do not ask of men importunately. And what you spend of good, God knows it.

_https://quran.so/surah-al-baqarah/verse-273.md_

### 4. Surah An-Nisa, Verse 6

- **Form in this verse:** فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ ۖ — falyastaʿfif · "then he should refrain"
  - **Grammar:** verb · pattern of istif'al · 3rd person, masculine, singular · present tense

وَابْتَلُوا الْيَتَامٰى حَتّٰٓى اِذَا بَلَغُوا النِّكَاحَۚ فَاِنْ اٰنَسْتُمْ مِنْهُمْ رُشْداً فَادْفَعُٓوا اِلَيْهِمْ اَمْوَالَهُمْۚ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوهَٓا اِسْرَافاً وَبِدَاراً اَنْ يَكْـبَرُواۜ وَمَنْ كَانَ غَنِياًّ فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْۚ وَمَنْ كَانَ فَق۪يراً فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِۜ فَاِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ اِلَيْهِمْ اَمْوَالَهُمْ فَاَشْهِدُوا عَلَيْهِمْۜ وَكَفٰى بِاللّٰهِ حَس۪يباً

Wabtaloo alyatama hattaitha balaghoo annikaha fa-in anastumminhum rushdan fadfaAAoo ilayhim amwalahum walata/kulooha israfan wabidaran an yakbaroowaman kana ghaniyyan falyastaAAfif waman kanafaqeeran falya/kul bilmaAAroofi fa-itha dafaAAtumilayhim amwalahum faashhidoo AAalayhim wakafa billahihaseeba

And test the fatherless when they have reached marriage: if you find them to be of sound judgment, deliver to them their property; and consume it not wastefully and hastily before they be grown. And he that is free from need, let him abstain; and he that is poor, let him take according to what is fitting. And when you deliver to them their property, take witnesses over them. And sufficient is God as reckoner.

_https://quran.so/surah-an-nisa/verse-6.md_

### 24. Surah An-Nur, Verse 33

- **Form in this verse:** وَلْيَسْتَعْفِفِ — walyastaʿfifi · "And let be chaste"
  - **Grammar:** verb · pattern of istif'al · 3rd person, masculine, singular · present tense

وَلْيَسْتَعْفِفِ الَّذ۪ينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ نِكَاحاً حَتّٰى يُغْنِيَهُمُ اللّٰهُ مِنْ فَضْلِه۪ۜ وَالَّذ۪ينَ يَبْتَغُونَ الْكِتَابَ مِمَّا مَلَكَتْ اَيْمَانُكُمْ فَكَاتِبُوهُمْ اِنْ عَلِمْتُمْ ف۪يهِمْ خَيْراًۗ وَاٰتُوهُمْ مِنْ مَالِ اللّٰهِ الَّـذ۪ٓي اٰتٰيكُمْۜ وَلَا تُكْرِهُوا فَتَيَاتِكُمْ عَلَى الْبِغَٓاءِ اِنْ اَرَدْنَ تَحَصُّناً لِتَبْتَغُوا عَرَضَ الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَاۜ وَمَنْ يُكْرِهْهُنَّ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ مِنْ بَعْدِ اِكْرَاهِهِنَّ غَفُورٌ رَح۪يمٌ

WalyastaAAfifi allatheena layajidoona nikahan hatta yughniyahumu Allahumin fadlihi wallatheena yabtaghoona alkitabamimma malakat aymanukum fakatiboohum inAAalimtum feehim khayran waatoohum min mali Allahiallathee atakum wala tukrihoo fatayatikumAAala albigha-i in aradna tahassunanlitabtaghoo AAarada alhayati addunyawaman yukrihhunna fa-inna Allaha min baAAdi ikrahihinnaghafoorun raheem

And let abstain those who find not marriage until God enriches them out of His bounty. And those who seek the writ from among those your right hands possess: contract with them if you know good to be in them; and give to them out of the wealth God has given you. And compel not your slave-girls to whoredom, if they desire chastity[...] — seeking the enjoyment of the life of this world. And whoso compels them, then God, after their compulsion, is forgiving and merciful.

_https://quran.so/surah-an-nur/verse-33.md_

### 24. Surah An-Nur, Verse 60

- **Form in this verse:** يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ — yastaʿfif'na · "they modestly refrain"
  - **Grammar:** verb · pattern of istif'al · 3rd person, feminine, plural · present tense

وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَٓاءِ الّٰت۪ي لَا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحاً فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ اَنْ يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ بِز۪ينَةٍۜ وَاَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّۜ وَاللّٰهُ سَم۪يعٌ عَل۪يمٌ

WalqawaAAidu mina annisa-iallatee la yarjoona nikahan falaysaAAalayhinna junahun an yadaAAna thiyabahunnaghayra mutabarrijatin bizeenatin waan yastaAAfifna khayrunlahunna wallahu sameeAAun AAaleem

And those past child-bearing among the women who have no hope of marriage: they do no wrong that they lay aside their garments, without displaying adornment; but that they refrain is best for them. And God is hearing and knowing.

_https://quran.so/surah-an-nur/verse-60.md_

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Retrieved: 2026-08-16
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