What does « Blame / Reproach » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Blame / Reproach (ذم) in the Quran, with 5 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

ذم

Blame / Reproach

Root: ذ - م

Quranic language 5 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Blame / Reproach

One says 'dhamamtuhu adhummuhu dhamman' (I blamed him).

He is 'madhmûm' (blamed) and 'dhamîm' (blameworthy).

Al-dhimma: protection pact.

Allah says: 'They respect neither kinship (dhimma) nor covenant' (At-Tawba: 10).

Polytheists violated their pacts.

Blame / Reproach in the Quran (5)

Meccan: 3 Medinan: 2

Distribution of verses by surah

At-Tawba 2

Al-Isra 2

Al-Qalam 1

Surah At-Tawba : 8 Medinan

﴿كَيْفَ وَإِن يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا يَرْقُبُوا۟ فِيكُمْ إِلًّۭا وَلَا ذِمَّةًۭ ۚ يُرْضُونَكُم بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَتَأْبَىٰ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ﴾

How [can there be a treaty] while, if they gain dominance over you, they do not observe concerning you any pact of kinship or covenant of protection? They satisfy you with their mouths, but their hearts refuse [compliance], and most of them are defiantly disobedient.

Surah At-Tawba : 10 Medinan

﴿لَا يَرْقُبُونَ فِى مُؤْمِنٍ إِلًّۭا وَلَا ذِمَّةًۭ ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُعْتَدُونَ﴾

They do not observe toward a believer any pact of kinship or covenant of protection. And it is they who are the transgressors.

Surah Al-Isra : 18 Meccan

﴿مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُۥ فِيهَا مَا نَشَآءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُۥ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَىٰهَا مَذْمُومًۭا مَّدْحُورًۭا﴾

Whoever should desire the immediate - We hasten for him from it what We will to whom We intend. Then We have made for him Hell, which he will [enter to] burn, censured and banished.

Surah Al-Isra : 22 Meccan

﴿لَّا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتَقْعُدَ مَذْمُومًۭا مَّخْذُولًۭا﴾

Do not make [as equal] with Allah another deity and [thereby] become censured and forsaken.

Surah Al-Qalam : 49 Meccan

﴿لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌۭ﴾

If not that a favor from his Lord overtook him, he would have been thrown onto the naked shore while he was censured.