What does « Camels » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Camels (إبل) in the Quran, with 2 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

إبل

Camels

Root: ء - ب - ل

Creed (aqida) 2 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of Camels

Al-ibil (camels): refers to a herd of many camels, with no singular from the same root.

Allah says: 'And of camels, two' (Al-An'âm: 144).

Allah says: 'Do they not look at how camels were created?' (Al-Ghâshiya: 17).

Camels in the Quran (2)

Meccan: 2 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-An'am 1

Al-Ghashiya 1

Surah Al-An'am : 144 Meccan

﴿وَمِنَ ٱلْإِبِلِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ ٱلْبَقَرِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۗ قُلْ ءَآلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا ٱشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۖ أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَآءَ إِذْ وَصَّىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِهَـٰذَا ۚ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًۭا لِّيُضِلَّ ٱلنَّاسَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ﴾

And of the camels, two and of the cattle, two. Say, "Is it the two males He has forbidden or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Or were you witnesses when Allah charged you with this? Then who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah to mislead the people by [something] other than knowledge? Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people."

Surah Al-Ghashiya : 17 Meccan

﴿أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى ٱلْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ﴾

Then do they not look at the camels - how they are created?