What does « To carve / To dig » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To carve / To dig (نحت) in the Quran, with 4 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

نحت

To carve / To dig

Root: ن - ح - ت

Quranic language 4 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To carve / To dig

An-Naḥt refers to sculpting and carving.

The Almighty says: 'And you carved houses out of mountains' (Al-A'raf 74).

Naḥata means to sculpt.

Al-manḥūt is the sculpted.

The Thamūd carved their homes in rock.

To carve / To dig in the Quran (4)

Meccan: 4 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-A'raf 1

Al-Hijr 1

Ash-Shu'ara 1

As-Saffat 1

Surah Al-A'raf : 74 Meccan

﴿وَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ عَادٍ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِن سُهُولِهَا قُصُورًا وَتَنْحِتُونَ ٱلْجِبَالَ بُيُوتًا فَٱذْكُرُوٓا۟ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ﴾

And remember when He made you successors after the 'Aad and settled you in the land, [and] you take for yourselves palaces from its plains and carve from the mountains, homes. Then remember the favors of Allah and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."

Surah Al-Hijr : 82 Meccan

﴿وَكَانُوا۟ يَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا ءَامِنِينَ﴾

And they used to carve from the mountains, houses, feeling secure.

Surah Ash-Shu'ara : 149 Meccan

﴿وَتَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا فَٰرِهِينَ﴾

And you carve out of the mountains, homes, with skill.

Surah As-Saffat : 95 Meccan

﴿قَالَ أَتَعْبُدُونَ مَا تَنْحِتُونَ﴾

He said, "Do you worship that which you [yourselves] carve,