What does « Dam / Obstacle » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Dam / Obstacle (سد) in the Quran, with 3 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

سد

Dam / Obstacle

Root: س - د

Quranic language 3 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Dam / Obstacle

As-sadd and as-sudd: some say they are identical.

Others say as-sudd is natural (divine creation), and as-sadd is man-made.

The Almighty says: 'We have put a barrier before them' (Ya-Sin 9).

Dam of Dhul-Qarnayn: 'Shall I build a barrier for you?' (Al-Kahf 94).

Dam / Obstacle in the Quran (3)

Meccan: 3 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Kahf 2

Ya-Sin 1

Surah Al-Kahf : 93 Meccan

﴿حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ ٱلسَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمَا قَوْمًۭا لَّا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلًۭا﴾

Until, when he reached [a pass] between two mountains, he found beside them a people who could hardly understand [his] speech.

Surah Al-Kahf : 94 Meccan

﴿قَالُوا۟ يَـٰذَا ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا عَلَىٰٓ أَن تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّۭا﴾

They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?"

Surah Ya-Sin : 9 Meccan

﴿وَجَعَلْنَا مِنۢ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ سَدًّۭا وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدًّۭا فَأَغْشَيْنَـٰهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ﴾

And We have put before them a barrier and behind them a barrier and covered them, so they do not see.