What does « Date-stone film » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Date-stone film (قطمر) in the Quran, with 1 verse in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

قطمر

Date-stone film

Root: ق - ط - م

Quranic language 1 verse

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of Date-stone film

Al-Qiṭmīr refers to the thin membrane that wraps the date pit.

The Almighty says: 'They do not possess even as much as the membrane of a date seed' (Fatir 13), meaning the most insignificant thing.

It is an expression of extreme smallness.

Date-stone film in the Quran (1)

Meccan: 1 Medinan: 0

Surah Fatir : 13 Meccan

﴿يُولِجُ ٱلَّيْلَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِى ٱلَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِن قِطْمِيرٍ﴾

He causes the night to enter the day, and He causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon - each running [its course] for a specified term. That is Allah, your Lord; to Him belongs sovereignty. And those whom you invoke other than Him do not possess [as much as] the membrane of a date seed.