What does « Dense forest » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Dense forest (أيك) 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.

أيك

Dense forest

Root: ء - ك

Quranic language 2 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of Dense forest

Al-ayka (the thicket): a grove of dense trees, plural 'ayak'.

Allah says: 'The dwellers of the thicket (ashâb al-ayka)' (Al-Hijr: 78, Ash-Shu'arâ': 176), referring to Shu'ayb's people who lived in a wooded area.

Dense forest in the Quran (2)

Meccan: 2 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Hijr 1

Qaf 1

Surah Al-Hijr : 78 Meccan

﴿وَإِن كَانَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَيْكَةِ لَظَـٰلِمِينَ﴾

And the companions of the thicket were [also] wrongdoers.

Surah Qaf : 14 Meccan

﴿وَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَيْكَةِ وَقَوْمُ تُبَّعٍۢ ۚ كُلٌّۭ كَذَّبَ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ﴾

And the companions of the thicket and the people of Tubba'. All denied the messengers, so My threat was justly fulfilled.

Words from the same root as Dense forest

To decrease / To dry up

قيل

To say / Word

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