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

Discover the meaning of the word To dig / Ditch (حفر) 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.

حفر

To dig / Ditch

Root: ح - ف - ر

Creed (aqida) 2 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of To dig / Ditch

Allah says: 'And you were on the edge of a pit (hufra) of fire' (Âl 'Imrân: 103).

Al-hufra: the hole dug in the ground, the pit.

Arabs before Islam were on the brink of Hell due to their ignorance.

Islam saved them.

To dig / Ditch in the Quran (2)

Meccan: 1 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Âl 'Imrân 1

An-Nazi'at 1

Surah Âl 'Imrân : 103 Medinan

﴿وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ﴾

And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.

Surah An-Nazi'at : 10 Meccan

﴿يَقُولُونَ أَءِنَّا لَمَرْدُودُونَ فِى ٱلْحَافِرَةِ﴾

They are [presently] saying, "Will we indeed be returned to [our] former state [of life]?