What does « Feather / Reed pen » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Feather / Reed pen (قلم) 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.

قلم

Feather / Reed pen

Root: ق - ل - م

Jurisprudence (fiqh) 4 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Feather / Reed pen

Al-Qalam refers to the pen, the writing instrument.

The Almighty says: 'Nūn, by the pen and what they write' (Al-Qalam 1).

The Almighty also says: 'Your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by the pen' (Al-'Alaq 3-4).

Feather / Reed pen in the Quran (4)

Meccan: 3 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Âl 'Imrân 1

Luqman 1

Al-Qalam 1

Al-'Alaq 1

Surah Âl 'Imrân : 44 Medinan

﴿ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يُلْقُونَ أَقْلَٰمَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يَخْتَصِمُونَ﴾

That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muhammad]. And you were not with them when they cast their pens as to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them when they disputed.

Surah Luqman : 27 Meccan

﴿وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلَٰمٌ وَٱلْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُۥ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَّا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ﴾

And if whatever trees upon the earth were pens and the sea [was ink], replenished thereafter by seven [more] seas, the words of Allah would not be exhausted. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

Surah Al-Qalam : 1 Meccan

﴿نٓ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ﴾

Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe,

Surah Al-'Alaq : 4 Meccan

﴿ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ﴾

Who taught by the pen -