What does « To hold back / To swallow » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To hold back / To swallow (كظم) in the Quran, with 6 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

كظم

To hold back / To swallow

Root: ك - ظ - م

Quranic language 6 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of To hold back / To swallow

Al-Kaẓm refers to restraining one's anger.

The Almighty says: 'Those who restrain their anger' (Al-'Imran 134).

Kaẓama ghayẓahu means to suppress his anger and not express it.

Al-kāẓim is one who controls his anger.

To hold back / To swallow in the Quran (6)

Meccan: 5 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Âl 'Imrân 1

Yusuf 1

An-Nahl 1

Ghafir 1

Az-Zukhruf 1

Al-Qalam 1

Surah Âl 'Imrân : 134 Medinan

﴿ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِى ٱلسَّرَّآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَٱلْكَٰظِمِينَ ٱلْغَيْظَ وَٱلْعَافِينَ عَنِ ٱلنَّاسِ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾

Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good;

Surah Yusuf : 84 Meccan

﴿وَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَٰٓأَسَفَىٰ عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَٱبْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ ٱلْحُزْنِ فَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ﴾

And he turned away from them and said, "Oh, my sorrow over Joseph," and his eyes became white from grief, for he was [of that] a suppressor.

Surah An-Nahl : 58 Meccan

﴿وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُم بِٱلْأُنثَىٰ ظَلَّ وَجْهُهُۥ مُسْوَدًّا وَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ﴾

And when one of them is informed of [the birth of] a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief.

Surah Ghafir : 18 Meccan

﴿وَأَنذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْءَازِفَةِ إِذِ ٱلْقُلُوبُ لَدَى ٱلْحَنَاجِرِ كَٰظِمِينَ مَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ يُطَاعُ﴾

And warn them, [O Muhammad], of the Approaching Day, when hearts are at the throats, filled [with distress]. For the wrongdoers there will be no devoted friend and no intercessor [who is] obeyed.

Surah Az-Zukhruf : 17 Meccan

﴿وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُم بِمَا ضَرَبَ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ مَثَلًا ظَلَّ وَجْهُهُۥ مُسْوَدًّا وَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ﴾

And when one of them is given good tidings of that which he attributes to the Most Merciful in comparison, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief.

Surah Al-Qalam : 48 Meccan

﴿فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ﴾

Then be patient for the decision of your Lord, [O Muhammad], and be not like the companion of the fish when he called out while he was distressed.