What does « The letter Lam » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word The letter Lam (لام) in the Quran, with 12 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

لام

The letter Lam

Root: ل - م

Creed (aqida) 12 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of The letter Lam

Al-Lām is a letter with multiple uses.

It expresses possession (li-llāh), purpose (li-ya'budū), cause (li-īlāfihim), and others.

The Almighty says: 'To Allah belongs the dominion' (Al-Fath 14).

The lām also indicates oath.

The letter Lam in the Quran (12)

Meccan: 11 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Isra 2

Adh-Dhariyat 2

Al-Maida 1

Yusuf 1

Ibrahim 1

Al-Mu'minun 1

As-Saffat 1

Al-Qalam 1

Al-Ma'arij 1

Al-Qiyama 1

Surah Al-Maida : 54 Medinan

﴿يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِى ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍۢ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُۥٓ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ يُجَـٰهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَآئِمٍۢ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ﴾

O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion - Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him [who are] humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.

Surah Yusuf : 32 Meccan

﴿قَالَتْ فَذَٰلِكُنَّ ٱلَّذِى لُمْتُنَّنِى فِيهِ ۖ وَلَقَدْ رَٰوَدتُّهُۥ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ فَٱسْتَعْصَمَ ۖ وَلَئِن لَّمْ يَفْعَلْ مَآ ءَامُرُهُۥ لَيُسْجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُونًۭا مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰغِرِينَ﴾

She said, "That is the one about whom you blamed me. And I certainly sought to seduce him, but he firmly refused; and if he will not do what I order him, he will surely be imprisoned and will be of those debased."

Surah Ibrahim : 22 Meccan

﴿وَقَالَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ لَمَّا قُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ ۖ وَمَا كَانَ لِىَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَـٰنٍ إِلَّآ أَن دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَٱسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِى ۖ فَلَا تَلُومُونِى وَلُومُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُم ۖ مَّآ أَنَا۠ بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِىَّ ۖ إِنِّى كَفَرْتُ بِمَآ أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ﴾

And Satan will say when the matter has been concluded, "Indeed, Allah had promised you the promise of truth. And I promised you, but I betrayed you. But I had no authority over you except that I invited you, and you responded to me. So do not blame me; but blame yourselves. I cannot be called to your aid, nor can you be called to my aid. Indeed, I deny your association of me [with Allah] before. Indeed, for the wrongdoers is a painful punishment."

Surah Al-Isra : 29 Meccan

﴿وَلَا تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَىٰ عُنُقِكَ وَلَا تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ ٱلْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًۭا مَّحْسُورًا﴾

And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck or extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.

Surah Al-Isra : 39 Meccan

﴿ذَٰلِكَ مِمَّآ أَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ رَبُّكَ مِنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةِ ۗ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتُلْقَىٰ فِى جَهَنَّمَ مَلُومًۭا مَّدْحُورًا﴾

That is from what your Lord has revealed to you, [O Muhammad], of wisdom. And, [O mankind], do not make [as equal] with Allah another deity, lest you be thrown into Hell, blamed and banished.

Surah Al-Mu'minun : 6 Meccan

﴿إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ﴾

Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed -

Surah As-Saffat : 142 Meccan

﴿فَٱلْتَقَمَهُ ٱلْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌۭ﴾

Then the fish swallowed him, while he was blameworthy.

Surah Adh-Dhariyat : 40 Meccan

﴿فَأَخَذْنَـٰهُ وَجُنُودَهُۥ فَنَبَذْنَـٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌۭ﴾

So We took him and his soldiers and cast them into the sea, and he was blameworthy.

Surah Adh-Dhariyat : 54 Meccan

﴿فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَمَآ أَنتَ بِمَلُومٍۢ﴾

So leave them, [O Muhammad], for you are not to be blamed.