What does « Poison / Ear » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Poison / Ear (سمم) 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.

سمم

Poison / Ear

Root: س - م - م

Jurisprudence (fiqh) 4 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Poison / Ear

As-samm and as-summ: every narrow hole, like the eye of a needle, the hole of the nose, the hole of the ear.

The Almighty says: 'until the camel passes through the eye of the needle' (Al-A'raf 40).

As-samm: poison, because it penetrates the pores of the body.

As-samum: the scorching wind.

Poison / Ear in the Quran (4)

Meccan: 4 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-A'raf 1

Al-Hijr 1

At-Tur 1

Al-Waqi'a 1

Surah Al-A'raf : 40 Meccan

﴿إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ عَنْهَا لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَٰبُ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَا يَدْخُلُونَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ حَتَّىٰ يَلِجَ ٱلْجَمَلُ فِى سَمِّ ٱلْخِيَاطِ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ﴾

Indeed, those who deny Our verses and are arrogant toward them - the gates of Heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter Paradise until a camel enters into the eye of a needle. And thus do We recompense the criminals.

Surah Al-Hijr : 27 Meccan

﴿وَٱلْجَآنَّ خَلَقْنَٰهُ مِن قَبْلُ مِن نَّارِ ٱلسَّمُومِ﴾

And the jinn We created before from scorching fire.

Surah At-Tur : 27 Meccan

﴿فَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا وَوَقَىٰنَا عَذَابَ ٱلسَّمُومِ﴾

So Allah conferred favor upon us and protected us from the punishment of the Scorching Fire.

Surah Al-Waqi'a : 42 Meccan

﴿فِى سَمُومٍ وَحَمِيمٍ﴾

[They will be] in scorching fire and scalding water