What does « To protect / To defend » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To protect / To defend (حمى) in the Quran, with 5 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

حمى

To protect / To defend

Root: ح - م

Creed (aqida) 5 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To protect / To defend

Al-hamy: heat generated by hot substances like fire and sun, and by heated bodies.

Allah says: 'The Day it will be heated (yuhmâ 'alayhâ) in the fire of Hell' (At-Tawba: 35).

Unzakated treasures will be heated to brand their owners.

To protect / To defend in the Quran (5)

Meccan: 2 Medinan: 3

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Maida 1

At-Tawba 1

Al-Fath 1

Al-Ghashiya 1

Al-Qari'a 1

Surah Al-Maida : 103 Medinan

﴿مَا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنۢ بَحِيرَةٍ وَلَا سَآئِبَةٍ وَلَا وَصِيلَةٍ وَلَا حَامٍ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾

Allah has not appointed [such innovations as] bahirah or sa'ibah or wasilah or ham. But those who disbelieve invent falsehood about Allah, and most of them do not reason.

Surah At-Tawba : 35 Medinan

﴿يَوْمَ يُحْمَىٰ عَلَيْهَا فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَىٰ بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنُوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ هَٰذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ﴾

The Day when it will be heated in the fire of Hell and seared therewith will be their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, [it will be said], "This is what you hoarded for yourselves, so taste what you used to hoard."

Surah Al-Fath : 26 Medinan

﴿إِذْ جَعَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلْحَمِيَّةَ حَمِيَّةَ ٱلْجَٰهِلِيَّةِ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَلْزَمَهُمْ كَلِمَةَ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ وَكَانُوٓا۟ أَحَقَّ بِهَا وَأَهْلَهَا وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمًا﴾

When those who disbelieved had put into their hearts chauvinism - the chauvinism of the time of ignorance. But Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and upon the believers and imposed upon them the word of righteousness, and they were more deserving of it and worthy of it. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing.

Surah Al-Ghashiya : 4 Meccan

﴿تَصْلَىٰ نَارًا حَامِيَةً﴾

They will [enter to] burn in an intensely hot Fire.

Surah Al-Qari'a : 11 Meccan

﴿نَارٌ حَامِيَةٌۢ﴾

It is a Fire, intensely hot.