What does « Rain » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Rain (مطر) in the Quran, with 9 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

مطر

Rain

Root: م - ط - ر

Jurisprudence (fiqh) 9 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 3 min read

Definition of Rain

Al-Maṭar refers to rain.

The Almighty says: 'And We rained upon them a rain' (Al-A'raf 84).

Al-maṭar as-sū' is the rain of punishment.

Amṭara means to cause to rain.

Al-mamṭūr is the one rained upon.

Rain in the Quran (9)

Meccan: 7 Medinan: 2

Distribution of verses by surah

An-Nisa 1

Al-A'raf 1

Al-Anfal 1

Hud 1

Al-Hijr 1

Al-Furqan 1

Ash-Shu'ara 1

An-Naml 1

Al-Ahqaf 1

Surah An-Nisa : 102 Medinan

﴿وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَآئِفَةٌ مِّنْهُم مَّعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوٓا۟ أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا۟ فَلْيَكُونُوا۟ مِن وَرَآئِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَآئِفَةٌ أُخْرَىٰ لَمْ يُصَلُّوا۟ فَلْيُصَلُّوا۟ مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا۟ حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ وَدَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُم مَّيْلَةً وَٰحِدَةً وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن كَانَ بِكُمْ أَذًى مِّن مَّطَرٍ أَوْ كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَن تَضَعُوٓا۟ أَسْلِحَتَكُمْ وَخُذُوا۟ حِذْرَكُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا﴾

And when you are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand [in prayer] with you and let them carry their arms. And when they have prostrated, let them be [in position] behind you and have the other group come forward which has not [yet] prayed and let them pray with you, taking precaution and carrying their arms. Those who disbelieve wish that you would neglect your weapons and your baggage so they could come down upon you in one [single] attack. But there is no blame upon you, if you are troubled by rain or are ill, for putting down your arms, but take precaution. Indeed, Allah has prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment.

Surah Al-A'raf : 84 Meccan

﴿وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّطَرًا فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ﴾

And We rained upon them a rain [of stones]. Then see how was the end of the criminals.

Surah Al-Anfal : 32 Medinan

﴿وَإِذْ قَالُوا۟ ٱللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَٰذَا هُوَ ٱلْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَوِ ٱئْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ﴾

And [remember] when they said, "O Allah, if this should be the truth from You, then rain down upon us stones from the sky or bring us a painful punishment."

Surah Hud : 82 Meccan

﴿فَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا جَعَلْنَا عَٰلِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا حِجَارَةً مِّن سِجِّيلٍ مَّنضُودٍ﴾

So when Our command came, We made the highest part [of the city] its lowest and rained upon them stones of layered hard clay, [which were]

Surah Al-Hijr : 74 Meccan

﴿فَجَعَلْنَا عَٰلِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ حِجَارَةً مِّن سِجِّيلٍ﴾

And We made the highest part [of the city] its lowest and rained upon them stones of hard clay.

Surah Al-Furqan : 40 Meccan

﴿وَلَقَدْ أَتَوْا۟ عَلَى ٱلْقَرْيَةِ ٱلَّتِىٓ أُمْطِرَتْ مَطَرَ ٱلسَّوْءِ أَفَلَمْ يَكُونُوا۟ يَرَوْنَهَا بَلْ كَانُوا۟ لَا يَرْجُونَ نُشُورًا﴾

And they have already come upon the town which was showered with a rain of evil. So have they not seen it? But they are not expecting resurrection.

Surah Ash-Shu'ara : 173 Meccan

﴿وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّطَرًا فَسَآءَ مَطَرُ ٱلْمُنذَرِينَ﴾

And We rained upon them a rain [of stones], and evil was the rain of those who were warned.

Surah An-Naml : 58 Meccan

﴿وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّطَرًا فَسَآءَ مَطَرُ ٱلْمُنذَرِينَ﴾

And We rained upon them a rain [of stones], and evil was the rain of those who were warned.

Surah Al-Ahqaf : 24 Meccan

﴿فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ عَارِضًا مُّسْتَقْبِلَ أَوْدِيَتِهِمْ قَالُوا۟ هَٰذَا عَارِضٌ مُّمْطِرُنَا بَلْ هُوَ مَا ٱسْتَعْجَلْتُم بِهِۦ رِيحٌ فِيهَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴾

And when they saw it as a cloud approaching their valleys, they said, "This is a cloud bringing us rain!" Rather, it is that for which you were impatient: a wind, within it a painful punishment,