What does « Register / Parchment » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Register / Parchment (سجل) 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.

سجل

Root: س - ج - ل

Jurisprudence (fiqh) 4 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Register / Parchment

As-sajl: the large bucket.

Sajalta al-ma': I poured the water which flowed.

The Almighty says: 'We sent upon them stones of layered clay' (Al-Hijr 74).

As-sijill: the register or book. 'Like the folding of a scroll' (Al-Anbiya 104).

The record of deeds is so named because it preserves what is written in it.

Register / Parchment in the Quran (4)

Meccan: 4 Medinan: 0

Distribution of verses by surah

Hud 1

Al-Hijr 1

Al-Anbiya 1

Al-Fil 1

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-Anbiya : 104 Meccan

﴿يَوْمَ نَطْوِى ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَطَىِّ ٱلسِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ كَمَا بَدَأْنَآ أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيدُهُۥ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَٰعِلِينَ﴾

The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a [written] sheet for the records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. [That is] a promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will do it.

Surah Al-Fil : 4 Meccan

﴿تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ﴾

Striking them with stones of hard clay,