What does « To seal / To stamp » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To seal / To stamp (ختم) in the Quran, with 8 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

ختم

To seal / To stamp

Root: خ - ت - م

Quranic language 8 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of To seal / To stamp

Al-khatm and al-tab' are said in two ways: sealing and stamping.

To seal is to imprint a mark on something.

Allah says: 'Allah has sealed (khatama) their hearts' (Al-Baqara: 7).

The seal prevents faith from entering and good from exiting.

To seal / To stamp in the Quran (8)

Meccan: 6 Medinan: 2

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Mutaffifin 2

Al-Baqara 1

Al-An'am 1

Al-Ahzab 1

Ya-Sin 1

Ash-Shura 1

Al-Jathiya 1

Surah Al-Baqara : 7 Medinan

﴿خَتَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰٓ أَبْصَٰرِهِمْ غِشَٰوَةٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ﴾

Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment.

Surah Al-An'am : 46 Meccan

﴿قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ سَمْعَكُمْ وَأَبْصَٰرَكُمْ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِكُم مَّنْ إِلَٰهٌ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِهِ ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ ثُمَّ هُمْ يَصْدِفُونَ﴾

Say, "Have you considered: if Allah should take away your hearing and your sight and set a seal upon your hearts, which deity other than Allah could bring them [back] to you?" Look how we diversify the verses; then they [still] turn away.

Surah Al-Ahzab : 40 Medinan

﴿مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَآ أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن رَّسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ ٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمًا﴾

Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and last of the prophets. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing.

Surah Ya-Sin : 65 Meccan

﴿ٱلْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَىٰٓ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ﴾

That Day, We will seal over their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will testify about what they used to earn.

Surah Ash-Shura : 24 Meccan

﴿أَمْ يَقُولُونَ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا فَإِن يَشَإِ ٱللَّهُ يَخْتِمْ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ وَيَمْحُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْبَٰطِلَ وَيُحِقُّ ٱلْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَٰتِهِۦٓ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ﴾

Or do they say, "He has invented about Allah a lie"? But if Allah willed, He could seal over your heart. And Allah eliminates falsehood and establishes the truth by His words. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.

Surah Al-Jathiya : 23 Meccan

﴿أَفَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِۦ وَقَلْبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَٰوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱللَّهِ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ﴾

Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah? Then will you not be reminded?

Surah Al-Mutaffifin : 25 Meccan

﴿يُسْقَوْنَ مِن رَّحِيقٍ مَّخْتُومٍ﴾

They will be given to drink [pure] wine [which was] sealed.

Surah Al-Mutaffifin : 26 Meccan

﴿خِتَٰمُهُۥ مِسْكٌ وَفِى ذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ ٱلْمُتَنَٰفِسُونَ﴾

The last of it is musk. So for this let the competitors compete.