What does « Shirt / Tunic » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Shirt / Tunic (قمص) in the Quran, with 6 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

قمص

Shirt / Tunic

Root: ق - م - ص

Quranic language 6 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Shirt / Tunic

Al-Qamīṣ refers to the shirt.

The Almighty says: 'Go with this shirt of mine' (Yusuf 93).

And: 'And they came with false blood on his shirt' (Yusuf 18).

Yūsuf's shirt is mentioned in several contexts in Surah Yusuf.

Shirt / Tunic in the Quran (6)

Meccan: 6 Medinan: 0

Surah Yusuf : 18 Meccan

﴿وَجَآءُو عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِۦ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ﴾

And they brought upon his shirt false blood. [Jacob] said, "Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. And Allah is the one sought for help against that which you describe."

Surah Yusuf : 25 Meccan

﴿وَٱسْتَبَقَا ٱلْبَابَ وَقَدَّتْ قَمِيصَهُۥ مِن دُبُرٍ وَأَلْفَيَا سَيِّدَهَا لَدَا ٱلْبَابِ قَالَتْ مَا جَزَآءُ مَنْ أَرَادَ بِأَهْلِكَ سُوٓءًا إِلَّآ أَن يُسْجَنَ أَوْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴾

And they both raced to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back, and they found her husband at the door. She said, "What is the recompense of one who intended evil for your wife but that he be imprisoned or a painful punishment?"

Surah Yusuf : 26 Meccan

﴿قَالَ هِىَ رَٰوَدَتْنِى عَن نَّفْسِى وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَآ إِن كَانَ قَمِيصُهُۥ قُدَّ مِن قُبُلٍ فَصَدَقَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ ٱلْكَٰذِبِينَ﴾

[Joseph] said, "It was she who sought to seduce me." And a witness from her family testified. "If his shirt is torn from the front, then she has told the truth, and he is of the liars.

Surah Yusuf : 27 Meccan

﴿وَإِن كَانَ قَمِيصُهُۥ قُدَّ مِن دُبُرٍ فَكَذَبَتْ وَهُوَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ﴾

But if his shirt is torn from the back, then she has lied, and he is of the truthful."

Surah Yusuf : 28 Meccan

﴿فَلَمَّا رَءَا قَمِيصَهُۥ قُدَّ مِن دُبُرٍ قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ مِن كَيْدِكُنَّ إِنَّ كَيْدَكُنَّ عَظِيمٌ﴾

So when her husband saw his shirt torn from the back, he said, "Indeed, it is of the women's plan. Indeed, your plan is great.

Surah Yusuf : 93 Meccan

﴿ٱذْهَبُوا۟ بِقَمِيصِى هَٰذَا فَأَلْقُوهُ عَلَىٰ وَجْهِ أَبِى يَأْتِ بَصِيرًا وَأْتُونِى بِأَهْلِكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ﴾

Take this, my shirt, and cast it over the face of my father; he will become seeing. And bring me your family, all together."

Words from the same root as Shirt / Tunic

خصم

Adversary / Dispute

خمص

Hollow / Empty (stomach)

رقم

To write / To mark

زقم

Zaqqum (tree of Hell)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Fri 24 Muharram
الجمعة 24 محرّم