What does « To surround / To encompass » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To surround / To encompass (حيط) in the Quran, with 7 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

حيط

To surround / To encompass

Root: ح - ط

Jurisprudence (fiqh) 7 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 3 min read

Definition of To surround / To encompass

Al-hâ'it: the wall that surrounds the place.

Ihâta is said in two ways: physically surrounding a place, and surrounding by knowledge.

Allah says: 'Indeed, He encompasses (muhît) all things' (Fussilat: 54).

Allah knows and encompasses everything with His knowledge.

To surround / To encompass in the Quran (7)

Meccan: 4 Medinan: 3

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Baqara 1

Âl 'Imrân 1

Yunus 1

Hud 1

Yusuf 1

Fussilat 1

At-Talaq 1

Surah Al-Baqara : 81 Medinan

﴿بَلَىٰ مَن كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةًۭ وَأَحَـٰطَتْ بِهِۦ خَطِيٓـَٔتُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ﴾

Yes, whoever earns evil and his sin has encompassed him - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.

Surah Âl 'Imrân : 120 Medinan

﴿إِن تَمْسَسْكُمْ حَسَنَةٌۭ تَسُؤْهُمْ وَإِن تُصِبْكُمْ سَيِّئَةٌۭ يَفْرَحُوا۟ بِهَا ۖ وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ لَا يَضُرُّكُمْ كَيْدُهُمْ شَيْـًٔا ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌۭ﴾

If good touches you, it distresses them; but if harm strikes you, they rejoice at it. And if you are patient and fear Allah, their plot will not harm you at all. Indeed, Allah is encompassing of what they do.

Surah Yunus : 39 Meccan

﴿بَلْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِمَا لَمْ يُحِيطُوا۟ بِعِلْمِهِۦ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِهِمْ تَأْوِيلُهُۥ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ﴾

Rather, they have denied that which they encompass not in knowledge and whose interpretation has not yet come to them. Thus did those before them deny. Then observe how was the end of the wrongdoers.

Surah Hud : 92 Meccan

﴿قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَرَهْطِىٓ أَعَزُّ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَٱتَّخَذْتُمُوهُ وَرَآءَكُمْ ظِهْرِيًّا ۖ إِنَّ رَبِّى بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌۭ﴾

He said, "O my people, is my family more respected for power by you than Allah? But you put Him behind your backs [in neglect]. Indeed, my Lord is encompassing of what you do.

Surah Yusuf : 66 Meccan

﴿قَالَ لَنْ أُرْسِلَهُۥ مَعَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ تُؤْتُونِ مَوْثِقًۭا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لَتَأْتُنَّنِى بِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يُحَاطَ بِكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَوْهُ مَوْثِقَهُمْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌۭ﴾

[Jacob] said, "Never will I send him with you until you give me a promise by Allah that you will bring him [back] to me, unless you should be surrounded by enemies." And when they had given their promise, he said, "Allah, over what we say, is Witness."

Surah Fussilat : 54 Meccan

﴿أَلَآ إِنَّهُمْ فِى مِرْيَةٍۢ مِّن لِّقَآءِ رَبِّهِمْ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ مُّحِيطٌۢ﴾

Unquestionably, they are in doubt about the meeting with their Lord. Unquestionably He is, of all things, encompassing.

Surah At-Talaq : 12 Medinan

﴿ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـٰوَٰتٍۢ وَمِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ ٱلْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًۢا﴾

It is Allah who has created seven heavens and of the earth, the like of them. [His] command descends among them so you may know that Allah is over all things competent and that Allah has encompassed all things in knowledge.