What does « Thorny brambles » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Thorny brambles (خمط) in the Quran, with 1 verse in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

خمط

Thorny brambles

Root: خ - م - ط

Quranic language 1 verse

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of Thorny brambles

Al-khamt: thornless tree.

Some say it is the arâk tree.

Al-khamta is the drink.

Allah says: 'Fruit of bitter lote trees (khamt)' (Saba': 16).

The people of Saba' saw their blessed gardens transformed into bitter vegetation.

Thorny brambles in the Quran (1)

Meccan: 1 Medinan: 0

Surah Saba : 16 Meccan

﴿فَأَعْرَضُوا۟ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ ٱلْعَرِمِ وَبَدَّلْنَٰهُم بِجَنَّتَيْهِمْ جَنَّتَيْنِ ذَوَاتَىْ أُكُلٍ خَمْطٍ وَأَثْلٍ وَشَىْءٍ مِّن سِدْرٍ قَلِيلٍ﴾

But they turned away [refusing], so We sent upon them the flood of the dam, and We replaced their two [fields of] gardens with gardens of bitter fruit, tamarisks and something of sparse lote trees.