Discover the meaning of the term Al-ʿiṣma (عِصمة) in Islamic vocabulary.
Contents :
Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 2 min readA settled mastery enabling avoidance of sins while having the ability to commit them.
Al-Jawhari said: the 'isma is prevention; one says "food shielded him (asamahu) from hunger", that is, prevented him from suffering hunger. The 'isma is prevention and preservation in general; Allah preserves His servant: He restrains and safeguards him from what ruins him. 'Isma is also applied to the marriage bond: Allah said: "Do not hold to marriage bonds with disbelieving women".
Prevention; al-'asim: the one who prevents and shields; al-i'tisam: clinging to a thing, an intensive form of its verb.
A mastery enabling avoidance of sins while having the ability to commit them. In the Sihah: the 'isma is prevention; one says: "food shielded him", that is, preserved him from hunger.
A psychical mastery restraining from indecency.
A divine outpouring by which man is strengthened to pursue good and shun evil.
A mastery enabling avoidance of sins while having the ability to commit them.
A mastery enabling avoidance of sins while having the ability to commit them; it has been said: Allah's not creating the sin in the servant.