Discover the meaning of the term Al-ḥjr (حجر) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 3 min readIn language: prohibition in general; as a technical term: the barring of the exercise of a verbal (qawli), not physical, disposition, for minority, prodigality, or insanity.
With fatha of the ha' and the jim: in Persian, sanakk (a stone). The word may also mean gold and silver, as when one says of a man 'son of the hajar', that is, wealthy. Hence the title of the Shaykh, the Imam, the learned and practicing hafiz Shihab al-Din Abu al-Fadl Ahmad ibn 'Ali al-'Asqalani, known as Ibn Hajar. The reason for the title is the abundance and squandering of his wealth; it was his nickname though shaped as a kunya, common in men's names. It is also said he was so called for the sharpness of his mind and firmness of his judgment, so that he repelled every objector, and it was said: 'he is Ibn Hajar, none can dispose of him', neither to silence him nor to compel him.
To bar him (hajara 'alayhi) hajran: prevent him from disposing of his property; he is mahjur 'alayhi. The jurists drop the relative for lightness, much used, and say mahjur, which is permitted. To bar him from a matter: turn him from it. The land 'which is marked and enclosed': stones and the like are set upon its bounds to take possession of it. To confine (hajara) the thing: tighten it. In the noble hadith from Abu Hurayra: the Prophet rose to pray and we prayed with him; a Bedouin said during the prayer: 'O God, have mercy on me and on Muhammad, and have mercy on no one with us.' When the Prophet had saluted, he said to the Bedouin: 'You have narrowed too widely (hajarta wasi'an)', meaning God's mercy; that is: you straitened what God made wide, and reserved it to yourself to the exclusion of your Muslim brethren.
The barring of the owner from disposing of his property, for wrong done by himself or by another.
What the law's interdiction imposes upon him and subjection to its rulings.
That which is hard, its parts firmly compacted, of water and earth.
﴿۞ وَإِذِ ٱسْتَسْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ فَقُلْنَا ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْحَجَرَ ۖ فَٱنفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ ٱثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًۭا ۖ قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍۢ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ ۖ كُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ﴾
« And [recall] when Moses prayed for water for his people, so We said, "Strike with your staff the stone." And there gushed forth from it twelve springs, and every people knew its watering place. "Eat and drink from the provision of Allah, and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption." »
Surah البقرة : 60
﴿وَقَالُوا۟ هَـٰذِهِۦٓ أَنْعَـٰمٌۭ وَحَرْثٌ حِجْرٌۭ لَّا يَطْعَمُهَآ إِلَّا مَن نَّشَآءُ بِزَعْمِهِمْ وَأَنْعَـٰمٌ حُرِّمَتْ ظُهُورُهَا وَأَنْعَـٰمٌۭ لَّا يَذْكُرُونَ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا ٱفْتِرَآءً عَلَيْهِ ۚ سَيَجْزِيهِم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ﴾
« And they say, "These animals and crops are forbidden; no one may eat from them except whom we will," by their claim. And there are those [camels] whose backs are forbidden [by them] and those upon which the name of Allah is not mentioned - [all of this] an invention of untruth about Him. He will punish them for what they were inventing. »
Surah الأنعام : 138
﴿وَقَطَّعْنَـٰهُمُ ٱثْنَتَىْ عَشْرَةَ أَسْبَاطًا أُمَمًۭا ۚ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ إِذِ ٱسْتَسْقَىٰهُ قَوْمُهُۥٓ أَنِ ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْحَجَرَ ۖ فَٱنۢبَجَسَتْ مِنْهُ ٱثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًۭا ۖ قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍۢ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ ۚ وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْغَمَـٰمَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ ۖ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ ۚ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ﴾
« And We divided them into twelve descendant tribes [as distinct] nations. And We inspired to Moses when his people implored him for water, "Strike with your staff the stone," and there gushed forth from it twelve springs. Every people knew its watering place. And We shaded them with clouds and sent down upon them manna and quails, [saying], "Eat from the good things with which We have provided you." And they wronged Us not, but they were [only] wronging themselves. »
Surah الأعراف : 160
﴿وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْحِجْرِ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ﴾
« And certainly did the companions of Thamud deny the messengers. »
Surah الحجر : 80
﴿يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ لَا بُشْرَىٰ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ وَيَقُولُونَ حِجْرًۭا مَّحْجُورًۭا﴾
« The day they see the angels - no good tidings will there be that day for the criminals, and [the angels] will say, "Prevented and inaccessible." »
Surah الفرقان : 22
﴿۞ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى مَرَجَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ هَـٰذَا عَذْبٌۭ فُرَاتٌۭ وَهَـٰذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌۭ وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخًۭا وَحِجْرًۭا مَّحْجُورًۭا﴾
« And it is He who has released [simultaneously] the two seas, one fresh and sweet and one salty and bitter, and He placed between them a barrier and prohibiting partition. »
Surah الفرقان : 53
This term appears in 8 verses of the Quran.