Discover the meaning of the term Al-khṭ (خط) in Islamic vocabulary.
Contents :
Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 4 min readThe picturing of the utterance by alphabetic letters. Among the philosophers: that which admits division in length only, not in width or depth, its limit being the point. Know that the line, the surface, and the point are accidents not independently existent in the philosophers' school, for they are the limits and extremities of magnitudes: the point is for them the limit of the line, which is the limit of the surface, which is the limit of the imaginary body (ta'limi). Some of the theologians, however, posited an independent line and surface, holding that the individual atom is composed of the accident, from which a surface results, and that surfaces compose in depth, whence results the body.
What has length but no width or depth.
Writing and a crack. Among the elect of the Sufis: the khatt is the Muhammadan Reality (blessings and peace be upon him) and the world of spirits. Among the theologians: the khatt is a substance admitting division in length alone, its limit being the substantial point. Among the philosophers: the khatt is an accident admitting division in length alone, its limit being the accidental point. In other words: a magnitude having length alone. The round line (al-khatt al-mustadir): a line within which a point may be supposed such that every straight line from it to that line is equal to it; the circle then results, and that line is the circle's circumference. The straight line (al-khatt al-mustaqim): the shortest of lines issuing from a point to a point, or the shortest of the lines joining two points; for they can be joined by infinite lines, and the shortest joining them is the straight one. It has been said: it is that whose end conceals its middle when it falls in the extension of the ray of vision, meaning the straight line is that whose first point screens the next, and so on to its end. If two straight lines are on one surface and do not meet even when extended beyond their end, they are parallel. The straight line has ten names: the flank (dil'), the leg (saq), the stone's cast (misqat al-hajar), the column ('amud), the base (qa'ida), the side (janib), the diameter (qitr), the chord (watr), the arrow (sahm), and the height (irtifa').
What has length alone, its limits being two points; an absolute point at the level of the index finger, according to the well-known ruling line (at-taswiya al-mashhura).
The picturing of the utterance by its alphabetic letters. It is also said: picturing the shapes of the alphabetic letters signifying the utterance.
Picturing by means of alphabetic letters.
﴿وَإِذْ قُلْنَا ٱدْخُلُوا۟ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَدًۭا وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْبَابَ سُجَّدًۭا وَقُولُوا۟ حِطَّةٌۭ نَّغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَـٰيَـٰكُمْ ۚ وَسَنَزِيدُ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾
« And [recall] when We said, "Enter this city and eat from it wherever you will in [ease and] abundance, and enter the gate bowing humbly and say, 'Relieve us of our burdens.' We will [then] forgive your sins for you, and We will increase the doers of good [in goodness and reward]." »
Surah البقرة : 58
﴿وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَن يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلَّا خَطَـًۭٔا ۚ وَمَن قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنًا خَطَـًۭٔا فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍۢ مُّؤْمِنَةٍۢ وَدِيَةٌۭ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يَصَّدَّقُوا۟ ۚ فَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍ عَدُوٍّۢ لَّكُمْ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌۭ فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍۢ مُّؤْمِنَةٍۢ ۖ وَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍۭ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَـٰقٌۭ فَدِيَةٌۭ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦ وَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍۢ مُّؤْمِنَةٍۢ ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ تَوْبَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًۭا﴾
« And never is it for a believer to kill a believer except by mistake. And whoever kills a believer by mistake - then the freeing of a believing slave and a compensation payment presented to the deceased's family [is required] unless they give [up their right as] charity. But if the deceased was from a people at war with you and he was a believer - then [only] the freeing of a believing slave; and if he was from a people with whom you have a treaty - then a compensation payment presented to his family and the freeing of a believing slave. And whoever does not find [one or cannot afford to buy one] - then [instead], a fast for two months consecutively, [seeking] acceptance of repentance from Allah. And Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. »
Surah النساء : 92
﴿قَالُوا۟ تَٱللَّهِ لَقَدْ ءَاثَرَكَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا وَإِن كُنَّا لَخَـٰطِـِٔينَ﴾
« They said, "By Allah, certainly has Allah preferred you over us, and indeed, we have been sinners." »
Surah يوسف : 91
﴿قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا ٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا خَـٰطِـِٔينَ﴾
« They said, "O our father, ask for us forgiveness of our sins; indeed, we have been sinners." »
Surah يوسف : 97
﴿وَلَا تَقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَوْلَـٰدَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَـٰقٍۢ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْـًۭٔا كَبِيرًۭا﴾
« And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is ever a great sin. »
Surah الإسراء : 31
﴿إِنَّآ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَـٰيَـٰنَا وَمَآ أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلسِّحْرِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ﴾
« Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us [to do] of magic. And Allah is better and more enduring." »
Surah طه : 73
This term appears in 10 verses of the Quran.