What does « Dham » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Dham (ذم) in the Quran, with 5 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

ذم
Dham
Root: ذ - م
Quranic language 5 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of Dham

One says 'dhamamtuhu adhummuhu dhamman' (I blamed him).

He is 'madhmûm' (blamed) and 'dhamîm' (blameworthy).

Al-dhimma: protection pact.

Allah says: 'They respect neither kinship (dhimma) nor covenant' (At-Tawba: 10).

Polytheists violated their pacts.

Dham in the Quran (5)

Meccan: 3 Medinan: 2
Distribution of verses by surah
At-Tawba 2
Al-Isra 2
Al-Qalam 1
Surah At-Tawba : 8 Medinan
﴿كَيْفَ وَإِن يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا يَرْقُبُوا۟ فِيكُمْ إِلًّۭا وَلَا ذِمَّةًۭ ۚ يُرْضُونَكُم بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَتَأْبَىٰ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ﴾
How [can there be a treaty] while, if they gain dominance over you, they do not observe concerning you any pact of kinship or covenant of protection? They satisfy you with their mouths, but their hearts refuse [compliance], and most of them are defiantly disobedient.
Surah At-Tawba : 10 Medinan
﴿لَا يَرْقُبُونَ فِى مُؤْمِنٍ إِلًّۭا وَلَا ذِمَّةًۭ ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُعْتَدُونَ﴾
They do not observe toward a believer any pact of kinship or covenant of protection. And it is they who are the transgressors.
Surah Al-Isra : 18 Meccan
﴿مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُۥ فِيهَا مَا نَشَآءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُۥ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَىٰهَا مَذْمُومًۭا مَّدْحُورًۭا﴾
Whoever should desire the immediate - We hasten for him from it what We will to whom We intend. Then We have made for him Hell, which he will [enter to] burn, censured and banished.
Surah Al-Isra : 22 Meccan
﴿لَّا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتَقْعُدَ مَذْمُومًۭا مَّخْذُولًۭا﴾
Do not make [as equal] with Allah another deity and [thereby] become censured and forsaken.
Surah Al-Qalam : 49 Meccan
﴿لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌۭ﴾
If not that a favor from his Lord overtook him, he would have been thrown onto the naked shore while he was censured.

Words from the same root as Dham

ذأم
Dham
أصل
Aṣl
أي
Ay
بئر
Biʾr
بث
Batha
بك
Bk
ثل
Thulla
ثور
Thūr

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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Thu 25 Rabi' al-Thani
الخميس 25 ربيع الآخر
هلال متناقص Waning Crescent Day 26.2 / 29.5
Illumination 12%
New moon in 3 days
الحمد لله Praise be to Allah

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ ۚ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا

God and His angels shower their blessings on the Prophet. O believers, you should also send your blessings on him, and salute him with a worthy greeting.

Al-Ahzab 33:56

Blessings on the Prophet ﷺ