What does « Ḥabl » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Ḥabl (حبل) in the Quran, with 6 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

حبل
Ḥabl
Root: ح - ب - ل
Creed (aqida) 6 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 3 min read

Definition of Ḥabl

Al-habl: the rope, well-known.

Allah says: 'Around her neck a rope (habl) of fiber' (Al-Masad: 5).

And: 'Hold firmly to the rope (habl) of Allah' (Âl 'Imrân: 103).

Allah's habl is His Book, His religion, what connects believers to Him and to each other.

Ḥabl in the Quran (6)

Meccan: 4 Medinan: 2
Distribution of verses by surah
Âl 'Imrân 2
Ta-Ha 1
Ash-Shu'ara 1
Qaf 1
Al-Masad 1
Surah Âl 'Imrân : 103 Medinan
﴿وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ﴾
And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.
Surah Âl 'Imrân : 112 Medinan
﴿ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلذِّلَّةُ أَيْنَ مَا ثُقِفُوٓا۟ إِلَّا بِحَبْلٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْمَسْكَنَةُ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ ٱلْأَنۢبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا۟ وَّكَانُوا۟ يَعْتَدُونَ﴾
They have been put under humiliation [by Allah] wherever they are overtaken, except for a covenant from Allah and a rope from the Muslims. And they have drawn upon themselves anger from Allah and have been put under destitution. That is because they disbelieved in the verses of Allah and killed the prophets without right. That is because they disobeyed and [habitually] transgressed.
Surah Ta-Ha : 66 Meccan
﴿قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُوا۟ فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِن سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَىٰ﴾
He said, "Rather, you throw." And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving [like snakes].
Surah Ash-Shu'ara : 44 Meccan
﴿فَأَلْقَوْا۟ حِبَالَهُمْ وَعِصِيَّهُمْ وَقَالُوا۟ بِعِزَّةِ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّا لَنَحْنُ ٱلْغَٰلِبُونَ﴾
So they threw their ropes and their staffs and said, "By the might of Pharaoh, indeed it is we who are predominant."
Surah Qaf : 16 Meccan
﴿وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفْسُهُۥ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ ٱلْوَرِيدِ﴾
And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein
Surah Al-Masad : 5 Meccan
﴿فِى جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌ مِّن مَّسَدٍۭ﴾
Around her neck is a rope of [twisted] fiber.

Words from the same root as Ḥabl

إبل
Ibl
الباء
Al-Bāʾ
النَّبَأُ
Al-Nabaau
بال
Bāl
بتل
Battal
بحث
Baḥth
بحر
Baḥr
بخل
Bukhl

Share

WhatsApp X
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Fri 26 Rabi' al-Thani
الجمعة 26 ربيع الآخر
هلال متناقص Waning Crescent Day 27.8 / 29.5
Illumination 3%
New moon in 2 days
سبحان الله Glory 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