Discover the meaning of the term Al-iḥaṭa (إحاطة) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 2 min readGrasping the thing in its entirety, outwardly and inwardly.
Derived from 'al-hawt', which is guarding and protection; from it 'al-ha'it' (the wall), for the wall that guards and protects against others' entry (in Persian: 'fara kraftan jayzi rawad anistan hamah'). For this al-Sayyid al-Sanad al-Sharif al-Sharif (may Allah sanctify his secret) said: ihata is grasping the thing in its entirety, outwardly and inwardly, as Allah, exalted be He, said: 'Behold, He encompasses all things'.
Grasping the thing in its entirety, outwardly and inwardly (al-Ta'rifat p. 10), and encircling the thing on all its sides, as al-Raghib mentioned (al-Mufradat p. 136).
Abu al-Baqa' said: containing the thing and what lies beyond it, and it is used for grasping the thing according to its reality. Ibn al-Kammal said: ihata of a thing by knowledge is to know its existence, its genus, its measure, its attributes, its manner, its intended end, and what it is by, proceeds from, and rests upon; that belongs to none but Allah, exalted be He.