Discover the meaning of the word Qalm (قلم) in the Quran, with 4 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.
قلم
Qalm
Root: ق - ل - م
Jurisprudence (fiqh) 4 verses
Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM
📖 2 min read
Definition of Qalm
Al-Qalam refers to the pen, the writing instrument.
The Almighty says: 'Nūn, by the pen and what they write' (Al-Qalam 1).
The Almighty also says: 'Your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by the pen' (Al-'Alaq 3-4).
That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muhammad]. And you were not with them when they cast their pens as to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them when they disputed.
And if whatever trees upon the earth were pens and the sea [was ink], replenished thereafter by seven [more] seas, the words of Allah would not be exhausted. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
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.