# Ayn-Sad-Mim — عصم (ESm)

> Occurs in 13 verses of the Quran.

- **Source:** https://quran.so/root/ESm

- **Meaning:** To protect/defend/preserve/abstain/save, keep any one safe from evil, prevent/hinder, hold fast, formally seek refuge. ismatun - defence, guardianship, prevention, preservation, protection, immunity from sin, virtue, chastity.
- **Derived forms:** عَاصِم (3) · عِصَم (1) · يَعْصِمُ (3) · ٱسْتَعْصَمَ (1) · ٱعْتَصَمُ (5)

## Verses containing this root

### 3. Surah Ali 'Imran, Verse 101

- **Form in this verse:** يَعْتَصِم — yaʿtaṣim · "holds firmly"
  - **Grammar:** verb · pattern of ifti'al · 3rd person, masculine, singular · present tense

وَكَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ وَاَنْتُمْ تُتْلٰى عَلَيْكُمْ اٰيَاتُ اللّٰهِ وَف۪يكُمْ رَسُولُهُۜ وَمَنْ يَعْتَصِمْ بِاللّٰهِ فَقَدْ هُدِيَ اِلٰى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَق۪يمٍ۟

Wakayfa takfuroona waantum tutlaAAalaykum ayatu Allahi wafeekum rasooluhuwaman yaAAtasim billahi faqad hudiya ilasiratin mustaqeem

And how can you deny, when to you are the proofs of God recited, and in your midst is His messenger? And whoso holds fast to God, he has been guided to a straight path.

_https://quran.so/surah-ali-imran/verse-101.md_

### 3. Surah Ali 'Imran, Verse 103

- **Form in this verse:** وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ — wa-iʿ'taṣimū · "And hold firmly"
  - **Grammar:** verb · pattern of ifti'al · 2nd person, masculine, plural · imperative mood

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللّٰهِ جَم۪يعاً وَلَا تَفَرَّقُواۖ وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْكُمْ اِذْ  كُنْتُمْ اَعْدَٓاءً فَاَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَاَصْبَحْتُمْ بِنِعْمَتِه۪ٓ اِخْوَاناًۚ وَكُنْتُمْ عَلٰى شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِنَ النَّارِ فَاَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْهَاۜ   كَذٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّٰهُ لَكُمْ اٰيَاتِه۪ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

WaAAtasimoo bihabliAllahi jameeAAan wala tafarraqoo wathkurooniAAmata Allahi AAalaykum ith kuntum aAAdaanfaallafa bayna quloobikum faasbahtum biniAAmatihiikhwanan wakuntum AAala shafa hufratinmina annari faanqathakum minha kathalikayubayyinu Allahu lakum ayatihi laAAallakumtahtadoon

And hold fast to the rope of God all together, and be not divided. And remember the favour of God upon you: when you were enemies, He united your hearts so that by His favour you became brethren; and you were upon the edge of a pit of fire, and He rescued you from it. Thus does God make plain to you His proofs, that you might be guided.

_https://quran.so/surah-ali-imran/verse-103.md_

### 4. Surah An-Nisa, Verse 146

- **Form in this verse:** وَٱعْتَصَمُوا۟ — wa-iʿ'taṣamū · "and hold fast"
  - **Grammar:** verb · pattern of ifti'al · 3rd person, masculine, plural · past tense

اِلَّا الَّذ۪ينَ تَابُوا وَاَصْلَحُوا وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِاللّٰهِ وَاَخْلَصُوا د۪ينَهُمْ لِلّٰهِ فَاُو۬لٰٓئِكَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِن۪ينَۜ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللّٰهُ الْمُؤْمِن۪ينَ اَجْراً عَظ۪يماً

Illa allatheena taboowaaslahoo waAAtasamoo billahiwaakhlasoo deenahum lillahi faola-ika maAAaalmu/mineena wasawfa yu/ti Allahu almu/mineena ajran AAatheema

Save those who repent, and make right, and hold fast to God, and are sincere in their doctrine to God; those are with the believers, and God will give the believers a great reward.

_https://quran.so/surah-an-nisa/verse-146.md_

### 4. Surah An-Nisa, Verse 175

- **Form in this verse:** وَٱعْتَصَمُوا۟ — wa-iʿ'taṣamū · "and held fast"
  - **Grammar:** verb · pattern of ifti'al · 3rd person, masculine, plural · past tense

فَاَمَّا الَّذ۪ينَ اٰمَنُوا بِاللّٰهِ وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِه۪ فَسَيُدْخِلُهُمْ ف۪ي رَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَفَضْلٍۙ وَيَهْد۪يهِمْ اِلَيْهِ صِرَاطاً مُسْتَق۪يماًۜ

Faamma allatheena amanoobillahi waAAtasamoo bihifasayudkhiluhum fee rahmatin minhu wafadlinwayahdeehim ilayhi siratan mustaqeema

Then as for those who believe in God and hold fast to Him: He will make them enter into mercy from Him, and bounty; and He will guide them to Him by a straight path.

_https://quran.so/surah-an-nisa/verse-175.md_

### 5. Surah Al-Ma'idah, Verse 67

- **Form in this verse:** يَعْصِمُكَ — yaʿṣimuka · "will protect you"
  - **Grammar:** verb · 3rd person, masculine, singular · present tense

يَٓا اَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّـغْ مَٓا اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَۜ وَاِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُۜ وَاللّٰهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِۜ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِر۪ينَ

Ya ayyuha arrasooluballigh ma onzila ilayka min rabbika wa-in lam tafAAal famaballaghta risalatahu wallahu yaAAsimukamina annasi inna Allaha la yahdeealqawma alkafireen

O Messenger: convey thou what has been sent down to thee from thy Lord; and if thou do it not, then thou wilt not have conveyed His message. And God will protect thee from men. God guides not the people of the false claimers of guidance.

_https://quran.so/surah-al-maidah/verse-67.md_

### 10. Surah Yunus, Verse 27

- **Form in this verse:** عَاصِمٍۢ ۖ — ʿāṣimin · "defender"
  - **Grammar:** noun · active · masculine · genitive case · indefinite

وَالَّذ۪ينَ كَسَبُوا السَّيِّـَٔاتِ جَزَٓاءُ سَيِّئَةٍ بِمِثْلِهَاۙ وَتَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌۜ مَا لَهُمْ مِنَ اللّٰهِ مِنْ عَاصِمٍۚ  كَاَنَّـمَٓا اُغْشِيَتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ قِطَعاً مِنَ الَّيْلِ مُظْلِماًۜ اُو۬لٰٓئِكَ اَصْحَابُ النَّارِۚ هُمْ ف۪يهَا خَالِدُونَ

Wallatheena kasaboo assayyi-atijazao sayyi-atin bimithliha watarhaquhum thillatunma lahum mina Allahi min AAasimin kaannamaoghshiyat wujoohuhum qitaAAan mina allayli muthlimanola-ika as-habu annari humfeeha khalidoon

And for those who earn evil deeds is a reward for evil by the like thereof; and disgrace will cover them — they will not have against God any defender — as if their faces were covered with pieces of darkening night. Those are the companions of the Fire; therein they abide eternally.

_https://quran.so/surah-yunus/verse-27.md_

### 11. Surah Hud, Verse 43

- **Form in this verse:** يَعْصِمُنِى — yaʿṣimunī · "(that) will save me"
  - **Grammar:** verb · 3rd person, masculine, singular · present tense

قَالَ سَاٰو۪ٓي اِلٰى جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُن۪ي مِنَ الْمَٓاءِۜ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ اَمْرِ اللّٰهِ اِلَّا مَنْ رَحِمَۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَق۪ينَ

Qala saawee ila jabalinyaAAsimunee mina alma-i qala la AAasimaalyawma min amri Allahi illa man rahima wahalabaynahuma almawju fakana mina almughraqeen

Said he: “I will take shelter in a mountain that will protect me from the water.” He said: “There is no protector this day from the command of God save for him upon whom He has mercy.” And the waves came between them; and he was among the drowned.

_https://quran.so/surah-hud/verse-43.md_

### 11. Surah Hud, Verse 43

- **Form in this verse:** عَاصِمَ — ʿāṣima · "protector"
  - **Grammar:** noun · active · masculine · accusative case

قَالَ سَاٰو۪ٓي اِلٰى جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُن۪ي مِنَ الْمَٓاءِۜ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ اَمْرِ اللّٰهِ اِلَّا مَنْ رَحِمَۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَق۪ينَ

Qala saawee ila jabalinyaAAsimunee mina alma-i qala la AAasimaalyawma min amri Allahi illa man rahima wahalabaynahuma almawju fakana mina almughraqeen

Said he: “I will take shelter in a mountain that will protect me from the water.” He said: “There is no protector this day from the command of God save for him upon whom He has mercy.” And the waves came between them; and he was among the drowned.

_https://quran.so/surah-hud/verse-43.md_

### 12. Surah Yusuf, Verse 32

- **Form in this verse:** فَٱسْتَعْصَمَ ۖ — fa-is'taʿṣama · "but he saved himself"
  - **Grammar:** verb · pattern of istif'al · 3rd person, masculine, singular · past tense

قَالَتْ فَذٰلِكُنَّ الَّذ۪ي لُمْتُنَّن۪ي ف۪يهِۜ وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدْتُهُ عَنْ نَفْسِه۪ فَاسْتَعْصَمَۜ وَلَئِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ مَٓا اٰمُرُهُ لَيُسْجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُوناً مِنَ الصَّاغِر۪ينَ

Qalat fathalikunna allatheelumtunnanee feehi walaqad rawadtuhu AAan nafsihi fastAAsamawala-in lam yafAAal ma amuruhu layusjanannawalayakoonan mina assaghireen

She said: “This is he for whom you blamed me. And I indeed sought to lure him away from his soul, but he proved patient; but if he do not what I command him, he will be imprisoned and be of those brought low.”

_https://quran.so/surah-yusuf/verse-32.md_

### 22. Surah Al-Hajj, Verse 78

- **Form in this verse:** وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ — wa-iʿ'taṣimū · "and hold fast"
  - **Grammar:** verb · pattern of ifti'al · 2nd person, masculine, plural · imperative mood

وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللّٰهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِه۪ۜ هُوَ اجْتَبٰيكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدّ۪ينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍۜ مِلَّةَ اَب۪يكُمْ اِبْرٰه۪يمَۜ هُوَ سَمّٰيكُمُ الْمُسْلِم۪ينَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَف۪ي هٰذَا لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَه۪يداً عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَٓاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِۚ فَاَق۪يمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَ وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِاللّٰهِۜ هُوَ مَوْلٰيكُمْۚ فَنِعْمَ الْمَوْلٰى وَنِعْمَ النَّص۪يرُ

Wajahidoo fee Allahi haqqajihadihi huwa ijtabakum wama jaAAalaAAalaykum fee addeeni min harajin millata abeekumibraheema huwa sammakumu almuslimeena min qabluwafee hatha liyakoona arrasoolu shaheedanAAalaykum watakoonoo shuhadaa AAala annasifaaqeemoo assalata waatoo azzakatawaAAtasimoo billahi huwa mawlakumfaniAAma almawla waniAAma annaseer

And strive for God with the striving due Him. He has chosen you, and has not placed upon you in doctrine any distress — the creed of your father Abraham. He named you those submitting before, and in this, that the Messenger might be a witness to you, and that you might be witnesses to men. So uphold the duty, and render the purity, and hold fast to God; He is your protector. Then excellent is the Protector! And excellent is the Helper!

_https://quran.so/surah-al-hajj/verse-78.md_

### 33. Surah Al-Ahzab, Verse 17

- **Form in this verse:** يَعْصِمُكُم — yaʿṣimukum · "(can) protect you"
  - **Grammar:** verb · 3rd person, masculine, singular · present tense

قُلْ مَنْ ذَا الَّذ۪ي يَعْصِمُكُمْ مِنَ اللّٰهِ اِنْ اَرَادَ بِكُمْ سُٓوءاً اَوْ اَرَادَ بِكُمْ رَحْمَةًۜ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللّٰهِ وَلِياًّ وَلَا نَص۪يراً

Qul man tha allathee yaAAsimukummina Allahi in arada bikum soo-an aw aradabikum rahmatan wala yajidoona lahum min dooni Allahiwaliyyan wala naseera

Say thou: “Who is it that can protect you from God if He intends harm for you or intends for you mercy?” And they will not find for them, besides God, ally or helper.

_https://quran.so/surah-al-ahzab/verse-17.md_

### 40. Surah Ghafir, Verse 33

- **Form in this verse:** عَاصِمٍۢ ۗ — ʿāṣimin · "protector"
  - **Grammar:** noun · active · masculine · genitive case · indefinite

يَوْمَ تُوَلُّونَ مُدْبِر۪ينَۚ مَا لَكُمْ مِنَ اللّٰهِ مِنْ عَاصِمٍۚ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلِ اللّٰهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ

Yawma tuwalloona mudbireena ma lakummina Allahi min AAasimin waman yudlili Allahufama lahu min had

“The day you will turn and go having not against God any defender; and whom God sends astray, for him there is no guide.

_https://quran.so/surah-ghafir/verse-33.md_

### 60. Surah Al-Mumtahanah, Verse 10

- **Form in this verse:** بِعِصَمِ — biʿiṣami · "to marriage bonds"
  - **Grammar:** noun · masculine, plural · genitive case

يَٓا اَيُّهَا الَّذ۪ينَ اٰمَنُٓوا اِذَا جَٓاءَكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ مُهَاجِرَاتٍ فَامْتَحِنُوهُنَّۜ  اَللّٰهُ اَعْلَمُ بِا۪يمَانِهِنَّۚ  فَاِنْ عَلِمْتُمُوهُنَّ مُؤْمِنَاتٍ فَلَا تَرْجِعُوهُنَّ اِلَى الْكُفَّارِۜ  لَا هُنَّ حِلٌّ لَهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحِلُّونَ لَهُنَّۜ وَاٰتُوهُمْ مَٓا اَنْفَقُواۜ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ اَنْ تَنْكِحُوهُنَّ اِذَٓا اٰتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ اُجُورَهُنَّۜ وَلَا تُمْسِكُوا بِعِصَمِ الْكَوَافِرِ وَسْـَٔلُوا مَٓا اَنْفَقْتُمْ وَلْيَسْـَٔلُوا مَٓا اَنْفَقُواۜ  ذٰلِكُمْ حُكْمُ اللّٰهِۜ  يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْۜ  وَاللّٰهُ عَل۪يمٌ حَك۪يمٌ

Ya ayyuha allatheena amanooitha jaakumu almu/minatu muhajiratinfamtahinoohunna Allahu aAAlamu bi-eemanihinnafa-in AAalimtumoohunna mu/minatin falatarjiAAoohunna ila alkuffari la hunna hillunlahum wala hum yahilloona lahunna waatoohumma anfaqoo wala junaha AAalaykum an tankihoohunnaitha ataytumoohunna ojoorahunna walatumsikoo biAAisami alkawafiri was-aloo maanfaqtum walyas-aloo ma anfaqoo thalikum hukmuAllahi yahkumu baynakum wallahuAAaleemun hakeem

O you who heed warning: when the believing women come to you as émigrées: examine them. God best knows their faith. And if you know them to be believing women, then return them not to the atheists. Such women are not lawful for them, and they are not lawful for such women. And give them what they spent. And you do no wrong to marry such women when you give them their rewards. And hold not by tie denying women; and ask for what you have spent, and let them ask for what they have spent. That is the judgment of God; He judges between you; and God is knowing and wise.

_https://quran.so/surah-al-mumtahanah/verse-10.md_

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14
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