h-t-m

Description

The Arabic root ح-ط-م (h-t-m) carries the core meaning of breaking, crushing, or shattering something into fragments or pieces. In the Quran, it appears in contexts describing physical destruction (such as Solomon's valley where ants feared being crushed) and as a name for Hellfire (al-Hutamah, "The Crusher") in Surah al-Humazah, emphasizing the pulverizing nature of divine punishment. The root conveys forceful demolition that reduces something to debris or rubble, signifying both worldly destruction and the consuming, fragmenting power of the Hereafter's torment.