Note: The data in the above table is obtained from the corpus.quran.com.
Instances of imaam
There are 12 instances of imaam in the noun form meaning leader/guide found in 12 verses of 11 surahs in the Quran, which are detailed below to understand their meanings in different contexts:
[2:124] And when his Lord had tested Abraham with words, then he had fulfilled them. He (God) said, “Indeed, I (God) am to make of you (Abraham) a leader for the mankind (innii jaa`iluka lil’nnasi imaaman).” He Abraham) said, “And from my descendants?” He (God) said, “My covenant does not reach the wrongdoers.”
[9:12] And if they have broken their oaths after their treaty, and have defamed about your religion, then you shall fight leaders of the disbelief (fa-qaatiluu aimmata al-kufri). Indeed, they have no oaths for them that they may refrain.
[11:17] Has he been then whoever on a clear proof from his Lord and recites it a witness from Him? And from before of it a scripture of Moses was a guide and mercy (wa-min qablihi kitaabu muusaa imaaman wa-rahmatan). Those believe in it (Quran) (is a guide and mercy for them), and whoever disbelieves in it of the parties, then the Fire is his promised place. So you do not be in doubt about it. Indeed, it is the truth from your Lord, but most of the people do not believe.
[15:79] So, we had taken retribution from them, and indeed, they both were surely of clear leader (in wrongdoing) (wa-innahumaa la’bi-imaamin mubeenin).
[17:71] A day we will call all human beings with their guide (yawma nad’`uu kulla unaasin bi-imaamihim). Then, whoever has been given his record in his right hand, then those will read their record, and they will not be wronged like a thin covering on a date seed
[21:73] And we had made them (Isaac and Jacob) leaders (wa-ja`alnaahum aimmatan), they had guided with our commandments, and we had inspired to them doing of the good deeds, and of establishing the salat prayer and of giving the zakat, and they had been worshipers of us.
[25:74] And those who say, “Our Lord, grant for us from our spouses and our children a comfort on our eyes, and make us a leader for the righteous (wa-ij’`alnaa lil’muttaqeena imaaman).”
[28:5] And we want that we would bestow favor upon those who have been oppressed in the earth, and we make them leaders (wa-naj’`alahum aimmatan) and we make them the inheritors.
[28:41] And we have made them leaders to invite to the Fire (wa-ja`alnaahum aimmatan ud’`uuna ilaa al-naari) and a day of the Resurrection they will not be helped.
[32:24] And we have made leaders from them to guide by our command (wa-ja`alnaa minhum aimmatan yah’duuna bi-amrinaa), when they had been steadfast and had done to ascertain with our revelations.
[36:12] Indeed, we give life to the dead, and we record what they have sent forth and their footprints, and everything we have counted it is in a clear guide (wa-kulla shayin ah’saynaahu fee imaamin mubeenin).
[46:12] And from before of it, a scripture of Moses was a guide and mercy (kitaabu muusaa imaaman wa-rah’matan), and this is a scripture confirming in Arabic language to warn those who have done wrong and a good news for the good-doers.
Instances of ummiy
There are 6 instances of ummiy meaning gentile in the nominal (noun/adjective) form found in 6 verses of 5 surahs in the Quran, which are detailed below to understand that gentile means who do not know or read or follow the scripture, while there is misinterpretation around us that ummiy means illiterate:
[2:78] And among them there are gentiles who do not know the scripture (ummiyyuuna laa-ya’lamuuna al-kitaaba), except wishful thinking, nor do they do except guess.
[3:20] So, if they argue with you (prophet), then say, “I have submitted myself to God and whoever has followed me.” And you shall say to those who have been given the scripture and the gentiles (wa-al-ummiyeena) (those who have not been given the scripture), “Have you submitted yourselves?” Then if they have submitted, then certainly, they have been guided, but if they have turned away, then only upon you (prophet) is the conveyance (of the message), while God is Seer of the servants.
[3:75] And from a people of the scripture, there is whoever, if you entrust him with a lot, he will return it to you, and from them there is whoever, if you entrust him with a single dinar, he will not return it to you except that you have kept standing over him. That is of that they said, “It has not been any obligation upon us in the gentiles (laysa `alaynaa fee al-ummiyyeena sabeelan).” And they say the lie about God, while they know.
[62:2] He is One Who has raised a messenger (Muhammad) in the gentiles from them (huwa alladhee ba`atha fee al-ummiyyeena rasuulan minhum) to recite His revelations to them, and to purify them, and to teach them the scripture and the wisdom, even though they had been surely in a clear straying before.
[7:157] Those who follow the messenger, the gentile prophet (Muhammad) (alladheena yattabi`uuna al-rasuula al-nabiya al-ummiya) whom they (Jews and Christians) find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel. He (the gentile messenger prophet) commands them to the right and forbids them from the evil; and he makes lawful for them the good things and makes unlawful upon them the bad things; and he relieves from them their burdens and the shackles, which have been upon them. So, those who have believed in him, and have honored him, and have helped him, and have followed the light with him, which has been sent down. Those – they are the successful ones.
[7:158] Say, “O the people; indeed, I (Muhammad) am a messenger of God to you all, Whom to Him is dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no god except He. He gives life and causes death.” So, you shall believe in God and His messenger, the gentile prophet (Muhammad) (fa-aaminuu bi-allahi wa-rasuulihi al-nabiyi al-ummiyi), who believes in God and His words, and shall follow him so that you may be guided.
Instances of ummah
There are 64 instances of ummah meaning community/nation in the noun form in the Quran, 25 instances found in 24 verses are detailed below to understand their meanings in different contexts:
[2:128] “Our Lord, and make us (Abraham and Ismael) Submitters to You, and from our descendants a community of Submitters to You (wa-min dhurriyyatinaa ummatan mus’limatan laka), and show us our ways of worship and turn to us. Indeed, You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.”
[2:134] That was a community certainly has passed (tilka ummatan qad khalat); for it what it had earned and for you what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they had done to accomplish.
[2:141] That was a community certainly has passed (tilka ummatan qad khalat); for it what it had earned and for you what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they had done to accomplish.
[2:143] And thus that we have made you a middle community (wa-kadhaalika ja`al’naakum ummatan wasatan) that you will be witnesses over the people, and the messenger will be a witness over you. And we have not made the direction of prayer, which you had been on it except that we make evident whoever follows the messenger from whoever turns back on his heels. And indeed, it has been certainly a great test except for those whom God has guided. And it has not been God that He will let go waste your faith. Indeed, God is surely Kind, Merciful to the people.
[2:213] Mankind had been a single community (kaana al-naasu ummatan waahidatan) as God has raised up (from them) the prophets as bearers of good news and bearers of warning, while He has sent down with them the scripture with the truth to judge between of the people in what they had differed in it. And there has not differed in it except those who had been given it what had come to them the clear proofs out of jealousy between of them. So, God has guided those who have believed to what they had differed in it of the truth with His permission, and God guides whoever He wills to a straight path.
[3:104] And that there may be a community from you (wal-takun minkum ummatan) to invite to the good, and to enjoin with the just, and to forbid from the evil. And those – they are the successful ones.
[3:110] You have been a best community that has been raised for the people (kuntum khayra ummatin ukh’rijat lil’nnaasi) to enjoin with the just, and to forbid from the evil, and to believe in God. And if a people of the scripture had believed, surely, it would have been better for them. Of them there are the believers, while most of them are the disobedient.
[3:113] They have not been the same; from a people of the scripture there is a community of righteousness (min ahli al-kitaabi ummatun qaaimatun) that recites God’s revelations in hours of the night, while they prostrate.
[4:41] So how would it be when we have brought of a witness from every community (fa-kayfa idhaa ji`naa min kulli ummatin bi-shaheedin), and we have brought of you witness upon these people?
[5:48] And we have sent down to you (prophet) the scripture (Quran) with the truth, confirming that which was before of it of the scripture, and consolidating on it. That you shall judge between of them with which God has sent down, and do not follow their wishes when there has come to you of the truth. For each we have made law and rite; and if God had willed that He would have made you (people) one community (wa-law shaa-a allahu la’ja`alakum ummatan waahidatan); but to test you in which He has given you. So, you shall race for the good. To God is your return for all, then He will inform you of what you have done to differ.
[5:66] And if that they had upheld the Torah and the Gospel, and what has been sent down to them from their Lord, surely, they would have eaten from their above and from beneath of their feet. Of them there is a community of moderate ones (minhum ummatan muq’tasidatun), while many of them have been evil for what they do.
[6:38] And neither of a creature in the earth nor a bird flies with its wings, but are communities like you (wa-maa min dabbatin feel al-ardi wa-laa-taairin yateeru bi-janaahayhi illaa umamun amthaalukum). We have not left out of anything in the scripture; then to their Lord they will be gathered.
[6:42] And that certainly, we had sent to communities from before of you (prophet) (wa-laqad arsalnaa ilaa umamin min qablika), then we had seized them with the adversity and the hardship, that they may humble.
[6:108] And you (believers) do not insult those whom they call on other than God, lest they may insult God in enmity having no knowledge. Thus that we have made fair seeming their deed for every community (kadhaalika zayyannaa likulli ummatin `amalahum). Then to their Lord is their return that He will inform them of what they have done to accomplish.
[7:34] And for each community there is a term (wa-likulli ummatin ajalun). So, when there has come their term, they cannot seek to delay an hour, nor can they seek to advance.
[7:38] He said, “Enter among communities, certainly has passed from before of you from the jinn and the human in the Fire (ud’khuluu fee umamin qad khalat min qablikum min al-jinni wa-al-insi fee al-naari).” Every time a group has entered, its sister group has cursed until when they shall overtake one another in it all; the last of them said for the first of them, “Our Lord, these have misled us, so give them a double punishment of the Fire.” He said, “For each there is a double, but you do not know.”
[7:159] And from a people of Moses was a community (wa-min qawmi muusaa ummatun), which guides with the truth and with it they establish justice.
[7:160] And we had divided them into twelve tribes of communities (wa-qatta`naahumu ith’natay `ash’rata as’baatan umaman), and we inspired to Moses when his people had asked him for water that you shall strike the rock with your staff that there had gushed forth twelve springs from it; certainly, each tribe had known of their drinking place. And we had shaded them with the clouds and had sent down to them the manna and the quail: you shall eat from good things what we have provided for you. And they had not wronged to us, but they had done to wrong to themselves.
[7:164] And when a community from them had said (wa-idh qaalat ummatun minhum), “Why do you preach a people whom God is going to destroy them or is going to punish them a severe punishment?” They said, “There is exoneration to your Lord, and that they may fear.”
[7:168] And we have divided them into communities in the earth (wa-qatta`naahum feel al-ardi umaman). Of them there are the righteous and of them there are other than that. And we have tested them with the good and the bad that they may return.
[7:181] And from whoever we have created a community (wa-mimman khalaqnaa ummatan), they guide with the truth and with it they establish justice.
[10:19] And it has not been the people except one community (wa-maa kaana al-naasu illaa ummatan waahidatan), then they have differed. If it had not been a word from your Lord has preceded, surely they would have been judged between of them in what they differ in it.
[10:47] And to every community there is a messenger (wa-likulli ummatin rasuulun) that when has come their messenger, has been judged between of them with the justice, and they will not be wronged.
[10:49] Say, “I (prophet) do not possess any power for myself to any harm, nor to any benefit except what God wills.” For every community there is a term (likulli ummatin ajalun). When there has come their term that they cannot remain behind an hour, nor can they precede.
Reviewed 43 instances found in 41 verses consisting of 12 instances of imaam in 12 verses, and 6 instances of ummiy in 5 verses, and 25 instances of ummah in 24 verses in the Quran to help us understand their appropriate meanings in different contexts.
The Quran has given explanation and clarification of everything what we need as a guidance and statute book for the mankind to guide to the path of God, while it also serves as a dictionary for many words used in it that we can avoid misinterpretation of messages in it reflecting to appropriate meanings of words in different texts, and also controversies about many matters.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (06/27/2025).