دِيمَة
Girl Arabic origin Dīma
“Gentle, steady rain” that falls long without storm
Asked how the Prophet ﷺ performed his deeds, ʿAʾisha answered: “His work was a dima”, that is, constant and regular, like gentle, steady rain (al-Bukhari 6466, 1987). The word is not in the Quran.
Dima means, according to lexicographers, rain that falls for a long time, gently, without thunder or lightning; it comes from the root d-w-m of duration (dawam, “continuity”). The dima is the image of constant, peaceful blessing. The name is very common in the Middle East; Dima is also, unrelatedly, a Russian masculine diminutive of Dmitri.
The name Deema does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (د و م) occurs 9 times. Examples:
خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ ١٠٧
[They will be] abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord should will. Indeed, your Lord is an effecter of what He intends.
وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ سُعِدُوا۟ فَفِى ٱلْجَنَّةِ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ عَطَآءً غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍ ١٠٨
And as for those who were [destined to be] prosperous, they will be in Paradise, abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord should will - a bestowal uninterrupted.
مَّثَلُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى وُعِدَ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ أُكُلُهَا دَآئِمٌ وَظِلُّهَا تِلْكَ عُقْبَى ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوا۟ وَّعُقْبَى ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ٱلنَّارُ ٣٥
The example [i.e., description] of Paradise, which the righteous have been promised, is [that] beneath it rivers flow. Its fruit is lasting, and its shade. That is the consequence for the righteous, and the consequence for the disbelievers is the Fire.
All the words of the root د و م in the Quran (9 occurrences)
لاَ، كَانَ عَمَلُهُ دِيمَةً، وَأَيُّكُمْ يَسْتَطِيعُ مَا كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْتَطِيعُ.
يَخْتَصُّ مِنَ الأَيَّامِ شَيْئًا قَالَتْ لاَ، كَانَ عَمَلُهُ دِيمَةً
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Deema in particular: the general rules of Islam apply.
Read the rules for choosing a name
This page is an aid to reflection, not a fatwa. For a personal case, ask a person of knowledge.
