Surah Al-‘Alaq

Translation: Abdul Mannan Omar. Open a verse to compare translations and read its commentary.

1. 1 اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ Recite with the name of your Lord Who created (all the universe),
2. 2 خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ Who (also) created human being from a clot of blood.
3. 3 اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ Proclaim, for your Lord is the Most Benignant;
4. 4 الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ Who taught knowledge by means of the pen,
5. 5 عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ He taught human being what he did not know.
6. 6 كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَيَطْغَىٰ Nay! (it is not at all as these people think), this human being does indeed indulge in transgression,
7. 7 أَنْ رَآهُ اسْتَغْنَىٰ Because he thinks himself to be independent (of God).
8. 8 إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَىٰ (Mankind!) surely, to your Lord is the ultimate return (of you all to be accounted for your deeds).
9. 9 أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَىٰ Have you considered (the case of one) who forbids
10. 10 عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰ A servant (of God) when he prays (to His Lord)?
11. 11 أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدَىٰ (Mankind!) do you ever consider if he (who prays to God) follows the right guidance,
12. 12 أَوْ أَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوَىٰ Or enjoins guarding against evil. (How bad will be the end of that forbidder?)
13. 13 أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ Do you (also) consider if a person (- the rejecter of Divine commandments) belies (them) and turns his back (upon the truth, what his end will be like)?
14. 14 أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَىٰ Does He not know that Allâh indeed observes (all)?
15. 15 كَلَّا لَئِنْ لَمْ يَنْتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًا بِالنَّاصِيَةِ Nay, (it will never be as the rejecter desires.) If he does not desist (from these wicked ways), We shall assuredly (seize him and) drag him by the forelock -
16. 16 نَاصِيَةٍ كَاذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ A lying, sinful forelock!
17. 17 فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُ Then let him call members of his association.
18. 18 سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ We will call Our brave defending guards.
19. 19 كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ ۩ Nay, (he will never succeed in his evil designs.) Yield not to him, rather continue to prostrate yourself (before your Lord) and draw near (to Him). [Prostration]