Surah Al 'Alaq

Translation by:
Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

1. اِقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَۚ

   Iqra' bismi rabbikal-lażī khalaq(a).

   Read, ˹O Prophet,˺ in the Name of your Lord Who created—

2. خَلَقَ الْاِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍۚ

   Khalaqal-insāna min ‘alaq(in).

   created humans from a clinging clot.

3. اِقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْاَكْرَمُۙ

   Iqra' wa rabbukal-akram(u).

   Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous,

4. الَّذِيْ عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِۙ

   Allażī ‘allama bil-qalam(i).

   Who taught by the pen—

5. عَلَّمَ الْاِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْۗ

   ‘Allamal-insāna mā lam ya‘lam.

   taught humanity what they knew not.

6. كَلَّآ اِنَّ الْاِنْسَانَ لَيَطْغٰىٓ ۙ

   Kallā innal-insāna layaṭgā.

   Most certainly, one exceeds all bounds

7. اَنْ رَّاٰهُ اسْتَغْنٰىۗ

   Ar ra'āhustagnā.

   once they think they are self-sufficient.

8. اِنَّ اِلٰى رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعٰىۗ

   Inna ilā rabbikar-ruj‘ā.

   ˹But˺ surely to your Lord is the return ˹of all˺.

9. اَرَاَيْتَ الَّذِيْ يَنْهٰىۙ

   Ara'aital-lażī yanhā.

   Have you seen the man who prevents

10. عَبْدًا اِذَا صَلّٰىۗ

    ‘Abdan iżā ṣallā.

    a servant ˹of Ours˺ from praying?

11. اَرَاَيْتَ اِنْ كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدٰىٓۙ

    Ara'aita in kāna ‘alal-hudā.

    What if this ˹servant˺ is ˹rightly˺ guided,

12. اَوْ اَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوٰىۗ

    Au amara bit-taqwā.

    or encourages righteousness?

13. اَرَاَيْتَ اِنْ كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلّٰىۗ

    Ara'aita in każżaba wa tawallā.

    What if that ˹man˺ persists in denial and turns away?

14. اَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِاَنَّ اللّٰهَ يَرٰىۗ

    Alam ya‘lam bi'annallāha yarā.

    Does he not know that Allah sees ˹all˺?

15. كَلَّا لَىِٕنْ لَّمْ يَنْتَهِ ەۙ لَنَسْفَعًاۢ بِالنَّاصِيَةِۙ

    Kallā la'il lam yantah(i), lanasfa‘am bin-nāṣiyah(ti).

    But no! If he does not desist, We will certainly drag him by the forelock—

16. نَاصِيَةٍ كَاذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍۚ

    Nāṣiyatin kāżibatin khāṭi'ah(tin).

    a lying, sinful forelock.

17. فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهٗۙ

    Falyad‘u nādiyah(ū).

    So let him call his associates.

18. سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَۙ

    Sanad‘uz-zabāniyah(ta).

    We will call the wardens of Hell.

19. كَلَّاۗ لَا تُطِعْهُ وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ ۩ ࣖ

    Kallā, lā tuṭi‘hu wasjud waqtarib.

    Again, no! Never obey him ˹O Prophet˺! Rather, ˹continue to˺ prostrate and draw near ˹to Allah˺.