Surah Al-'Alaq العلق

ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ١

Iqra' bismi rabbikal-ladhī khalaq

Recite in the name of your Lord who created –

خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِنۡ عَلَقٍ ٢

Khalaqal-insāna min 'alaq

Created man from a clinging substance.

ٱقۡرَأۡ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡأَكۡرَمُ ٣

Iqra' warabbukal-akram

Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous -

ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ ٤

Alladhī 'allama bil-qalam

Who taught by the pen –

عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ ٥

'Allamal-insāna mā lam ya'lam

Taught man that which he knew not.

كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لَيَطۡغَىٰٓ ٦

Kallā innal-insāna layatghā

No! [But] indeed, man transgresses

أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰٓ ٧

Ar ra'āhustaghnā

Because he sees himself self-sufficient.

إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجۡعَىٰٓ ٨

Inna ilā rabbikar-ruj'ā

Indeed, to your Lord is the return.

أَرَءَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِي يَنۡهَىٰ ٩

Ara'aytal-ladhī yanhā

Have you seen the one who forbids

عَبۡدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰٓ ١٠

'Abdan idhā sallā

A servant when he prays?

أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ ١١

Ara'ayta in kāna 'alal-hudā

Have you seen if he is upon guidance

أَوۡ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقۡوَىٰٓ ١٢

Aw amara bit-taqwā

Or enjoins righteousness?

أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ١٣

Ara'ayta in kaddhaba watawallā

Have you seen if he denies and turns away -

أَلَمۡ يَعۡلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ ١٤

Alam ya'lam bi annallāha yarā

Does he not know that Allāh sees?

كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمۡ يَنتَهِ لَنَسۡفَعَۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ ١٥

Kallā la il lam yantahi lanasfa'ā bin-nāsiyah

No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock¹⁹⁵² –

نَاصِيَةٖ كَٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٖ ١٦

Nāsiyatin kādhibatin khāti'ah

A lying, sinning forelock.

فَلۡيَدۡعُ نَادِيَهُۥ ١٧

Falyad'u nādiyah

Then let him call his associates;

سَنَدۡعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ ١٨

Sanad'uz-zabāniyah

We will call the angels of Hell.¹⁹⁵³

كَلَّا لَا تُطِعۡهُ وَٱسۡجُدۡۤ وَٱقۡتَرِب۩ ١٩

Kallā lā tuti'hu wasjud waqtarib

No! Do not obey him. But prostrate and draw near [to Allāh].