Al-'Alaq — English Translation

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ﴿1﴾

Recite in the name of your Lord who created –

خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ ﴿2﴾

Created man from a clinging substance.

ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ ﴿3﴾

Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous -

ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ ﴿4﴾

Who taught by the pen –

عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ ﴿5﴾

Taught man that which he knew not.

كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لَيَطْغَىٰٓ ﴿6﴾

No! [But] indeed, man transgresses

أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسْتَغْنَىٰٓ ﴿7﴾

Because he sees himself self-sufficient.

إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجْعَىٰٓ ﴿8﴾

Indeed, to your Lord is the return.

أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يَنْهَىٰ ﴿9﴾

Have you seen the one who forbids

عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰٓ ﴿10﴾

A servant when he prays?

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ ﴿11﴾

Have you seen if he is upon guidance

أَوْ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقْوَىٰٓ ﴿12﴾

Or enjoins righteousness?

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ﴿13﴾

Have you seen if he denies and turns away -

أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ ﴿14﴾

Does he not know that Allāh sees?

كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ ﴿15﴾

No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock[1952] –

نَاصِيَةٍۢ كَٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍۢ ﴿16﴾

A lying, sinning forelock.

فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُۥ ﴿17﴾

Then let him call his associates;

سَنَدْعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ ﴿18﴾

We will call the angels of Hell.[1953]

كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَٱسْجُدْ وَٱقْتَرِب ۩ ﴿19﴾

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