Al-'Alaq · The Clot

ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ﴿١﴾

Recite in the name of your Lord who created

iq'ra bi-is'mi rabbika alladhī khalaqa

خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ ﴿٢﴾

Created man from a clinging substance.

khalaqa l-insāna min ʿalaqin

ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ ﴿٣﴾

Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous -

iq'ra warabbuka l-akramu

ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ ﴿٤﴾

Who taught by the pen

alladhī ʿallama bil-qalami

عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ ﴿٥﴾

Taught man that which he knew not.

ʿallama l-insāna mā lam yaʿlam

كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَيَطْغَىٰٓ ﴿٦﴾

No! [But] indeed, man transgresses

kallā inna l-insāna layaṭghā

أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسْتَغْنَىٰٓ ﴿٧﴾

Because he sees himself self-sufficient.

an raāhu is'taghnā

إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجْعَىٰٓ ﴿٨﴾

Indeed, to your Lord is the return.

inna ilā rabbika l-ruj'ʿā

أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يَنْهَىٰ ﴿٩﴾

Have you seen the one who forbids

ara-ayta alladhī yanhā

عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰٓ ﴿١٠﴾

A servant when he prays?

ʿabdan idhā ṣallā

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ ﴿١١﴾

Have you seen if he is upon guidance

ara-ayta in kāna ʿalā l-hudā

أَوْ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقْوَىٰٓ ﴿١٢﴾

Or enjoins righteousness?

aw amara bil-taqwā

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ﴿١٣﴾

Have you seen if he denies and turns away -

ara-ayta in kadhaba watawallā

أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ ﴿١٤﴾

Does he not know that Allāh sees?

alam yaʿlam bi-anna l-laha yarā

كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ ﴿١٥﴾

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

kallā la-in lam yantahi lanasfaʿan bil-nāṣiyati

نَاصِيَةٍۢ كَـٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍۢ ﴿١٦﴾

A lying, sinning forelock.

nāṣiyatin kādhibatin khāṭi-atin

فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُۥ ﴿١٧﴾

Then let him call his associates;

falyadʿu nādiyahu

سَنَدْعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ ﴿١٨﴾

We will call the angels of Hell.

sanadʿu l-zabāniyata

كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَٱسْجُدْ وَٱقْتَرِب ۩ ﴿١٩﴾

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

kallā lā tuṭiʿ'hu wa-us'jud wa-iq'tarib