Surah 96. Al-Alaq — The Clot
This translation is a work in progress and has the status of a draft; the text is still being checked and may change.
The English text of surah 96 (Al-Alaq, “The Clot”), 19 verses, from the public-domain translation The Holy Qur'an by Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1934), shown next to the Arabic original. Read this surah interactively.
Proclaim! (or read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created-
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood:
خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ
Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful,-
ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ
He Who taught (the use of) the pen,-
ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ
Taught man that which he knew not.
عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ
Nay, but man doth transgress all bounds,
كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لَيَطْغَىٰٓ
In that he looketh upon himself as self-sufficient.
أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسْتَغْنَىٰٓ
Verily, to thy Lord is the return (of all).
إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجْعَىٰٓ
Seest thou one who forbids-
أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يَنْهَىٰ
A votary when he (turns) to pray?
عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰٓ
Seest thou if he is on (the road of) Guidance?-
أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ
Or enjoins Righteousness?
أَوْ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقْوَىٰٓ
Seest thou if he denies (Truth) and turns away?
أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
Knoweth he not that Allah doth see?
أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ
Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock,-
كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ
A lying, sinful forelock!
نَاصِيَةٍ كَٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ
Then, let him call (for help) to his council (of comrades):
فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُۥ
We will call on the angels of punishment (to deal with him)!
سَنَدْعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ
Nay, heed him not: But bow down in adoration, and bring thyself the closer (to Allah)!
كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَٱسْجُدْ وَٱقْتَرِب