Surah Al-'Alaq (The Clot)

سُورَةُ العلق

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1. ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ﴿١﴾

   96:1 Recite in the name of your Lord who created –

2. خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِنۡ عَلَقٍ ﴿٢﴾

   96:2 Created man from a clinging substance.

3. ٱقۡرَأۡ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡأَكۡرَمُ ﴿٣﴾

   96:3 Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous -

4. ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ ﴿٤﴾

   96:4 Who taught by the pen –

5. عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ ﴿٥﴾

   96:5 Taught man that which he knew not.

6. كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لَيَطۡغَىٰٓ ﴿٦﴾

   96:6 No! [But] indeed, man transgresses

7. أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰٓ ﴿٧﴾

   96:7 Because he sees himself self-sufficient.

8. إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجۡعَىٰٓ ﴿٨﴾

   96:8 Indeed, to your Lord is the return.

9. أَرَءَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِي يَنۡهَىٰ ﴿٩﴾

   96:9 Have you seen the one who forbids

10. عَبۡدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰٓ ﴿١٠﴾

    96:10 A servant when he prays?

11. أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ ﴿١١﴾

    96:11 Have you seen if he is upon guidance

12. أَوۡ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقۡوَىٰٓ ﴿١٢﴾

    96:12 Or enjoins righteousness?

13. أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ﴿١٣﴾

    96:13 Have you seen if he denies and turns away -

14. أَلَمۡ يَعۡلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ ﴿١٤﴾

    96:14 Does he not know that Allāh sees?

15. كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمۡ يَنتَهِ لَنَسۡفَعَۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ ﴿١٥﴾

    96:15 No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock[1952] –

    Notes

    [1952] It may also mean "slap him" or "blacken his face at the forelock."

16. نَاصِيَةٖ كَٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٖ ﴿١٦﴾

    96:16 A lying, sinning forelock.

17. فَلۡيَدۡعُ نَادِيَهُۥ ﴿١٧﴾

    96:17 Then let him call his associates;

18. سَنَدۡعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ ﴿١٨﴾

    96:18 We will call the angels of Hell.[1953]

    Notes

    [1953] Those who push the wicked into the Fire.

19. كَلَّا لَا تُطِعۡهُ وَٱسۡجُدۡۤ وَٱقۡتَرِب۩ ﴿١٩﴾

    96:19 No! Do not obey him. But prostrate and draw near [to Allāh].