96. Al-'Alaq

ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ

Recite in the name of your Lord who created

iq'ra bi-is'mi rabbika alladhī khalaqa

خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ

Created man from a clinging substance.

khalaqa l-insāna min ʿalaqin

ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ

Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous -

iq'ra warabbuka l-akramu

ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ

Who taught by the pen

alladhī ʿallama bil-qalami

عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ

Taught man that which he knew not.

ʿallama l-insāna mā lam yaʿlam

كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَيَطْغَىٰٓ

No! [But] indeed, man transgresses

kallā inna l-insāna layaṭghā

أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسْتَغْنَىٰٓ

Because he sees himself self-sufficient.

an raāhu is'taghnā

إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجْعَىٰٓ

Indeed, to your Lord is the return.

inna ilā rabbika l-ruj'ʿā

أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يَنْهَىٰ

Have you seen the one who forbids

ara-ayta alladhī yanhā

عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰٓ

A servant when he prays?

ʿabdan idhā ṣallā

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ

Have you seen if he is upon guidance

ara-ayta in kāna ʿalā l-hudā

أَوْ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقْوَىٰٓ

Or enjoins righteousness?

aw amara bil-taqwā

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ

Have you seen if he denies and turns away -

ara-ayta in kadhaba watawallā

أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ

Does he not know that Allāh sees?

alam yaʿlam bi-anna l-laha yarā

كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ

No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock1

kallā la-in lam yantahi lanasfaʿan bil-nāṣiyati

نَاصِيَةٍ كَـٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ

A lying, sinning forelock.

nāṣiyatin kādhibatin khāṭi-atin

فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُۥ

Then let him call his associates;

falyadʿu nādiyahu

سَنَدْعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ

We will call the angels of Hell.1

sanadʿu l-zabāniyata

كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَٱسْجُدْ وَٱقْتَرِب ۩

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

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