Al-'Alaq

ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ١

Iqraʾ bismi rabbikal-ladhī khalaq.

Recite in the name of your Lord who created –

خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِنۡ عَلَقٍ ٢

Khalaqal-insāna min ʿalaq.

Created man from a clinging substance.

ٱقۡرَأۡ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡأَكۡرَمُ ٣

Iqraʾ wa rabbukal-akram.

Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous -

ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ ٤

Al-ladhī ʿallama bil-qalam.

Who taught by the pen –

عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ ٥

ʿAllamal-insāna mā lam yaʿlam.

Taught man that which he knew not.

كـَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لَيَطۡغَىٰٓ ٦

Kallā innal-insāna layaṭghā.

No! [But] indeed, man transgresses

أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰٓ ٧

Ar raʾāhustaghnā.

Because he sees himself self-sufficient.

إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجۡعَىٰٓ ٨

Inna ilā rabbikar-rujʿā.

Indeed, to your Lord is the return.

أَرَءَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِي يَنۡهَىٰ ٩

Araʾaytal-ladhī yanhā.

Have you seen the one who forbids

عَبۡدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰٓ ١٠

ʿAbdan idhā ṣallā.

A servant when he prays?

أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ ١١

Araʾayta in kāna ʿalal-hudā.

Have you seen if he is upon guidance

أَوۡ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقۡوَىٰٓ ١٢

Aw amara bit-taqwā.

Or enjoins righteousness?

أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ١٣

Araʾayta in kadhdhaba wa tawallā.

Have you seen if he denies and turns away -

أَلَمۡ يَعۡلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ ١٤

Alam yaʿlam biʾannallāha yarā.

Does he not know that Allāh sees?

كـَلَّا لَئِن لَّمۡ يَنتَهِ لَنَسۡفَعَۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ ١٥

Kallā laʾil lam yantahi lanasfaʿam bin-nāṣiyah.

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

نَاصِيَةٖ كَٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٖ ١٦

Nāṣiyatin kādhibatin khāṭiʾah.

A lying, sinning forelock.

فَلۡيَدۡعُ نَادِيَهُۥ ١٧

Falyadʿu nādiyah.

Then let him call his associates;

سَنَدۡعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ ١٨

Sanadʿuz-zabāniyah.

We will call the angels of Hell.¹

كـَلَّا لَا تُطِعۡهُ وَٱسۡجُدۡۤ وَٱقۡتَرِب۩ ١٩

Kallā lā tuṭiʿhu wasjud waqtarib.

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