Surah Al-'A`lá (The Most High) in English

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

1. سبح اسم ربك الأعلى

   1

   Celebrate the Name of your Lord, the Most Exalted,

   sabbiḥi sma rabbika l-ʾaʿlā

2. الذي خلق فسوى

   2

   who created and proportioned,

   alladhī khalaqa fa-sawwā

3. والذي قدر فهدى

   3

   who determined and guided,

   wa-lladhī qaddara fa-hadā

4. والذي أخرج المرعى

   4

   who brought forth the pasture

   wa-lladhī ʾakhraja l-marʿā

5. فجعله غثاء أحوى

   5

   and then turned it into a black scum.

   fa-jaʿalahū ghuthāʾan ʾaḥwā

6. سنقرئك فلا تنسى

   6

   We shall have you recite [the Quran], then you will not forget [any of it]

   sa-nuqriʾuka fa-lā tansā

7. إلا ما شاء الله إنه يعلم الجهر وما يخفى

   7

   except what Allah may wish. Indeed, He knows the open and what is hidden.

   ʾillā mā shāʾa llāhu ʾinnahū yaʿlamu l-jahra wa-mā yakhfā

8. ونيسرك لليسرى

   8

   And We shall ease you into facility.

   wa-nuyassiruka li-l-yusrā

9. فذكر إن نفعت الذكرى

   9

   So admonish, for admonition is indeed beneficial:

   fa-dhakkir ʾin nafaʿati dh-dhikrā

10. سيذكر من يخشى

    10

    he who fears [God] will take admonition,

    sa-yadhdhakkaru man yakhshā

11. ويتجنبها الأشقى

    11

    and the most wretched will shun it

    wa-yatajannabuhā l-ʾashqā

12. الذي يصلى النار الكبرى

    12

    —he who will enter the Great Fire,

    alladhī yaṣlā n-nāra l-kubrā

13. ثم لا يموت فيها ولا يحيى

    13

    then he will neither live in it, nor die.

    thumma lā yamūtu fīhā wa-lā yaḥyā

14. قد أفلح من تزكى

    14

    ‘Felicitous is he who purifies himself,

    qad ʾaflaḥa man tazakkā

15. وذكر اسم ربه فصلى

    15

    celebrates the Name of his Lord, and prays.

    wa-dhakara sma rabbihī fa-ṣallā