Surah Al-`Alaq (The Clot) in English

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

1. اقرأ باسم ربك الذي خلق

   1

   Read in the Name of your Lord who created;

   iqraʾ bi-smi rabbika lladhī khalaqa

2. خلق الإنسان من علق

   2

   created man from a clinging mass.

   khalaqa l-ʾinsāna min ʿalaqin-i

3. اقرأ وربك الأكرم

   3

   Read, and your Lord is the most generous,

   iqraʾ wa-rabbuka l-ʾakramu

4. الذي علم بالقلم

   4

   who taught by the pen,

   alladhī ʿallama bi-l-qalami

5. علم الإنسان ما لم يعلم

   5

   taught man what he did not know.

   ʿallama l-ʾinsāna mā lam yaʿlam

6. كلا إن الإنسان ليطغى

   6

   Indeed man becomes rebellious

   kallā ʾinna l-ʾinsāna la-yaṭghā

7. أن رآه استغنى

   7

   when he considers himself without need.

   ʾan raʾāhu staghnā

8. إن إلى ربك الرجعى

   8

   Indeed to your Lord is the return.

   ʾinna ʾilā rabbika r-rujʿā

9. أرأيت الذي ينهى

   9

   Tell me, he who forbids

   ʾa-raʾayta lladhī yanhā

10. عبدا إذا صلى

    10

    a servant when he prays,

    ʿabdan ʾidhā ṣallā

11. أرأيت إن كان على الهدى

    11

    tell me, should he be on [true] guidance,

    ʾa-raʾayta ʾin kāna ʿalā l-hudā

12. أو أمر بالتقوى

    12

    or bid [others] to Godwariness,

    ʾaw ʾamara bi-t-taqwā

13. أرأيت إن كذب وتولى

    13

    tell me, should he call him a liar and turn away

    ʾa-raʾayta ʾin kadhdhaba wa-tawallā

14. ألم يعلم بأن الله يرى

    14

    —does he not know that Allah sees [him]?

    ʾa-lam yaʿlam bi-ʾanna llāha yarā

15. كلا لئن لم ينته لنسفعا بالناصية

    15

    No indeed! If he does not cease, We shall seize him by the forelock,

    kallā la-ʾin lam yantahi la-nasfaʿan bi-n-nāṣiyati

16. ناصية كاذبة خاطئة

    16

    a lying, sinful forelock!

    nāṣiyatin kādhibatin khāṭiʾatin

17. فليدع ناديه

    17

    Then let him call out his gang!

    fa-l-yadʿu nādiyahū

18. سندع الزبانية

    18

    We [too] shall call the keepers of hell.

    sa-nadʿu z-zabāniyata

19. Obligatory prostration

    كلا لا تطعه واسجد واقترب

    19

    No indeed! Do not obey him, but prostrate and draw near [to Allah]!

    kallā lā tuṭiʿhu wa-sjud wa-qtarib