Surah Al-‘Alaq (96): Arabic, Transliteration and English

Full text of Surah Al-‘Alaq, verse by verse

Every verse is given in Arabic (Uthmani script), in transliteration and in English. To hear it recited, open our Quran audio page and choose this surah; the rules of recitation are explained on our tajweed page.

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ﴿١﴾

Iqra bismi rab bikal lazee khalaq

1 Recite in the name of your Lord who created -

خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ ﴿٢﴾

Khalaqal insaana min 'alaq

2 Created man from a clinging substance.

ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ ﴿٣﴾

Iqra wa rab bukal akram

3 Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous -

ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ ﴿٤﴾

Al lazee 'allama bil qalam

4 Who taught by the pen -

عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ ﴿٥﴾

'Al lamal insaana ma lam y'alam

5 Taught man that which he knew not.

كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لَيَطْغَىٰٓ ﴿٦﴾

Kallaa innal insaana layatghaa

6 No! [But] indeed, man transgresses

أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسْتَغْنَىٰٓ ﴿٧﴾

Ar-ra aahus taghnaa

7 Because he sees himself self-sufficient.

إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجْعَىٰٓ ﴿٨﴾

Innna ilaa rabbikar ruj'aa

8 Indeed, to your Lord is the return.

أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يَنْهَىٰ ﴿٩﴾

Ara-aital lazee yanhaa

9 Have you seen the one who forbids

عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰٓ ﴿١٠﴾

'Abdan iza sallaa

10 A servant when he prays?

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ ﴿١١﴾

Ara-aita in kana 'alal hudaa

11 Have you seen if he is upon guidance

أَوْ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقْوَىٰٓ ﴿١٢﴾

Au amara bit taqwaa

12 Or enjoins righteousness?

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ﴿١٣﴾

Ara-aita in kaz zaba wa ta walla

13 Have you seen if he denies and turns away -

أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ ﴿١٤﴾

Alam y'alam bi-an nal lahaa yaraa

14 Does he not know that Allah sees?

كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ ﴿١٥﴾

Kalla la illam yantahi la nasfa'am bin nasiyah

15 No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock -

نَاصِيَةٍۢ كَٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍۢ ﴿١٦﴾

Nasiyatin kazi batin khaatiyah

16 A lying, sinning forelock.

فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُۥ ﴿١٧﴾

Fal yad'u naadiyah

17 Then let him call his associates;

سَنَدْعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ ﴿١٨﴾

Sanad 'uz zabaaniyah

18 We will call the angels of Hell.

كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَٱسْجُدْ وَٱقْتَرِب ۩ ﴿١٩﴾

Kalla; la tuti'hu wasjud waqtarib

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

Sources: Arabic text in Uthmani script (Tanzil edition); English translation: Saheeh International; transliteration in standard Latin letters. Transliteration helps with pronunciation but cannot render every Arabic letter.