Section 1: Verses 1–42
Thematic progression across verses 1–42
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ 1
Abasa wa tawallaa
He frowned and turned away
أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ 2
An jaa-ahul 'a-maa
When the blind man approached him
وَمَا يُدۡرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ 3
Wa maa yudreeka la'allahu yaz zakkaa
But how do you know? Perhaps he was seeking to purify himself
أَوۡ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰٓ 4
Au yaz zak karu fatanfa 'ahuz zikraa
Or be reminded, and the message would benefit him
أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ 5
Amma manis taghnaa
But as for him who was indifferent
فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ 6
Fa-anta lahu tasaddaa
You gave him your attention
وَمَا عَلَيۡكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ 7
Wa ma 'alaika allaa yaz zakka
Though you are not liable if he does not purify himself
وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسۡعَىٰ 8
Wa amma man jaa-aka yas'a
But as for him who came to you seeking
وَهُوَ يَخۡشَىٰ 9
Wahuwa yakhshaa
In awe
فَأَنتَ عَنۡهُ تَلَهَّىٰ 10
Fa-anta 'anhu talah haa
To him you were inattentive
كَلَّآ إِنَّهَا تَذۡكِرَةࣱ 11
Kalla innaha tazkirah
Do not. This is a Lesson
فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ 12
Faman shaa a zakarah
Whoever wills, shall remember it
فِي صُحُفࣲ مُّكَرَّمَةࣲ 13
Fi suhufim mukar rama
On honorable pages
مَّرۡفُوعَةࣲ مُّطَهَّرَةِۭ 14
Marfoo'atim mutah hara
Exalted and purified
بِأَيۡدِي سَفَرَةࣲ 15
Bi'aidee safara
By the hands of scribes
كِرَامِۭ بَرَرَةࣲ 16
Kiraamim bararah
Noble and devoted
قُتِلَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مَآ أَكۡفَرَهُۥ 17
Qutilal-insanu maa akfarah
Perish man! How thankless he is
مِنۡ أَيِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ 18
Min aiyyi shai-in Khalaq
From what did He create him
مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ 19
Min nutfah; khalaqahu faqad-darah
From a sperm drop He created him, and enabled him
ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُۥ 20
Thummas sabeela yas-sarah
Then He eased the way for him
ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُۥ فَأَقۡبَرَهُۥ 21
Thumma amatahu fa-aqbarah
Then He puts him to death, and buries him
ثُمَّ إِذَا شَآءَ أَنشَرَهُۥ 22
Thumma iza shaa-a ansharah
Then, when He wills, He will resurrect him
كَلَّا لَمَّا يَقۡضِ مَآ أَمَرَهُۥ 23
Kalla lamma yaqdi maa amarah
But no, he did not fulfill what He has commanded him
فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦٓ 24
Falyanzuril insanu ilaa ta-amih
Let man consider his food
أَنَّا صَبَبۡنَا ٱلۡمَآءَ صَبࣰّ ا 25
Anna sabab nalmaa-a sabba
We pour down water in abundance
ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ شَقࣰّ ا 26
Thumma sha qaqnal-arda shaqqa
Then crack the soil open
فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا حَبࣰّ ا 27
Fa ambatna feeha habba
And grow in it grains
وَعِنَبࣰ ا وَقَضۡبࣰ ا 28
Wa 'inabaw-wa qadba
And grapes and herbs
وَزَيۡتُونࣰ ا وَنَخۡلࣰ ا 29
Wa zaitoonaw wanakh la
And olives and dates
وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلۡبࣰ ا 30
Wa hadaa-iqa ghulba
And luscious gardens
وَفَٰكِهَةࣰ وَأَبࣰّ ا 31
Wa faki hataw-wa abba
And fruits and vegetables
مَّتَٰعࣰ ا لَّكُمۡ وَلِأَنۡعَٰمِكُمۡ 32
Mata'al-lakum wa li-an'amikum
Enjoyment for you, and for your livestock
فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلصَّآخَّةُ 33
Faiza jaa-atis saakhah
But when the Deafening Noise comes to pass
يَوۡمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِيهِ 34
Yauma yafir-rul mar-u min akheeh
The Day when a person will flee from his brother
وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ 35
Wa ummihee wa abeeh
And his mother and his father
وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ 36
Wa sahi batihee wa baneeh
And his consort and his children
لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِيࣲٕ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذࣲ شَأۡنࣱ يُغۡنِيهِ 37
Likul limri-im-minuhm yaumaa-izin shaa nuy-yughneeh
Every one of them, on that Day, will have enough to preoccupy him
وُجُوهࣱ يَوۡمَئِذࣲ مُّسۡفِرَةࣱ 38
Wujoo huny-yauma-izim-musfira
Faces on that Day will be radiant
ضَاحِكَةࣱ مُّسۡتَبۡشِرَةࣱ 39
Dahi katum mustab shirah
Laughing and rejoicing
وَوُجُوهࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَلَيۡهَا غَبَرَةࣱ 40
Wa wujoohuy yauma-izin 'alaiha ghabar a
And Faces on that Day will be covered with misery
تَرۡهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ 41
Tarhaquha qatarah
Overwhelmed by remorse
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَفَرَةُ ٱلۡفَجَرَةُ 42
Ulaa-ika humul-kafa ratul-fajarah
These are the faithless, the vicious