Section 1: Verses 1–19
Thematic progression across verses 1–19
ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ 1
Iqra bismi rab bikal lazee khalaq
Read: In the Name of your Lord who created
خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِنۡ عَلَقٍ 2
Khalaqal insaana min 'alaq
Created man from a clot
ٱقۡرَأۡ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡأَكۡرَمُ 3
Iqra wa rab bukal akram
Read: And your Lord is the Most Generous
ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ 4
Al lazee 'allama bil qalam
He who taught by the pen
عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ 5
Al lamal insaana ma lam y'alam
Taught man what he never knew
كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لَيَطۡغَىٰٓ 6
Kallaa innal insaana layatghaa
In fact, man oversteps all bounds
أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰٓ 7
Ar-ra aahus taghnaa
When he considers himself exempt
إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجۡعَىٰٓ 8
Innna ilaa rabbikar ruj'aa
But to your Lord is the return
أَرَءَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِي يَنۡهَىٰ 9
Ara-aital lazee yanhaa
Have you seen him who prevents
عَبۡدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰٓ 10
Abdan iza sallaa
A servant when he prays
أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ 11
Ara-aita in kana 'alal hudaa
Do you think he is upon guidance
أَوۡ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقۡوَىٰٓ 12
Au amara bit taqwaa
Or advocates righteousness
أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ 13
Ara-aita in kaz zaba wa ta walla
Do you see how he disbelieved and turned away
أَلَمۡ يَعۡلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ 14
Alam y'alam bi-an nal lahaa yaraa
Does he not know that God sees
كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمۡ يَنتَهِ لَنَسۡفَعَۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ 15
Kalla la illam yantahi la nasfa'am bin nasiyah
No. If he does not desist, We will drag him by the forelock
نَاصِيَةࣲ كَٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةࣲ 16
Nasiyatin kazi batin khaatiyah
A deceitful, sinful forelock
فَلۡيَدۡعُ نَادِيَهُۥ 17
Fal yad'u naadiyah
Let him call on his gang
سَنَدۡعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ 18
Sanad 'uz zabaaniyah
We will call the Guards
كَلَّا لَا تُطِعۡهُ وَٱسۡجُدۡۤ وَٱقۡتَرِب۩ 19
Kalla; la tuti'hu wasjud waqtarib
No, do not obey him; but kneel down, and come near