Alim - Islamic software for Quran and Hadith
Back arrow Back
Bookmark iconBookmarks
Bookmark iconTranslation settings
Bookmark iconArabic font settings
Bookmark iconEnglish font settings
Bookmark iconReset global font settings
  • Al-Qur'anKids Qur'anAl Qur'an RecitersAl Qur'an VideosAl Qur'an TranslationsAl Qur'an Compare TranslationAl Qur'an TafsirAl-Quran Surah InformationAppendix
  • Hadith CollectionAl-Muwatta HadithFiqh-us-SunnahSahih Bukhari HadithSahih Muslim HadithNawawi HadithAl-TirmidhiHadith QudsiSunan of Abu Dawood HadithSunan an-Nasai HadithSunan Ibn Majah Hadith
  • Islamic HistoryAbout IslamKhalifa Abu BakrKhalifa Umar bin al-KhattabKhalifa Uthman ibn AffanKhalifa Ali bin Abu TalibProphet CompanionsStories of ProphetsHistory TimelineIslam PostersIslamic Terms DictionaryProphet's Last SermonPilgrimage
  • Duas CollectionQur'anic DuasMasnoon (Prophetic) DuasRamadan Days
  • Discussions
  • Search
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
What's new Donate Contact Us Alim Mobile App
mobile app svg

Surah 96. Al-Alaq

Home ➜
Al-Qur'an ➜
Previous Next
Your browser does not support the audio element.

Qur'an

Translation

Home ➜
Al-Qur'an ➜
Alim - Islamic software for Quran and Hadith
Loding surahs.
Loding juz list.
Loding page list.

Your search did not yield any results.

Print
96:6
كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَيَطْغَىٰٓ Kall a inna alins a na laya t gh a
Nay, verily, man becomes grossly overweening
  - Mohammad Asad
Nay! Indeed, man transgresses all bounds,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Most certainly, one exceeds all bounds
  - Mustafa Khattab
Nay, but verily man is rebellious
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Nay but man doth transgress all bounds 6208
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

All our knowledge and capacities come as gifts from Allah. But man, in his inordinate vanity and insolence, mistakes Allah's gifts for his own achievements. The gifts may be strength or beauty, wealth, position, or power, or the more subtle gifts of knowledge or talents in individuals,-or Science, or Art, or Government, or Organisation for mankind in general.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:7
أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسْتَغْنَىٰٓ An ra a hu istaghn a
whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient:
  - Mohammad Asad
in thinking himself to be self-sufficient,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
once they think they are self-sufficient.
  - Mustafa Khattab
That he thinketh himself independent!
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
In that he looketh upon himself as self-sufficient.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:8
إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجْعَىٰٓ Inna il a rabbika a l rrujAA a
for, behold, unto thy Sustainer all must return.4
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "is the return (ar-ruj'a)". This noun has here a twofold implication: "everyone will inescapably be brought before God for judgment", as well as "everything that exists goes back to God as its source". In ultimate analysis, the statement expressed in verses {6-8} rejects as absurd the arrogant idea that man could ever be self-sufficient and, hence, "master of his own fate"; furthermore, it implies that all moral concepts - that is, all discrimination between good and evil, or right and wrong - are indissolubly linked with the concept of man's responsibility to a Supreme Power: in other words, without such a feeling of responsibility - whether conscious or subconscious - the concept of "morality" as such loses all its meaning.

although surely towards your Rabb is his return.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'But' surely to your Lord is the return 'of all'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Lo! unto thy Lord is the return.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Verily to thy Lord is the return (of all). 6209
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Man is not self-sufficient, either as an individual, or in his collective capacity. If he arrogates Allah's gifts to himself, he is reminded-backwards, of his lowly physical origin (from a drop of animal matter), and forwards, of his responsibility and final retum to Allah.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:9
أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يَنْهَىٰ Araayta alla th ee yanh a
HAST THOU ever considered him who tries to prevent
  - Mohammad Asad
Have you seen the one (Abu Jahl) who forbids
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Have you seen the man who prevents
  - Mustafa Khattab
Hast thou seen him who dissuadeth
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Seest thou one who forbids. 6210
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The words, may be applied generally to perverse humanity, which seeks not only to rebel against Allah's Law, but also to prevent others from following it. There may however be a reference here to Abu Jahl, an inveterate enemy of Islam, who used in its early days to insult and persecute the holy Prophet and those who followed his teaching. He used, in particular, to use shameful methods to prevent the Prophet from going to the Ka'ba for devotions, and forbid any who came under his influence, from offering prayers or performing devotions. He was arrogant and purse-proud and met his end in the battle of Badr.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:10
عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰٓ AAabdan i tha s all a
a servant [of God] from praying?5
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "who forbids a servant [of God] when he prays", implying an attempt at preventing. Since this seems to refer to praying in public, most of the classical commentators see in this passage (which was revealed at least a year later than the first five verses) an allusion to Abu Jahl, the Prophet's bitterest opponent in Mecca, who persistently tried to prevent Muhammad and his followers from praying before the Ka'bah. However, there is no doubt that the purport of the above passage goes far beyond any historical incident or situation inasmuch as it applies to all attempts, at all times, to deny to religion (symbolized in the term "praying") its legitimate function in the shaping of social life - attempts made either in the conviction that religion is every individual's "private affair" and, therefore, must not be allowed to "intrude" into the realm of social considerations, or, alternatively, in the pursuit of the illusion that man is above any need of metaphysical guidance.

Our servant from offering Salah (prayer)?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
a servant 'of Ours' from praying?1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Abu Jahl was a staunch leader of the Meccan opposition to Islam. There are many authentic stories of his abuse of the Prophet (ﷺ).

A slave when he prayeth?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
A votary when he (turns) to pray?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:11
أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ Araayta in k a na AAal a alhud a
Hast thou considered whether he is on the right way,
  - Mohammad Asad
Have you considered, if He was on the right guidance,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
What if this 'servant' is 'rightly' guided,
  - Mustafa Khattab
Hast thou seen if he (relieth) on the guidance (of Allah)
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Seest thou if He is on (the road of) Guidance? 6211
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Man's insolence leads to two results: (1) self-destruction through self- misleading; (2) a false example or false guidance to others. The righteous man must therefore test human example or human guidance by the question, "Is there Allah's guidance behind it?" And visible light would be thrown on it by the question, "Does it lead to righteousness?" A flouting of Allah and Allah's truth answers the first question in the negative, and conduct which turns back from the eternal principles of Right answers the second.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:12
أَوْ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقْوَىٰٓ Aw amara bi al ttaqw a
or is concerned with God-consciousness?6
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "or enjoins God-consciousness (taqwa)" - i.e., whether his aim is to deepen his fellowmen's God-consciousness by insisting that religion is a purely personal matter: the obvious implication being that this is not his aim, and that he is not on the right way in thinking and acting as he does. - Throughout this work, the term taqwa - of which the present is the earliest instance in the chronology of Qur'anic revelation - has been rendered as "God-consciousness", with the same meaning attaching to the verbal forms from which this noun is derived. (See also surah {2}, note [2].).

or was enjoining true piety, why he would forbid someone from prayer?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
or encourages righteousness?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Or enjoineth piety?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Or enjoins Righteousness?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:13
أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ Araayta in ka thth aba watawall a
Hast thou considered whether he may [not] be giving the lie to the truth and turning his back [upon it]?7
  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "because in his arrogance he cannot face it".

Have you considered, if he denies the truth and turns away, what will happen?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
What if that 'man' persists in denial and turns away?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Hast thou seen if he denieth (Allah's guidance) and is froward?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Seest thou if he denies (Truth) and turns away? 6212
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The usual trick of the ungodly is to refuse to face Truth. If they are placed in a corner, they deny what is obvious to reasonable men, and turn their backs.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:14
أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ Alam yaAAlam bianna All a ha yar a
Does he, then, not know that God sees [all]?
  - Mohammad Asad
Does he not know that Allah is observing all things?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Does he not know that Allah sees 'all'?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Is he then unaware that Allah seeth?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Knoweth he not that Allah doth see?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:15
كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ Kall a lain lam yantahi lanasfaAAan bi al nn as iya ti
Nay, if he desist not, We shall most surely drag him down upon his forehead -8
  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "by his forelock" - an ancient Arabian expression denoting a person's utter subjection and humiliation (see 11:56 and the corresponding note [80]). However, as Razi points out, the term "forelock" (nasiyah) is here used metonymically for the place on which the forelock grows, i.e., the forehead (cf. also Taj al-'Arus).

Nay! Let him know that if he does not stop, We will drag him by the forelock,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
But no! If he does not desist, We will certainly drag him by the forelock-
  - Mustafa Khattab
Nay, but if he cease not, We will seize him by the forelock--
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Let him beware! If he desist not We will drag him by the forelock 6213
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xi. 56, and n. 1551. The forelock is on the forehead, and is thus symbolical of the summit and crown of the man's power or dignity. To be dragged by it is to suffer the lowest dregs of humiliation. Nasfa'an is a syncopated form of the emphatic first person plural.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:16
نَاصِيَةٍ كَـٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ N as iyatin k ath ibatin kh at ia tin
the lying, rebellious, forehead! -
  - Mohammad Asad
a lying, sinful forelock.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
a lying, sinful forelock.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 This refers to the frontal lobe of the brain, where reasoning is processed.

The lying, sinful forelock--
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
A lying sinful forelock!
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:17
فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُۥ FalyadAAu n a diyah u
and then let him summon [to his aid] the counsels of his own [spurious] wisdom,9
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "his council". According to the commentators who tend to interpret verses such as this in purely historical terms, this may be a reference to the traditional council of elders (dar annadwah) in pagan Mecca; but more probably, I think, it is an allusion to the arrogance which so often deludes man into regarding himself as "self-sufficient" (verses {6-7} above).

So let him call his supporters for help,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
So let him call his associates.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Then let him call upon his henchmen!
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then let him call (for help) to his council (of comrades): 6214
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Pagan Quraish, who formed an oppressive junta or council to manage the Ka'ba were in sympathy with Abu Jahl, though they did not go to the unbridled lengths to which Abu Jahl went. But they could not, all combined, resist the onward march of the divine mission, though they did all they could to check it.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:18
سَنَدْعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ SanadAAu a l zzab a niya ta
[the while] We shall summon the forces of heavenly chastisement!
  - Mohammad Asad
We too shall call the guards of hell to deal with him.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
We will call the wardens of Hell.
  - Mustafa Khattab
We will call the guards of hell.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
We will call on the angels of punishment (to deal with him)! 6215
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

All the combined forces of evil, though they may have worldly appearances in their favour, and though they may seem to be successful for a time, cannot stand against Allah. He has but to command His forces of punishment to exert themselves, and they will subdue evil, protect Allah's votaries and justify the faith for which the votaries suffer.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
96:19
كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَٱسْجُدْ وَٱقْتَرِب ۩ Kall a l a tu t iAAhu wa o sjud wa i qtarib
Nay, pay thou no heed to him, but prostrate thyself [before God] and draw close [unto Him]!
  - Mohammad Asad
Nay! Do not obey him! Prostrate yourself and bring yourself closer to your Rabb.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Again, no! Never obey him 'O Prophet'! Rather, 'continue to' prostrate and draw near 'to Allah'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Nay! Obey not thou him. But prostrate thyself, and draw near (unto Allah).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Nay heed him not: but bow down in adoration and bring thyself the closer (to Allah)! 6216
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The righteous man has no fear. He can disregard all the forces of evil that are brought against him. But he must learn humility: that is his defence. He will bow down in adoration to Allah. He must have the will to bring himself closer to Allah. For Allah is always close to him,-closer to him than his life blood in the jugular vein (I. 16). Man's humility and adoration remove him from being an insolent rebel on the one hand and, on the other, prepare his will to realise his nearness to Allah.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Previous Next

Tafsir

Al-Alaq

Loading tafsir.

Comments for Surah 96

Loading Comments.

Your Notes

Please wait...

Grammar

Al-Alaq

Scroll to top arrow

Do you want to resume from last visited ayah?

Do you want to resume tafsir of surah

Alim logo

Related Islamic Resources

Loading...

Resources

Insights

  • Funeral Services
  • Arabic Playhouse
  • Collaborations
  • Alim Mobile App
  • Get Involved
  • Ad Plans
  • Blog Pricing
  • Blogs
  • Insight of the Day
  • Hadith of the Day
  • Infographics
  • References
  • FAQ
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us