اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ

READ in the name of thy Sustainer, who has created – (1)

خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ

created man out of a germ-cell! (2)

اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ

Read – for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One (3)

الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ

who has taught [man] the use of the pen – (4)

عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ

taught man what he did not know! (5)

كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَيَطْغَىٰ

Nay, verily, man becomes grossly overweening (6)

أَنْ رَآهُ اسْتَغْنَىٰ

whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient: (7)

إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَىٰ

for, behold, unto thy Sustainer all must return. (8)

أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَىٰ

HAST THOU ever considered him who tries to prevent (9)

عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰ

a servant [of God] from praying? (10)

أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدَىٰ

Hast thou considered whether he is on the right way, (11)

أَوْ أَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوَىٰ

or is concerned with God-consciousness? (12)

أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ

Hast thou considered whether he may [not] be giving the lie to the truth and turning his back [upon it]? (13)

كَلَّا لَئِنْ لَمْ يَنْتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًا بِالنَّاصِيَةِ

Nay, if he desist not, We shall most surely drag him down upon his forehead – (15)

نَاصِيَةٍ كَاذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ

the lying, rebellious, forehead! – (16)

فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُ

and then let him summon [to his aid] the counsels of his own [spurious] wisdom, (17)

سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ

[the while] We shall summon the forces of heavenly chastisement! (18)

كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ ۩

Nay, pay thou no heed to him, but prostrate thyself [before God] and draw close [unto Him]! (19)