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)

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)

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَىٰ

Does he, then, not know that God sees [all]? (14)

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)