96. Sūrat Al-Alaq · The Clot

Read, ˹O Prophet,˺ in the Name of your Lord Who created—

Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth,

READ in the name of thy Sustainer, who has-

Recite with the name of your Lord Who created,

(O Beloved!) Read (commencing) with the Name of Allah, Who has created (everything)

created humans from a clinging clot.

Createth man from a clot.

created man out of a germ-cell

He made man from the clot of blood,

He created man from a hanging mass (clinging) like a leech (to the mother’s womb)

Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous,

Read: And thy Lord is the Most Bounteous,

Read - for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One

Recite, for your Lord is the Most Generous,

Read, and your Lord is Most Generous

Who taught by the pen—

Who teacheth by the pen,

who has taught [man] the use of the pen –

Who taught writing by the pen.

Who taught man (reading and writing) by the pen

taught humanity what they knew not.

Teacheth man that which he knew not.

taught man what he did not know!

Taught man what not.

Who (besides that) taught man (all that) which he did not know. Or Who imparted to (the most eminent of) mankind (the chosen Prophet Muhammad [blessings and peace be upon him] without using any pen) the whole knowledge that he was not aware of before

Most certainly, one exceeds all bounds

Nay, but verily man is rebellious

Nay, verily, man becomes grossly overweening

Yes, undoubtedly, man transgresses.

(But) the fact is that (the disobedient) man rebels

once they think they are self-sufficient.

That he thinketh himself independent!

whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient:

Because, he thought himself self-sufficient.

For the reason that (apparently) he finds himself self-sufficient (in the world)

˹But˺ surely to your Lord is the return ˹of all˺.

Lo! unto thy Lord is the return.

for, behold, unto thy Sustainer all must return.

Undoubtedly, unto your Lord is the return. Taught man what he knew

Surely, (every man) has to return to your Lord

Have you seen the man who prevents

Hast thou seen him who dissuadeth

HAST THOU ever considered him who tries to prevent

Well, you see him who forbids

Have you seen him who prevents

a servant ˹of Ours˺ from praying?

A slave when he prayeth?

a servant [of God] from praying?

A bondman of Ours when he offers prayer.

The servant (of Allah) when he prays? Or The (beloved and the exalted) servant of Allah (Muhammad [blessings and peace be upon him]) when he offers Prayers

What if this ˹servant˺ is ˹rightly˺ guided,

Hast thou seen if he relieth on the guidance (of Allah)

Hast thou considered whether he is on the right way,

well, you see if he would have been on guidance,

Well, imagine! If he had been rightly guided

or encourages righteousness?

Or enjoineth piety?

or is concerned with God-consciousness?

Or he would have commanded piety, what a good thing it had been.

Or if he had commanded (the people) to be pious (how beneficial it would have been)

What if that ˹man˺ persists in denial and turns away?

Hast thou seen if he denieth (Allah's guidance) and is froward?

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

Well you see, if he belied and turned back, then what would be his condition.

But see now when he has rejected (the true Din [Religion]) and has turned away (from you, what torment is he going to face?

Does he not know that Allah sees ˹all˺?

Is he then unaware that Allah seeth?

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

Did he not know that Allah is seeing?

Does he not know that Allah monitors (minutely all his conduct)

But no! If he does not desist, We will certainly drag him by the forelock—

Nay, but if he cease not We will seize him by the forelock -

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

Yes, if he desisted not, We will assuredly drag him by catching his forelock hairs.

Beware! If he does not desist (from the denigration of the Holy Prophet [blessings and peace be upon him] and antagonism against the true Din [Religion]), We shall certainly grab his forehead and drag him by the forelock

a lying, sinful forelock.

The lying, sinful forelock -

the lying, rebellious forehead! –

forelock of what type, lying, sinful.

His lying (and) sinful forehead

So let him call his associates.

Then let him call upon his henchmen!

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

Now let him call his association

Then let him call his companions (for help)

We will call the wardens of Hell.

We will call the guards of hell.

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

Just now We call Our guards.

We too shall soon call (Our) guards (the angels appointed to inflict the punishment of Hell)

Again, no! Never obey him ˹O Prophet˺! Rather, ˹continue to˺ prostrate and draw near ˹to Allah˺.

Nay, Obey not thou him. But prostrate thyself, and draw near (unto Allah).

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

Yes, hear him not and prostrate and draw near to Us.

No indeed! Do not pay any heed to his doings and, (O Esteemed Beloved,) persist in prostration and keep drawing near (to Us more and more)