عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ١
ʿabasa watawallā
1. He [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ) ] frowned and turned away
Surah ’Abasa transliteration
سورة عبس
Here is Surah ’Abasa (“He Frowned”) in transliteration: each of its 42 verses in Arabic, then in Latin letters (one Latin word for each Arabic word) and translated into English. Start the recitation: each word lights up as it is pronounced.
Letters with a bar (ā, ī, ū) are long, ʿ marks the letter ʿayn, ḥ, ṣ, ḍ, ṭ, ẓ the emphatic letters. Hover over or tap an Arabic word to see its meaning.
Tajweed rules
- Hamzat al-wasl (silent)
- Silent letter
- Lam shamsiyyah (assimilated)
- Normal madd (2 counts)
- Permissible madd (2, 4 or 6 counts)
- Obligatory madd (4 or 5 counts)
- Necessary madd (6 counts)
- Ghunnah (nasalisation, 2 counts)
- Qalqalah (echo)
- Ikhfa (concealment)
- Ikhfa shafawi (meem)
- Idgham with ghunnah
- Idgham without ghunnah
- Idgham shafawi (meem)
- Idgham mutajanisayn
- Idgham mutaqaribayn
- Iqlab (noon becomes meem)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
bis'mi l-lahi l-raḥmāni l-raḥīmi
أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ ٢
an jāahu l-aʿmā
2. Because there came to him the blind man,1853 [interrupting].
Notes
[1853] ʿAbdullāh, the son of Umm Maktūm.
وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ ٣
wamā yud'rīka laʿallahu yazzakkā
3. But what would make you perceive, [O Muḥammad], that perhaps he might be purified1854
Notes
[1854] As a result of what he learns from you.
أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰٓ ٤
aw yadhakkaru fatanfaʿahu l-dhik'rā
4. Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him?
أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسْتَغْنَىٰ ٥
ammā mani is'taghnā
5. As for he who thinks himself without need,1855
Notes
[1855] i.e., without need of faith or need of Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) . Here it is in reference to a certain influential member of the Quraysh whom the Prophet (ﷺ) had hoped to bring to Islām.
فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ ٦
fa-anta lahu taṣaddā
6. To him you give attention.
وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ ٧
wamā ʿalayka allā yazzakkā
7. And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified.1856
Notes
[1856] The Prophet (ﷺ) was responsible only for conveying the message, not for ultimate guidance.
وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسْعَىٰ ٨
wa-ammā man jāaka yasʿā
8. But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge]
وَهُوَ يَخْشَىٰ ٩
wahuwa yakhshā
9. While he fears [Allāh],
فَأَنتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّىٰ ١٠
fa-anta ʿanhu talahhā
10. From him you are distracted.
كَلَّآ إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌ ١١
kallā innahā tadhkiratun
11. No! Indeed, they [i.e., these verses] are a reminder;
فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ ١٢
faman shāa dhakarahu
12. So whoever wills may remember it.1857
Notes
[1857] The revelation. Or "Him," i.e., Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) .
فِى صُحُفٍ مُّكَرَّمَةٍ ١٣
fī ṣuḥufin mukarramatin
13. [It is recorded] in honored sheets,
مَّرْفُوعَةٍ مُّطَهَّرَةٍۭ ١٤
marfūʿatin muṭahharatin
14. Exalted and purified,
بِأَيْدِى سَفَرَةٍ ١٥
bi-aydī safaratin
15. [Carried] by the hands of messenger-angels,
كِرَامٍۭ بَرَرَةٍ ١٦
kirāmin bararatin
16. Noble and dutiful.
قُتِلَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ مَآ أَكْفَرَهُۥ ١٧
qutila l-insānu mā akfarahu
17. Destroyed [i.e., cursed] is man;1858 how disbelieving is he.
Notes
[1858] i.e., those who deny Allāh's message.
مِنْ أَىِّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ ١٨
min ayyi shayin khalaqahu
18. From what thing [i.e., substance] did He create him?
مِن نُّطْفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ ١٩
min nuṭ'fatin khalaqahu faqaddarahu
19. From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him;1859
Notes
[1859] His proportions, provisions, life span, etc.
ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُۥ ٢٠
thumma l-sabīla yassarahu
20. Then He eased the way for him;1860
Notes
[1860] Into this world (i.e., his birth) . It may also refer to life itself, which has been made easier by Allāh's guidance.
ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُۥ فَأَقْبَرَهُۥ ٢١
thumma amātahu fa-aqbarahu
21. Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him.1861
Notes
[1861] To conceal his decaying body.
ثُمَّ إِذَا شَآءَ أَنشَرَهُۥ ٢٢
thumma idhā shāa ansharahu
22. Then when He wills, He will resurrect him.
كَلَّا لَمَّا يَقْضِ مَآ أَمَرَهُۥ ٢٣
kallā lammā yaqḍi mā amarahu
23. No! He [i.e., man] has not yet accomplished what He commanded him.
فَلْيَنظُرِ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦٓ ٢٤
falyanẓuri l-insānu ilā ṭaʿāmihi
24. Then let mankind look at his food -
أَنَّا صَبَبْنَا ٱلْمَآءَ صَبًّا ٢٥
annā ṣababnā l-māa ṣabban
25. How We poured down water in torrents,
ثُمَّ شَقَقْنَا ٱلْأَرْضَ شَقًّا ٢٦
thumma shaqaqnā l-arḍa shaqqan
26. Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts],
فَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا حَبًّا ٢٧
fa-anbatnā fīhā ḥabban
27. And caused to grow within it grain
وَعِنَبًا وَقَضْبًا ٢٨
waʿinaban waqaḍban
28. And grapes and herbage
وَزَيْتُونًا وَنَخْلًا ٢٩
wazaytūnan wanakhlan
29. And olive and palm trees
وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلْبًا ٣٠
waḥadāiqa ghul'ban
30. And gardens of dense shrubbery
وَفَٰكِهَةً وَأَبًّا ٣١
wafākihatan wa-abban
31. And fruit and grass -
مَّتَٰعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَٰمِكُمْ ٣٢
matāʿan lakum wali-anʿāmikum
32. [As] enjoyment [i.e., provision] for you and your grazing livestock.
فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلصَّآخَّةُ ٣٣
fa-idhā jāati l-ṣākhatu
33. But when there comes the Deafening Blast1862
Notes
[1862] The piercing blast of the Horn which signals resurrection. Aṣ-Ṣākhkhah is also a name for the Day of Resurrection.
يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ ٣٤
yawma yafirru l-maru min akhīhi
34. On the Day a man will flee from his brother
وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ ٣٥
wa-ummihi wa-abīhi
35. And his mother and his father
وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ ٣٦
waṣāḥibatihi wabanīhi
36. And his wife and his children,
لِكُلِّ ٱمْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ شَأْنٌ يُغْنِيهِ ٣٧
likulli im'ri-in min'hum yawma-idhin shanun yugh'nīhi
37. For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him.1863
Notes
[1863] i.e., to occupy him. He will be concerned only with himself, thus forgetting all others.
وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ مُّسْفِرَةٌ ٣٨
wujūhun yawma-idhin mus'firatun
38. [Some] faces, that Day, will be bright -
ضَاحِكَةٌ مُّسْتَبْشِرَةٌ ٣٩
ḍāḥikatun mus'tabshiratun
39. Laughing, rejoicing at good news.
وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَلَيْهَا غَبَرَةٌ ٤٠
wawujūhun yawma-idhin ʿalayhā ghabaratun
40. And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust.
تَرْهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ ٤١
tarhaquhā qataratun
41. Blackness will cover them.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْكَفَرَةُ ٱلْفَجَرَةُ ٤٢
ulāika humu l-kafaratu l-fajaratu
42. Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones.
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