Chapter 87, 19 verses
Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High,
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم سبح اسم ربك الأعلى
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Praise the name of thy Lord the Most High,
Who created and proportioned
الذي خلق فسوى
Who createth, then disposeth;
And who destined and [then] guided
والذي قدر فهدى
Who measureth, then guideth;
And who brings out the pasture
والذي أخرج المرعى
Who bringeth forth the pasturage,
And [then] makes it black stubble.
فجعله غثاء أحوى
Then turneth it to russet stubble.
We will make you recite, [O Muhammad], and you will not forget,
سنقرئك فلا تنسى
We shall make thee read (O Muhammad) so that thou shalt not forget
Except what Allah should will. Indeed, He knows what is declared and what is hidden.
إلا ما شاء الله ۚ إنه يعلم الجهر وما يخفى
Save that which Allah willeth. Lo! He knoweth the disclosed and that which still is hidden;
And We will ease you toward ease.
ونيسرك لليسرى
And We shall ease thy way unto the state of ease.
So remind, if the reminder should benefit;
فذكر إن نفعت الذكرى
Therefor remind (men), for of use is the reminder.
He who fears [Allah] will be reminded.
سيذكر من يخشى
He will heed who feareth,
But the wretched one will avoid it -
ويتجنبها الأشقى
But the most hapless will flout it,
[He] who will [enter and] burn in the greatest Fire,
الذي يصلى النار الكبرى
He who will be flung to the great Fire
Neither dying therein nor living.
ثم لا يموت فيها ولا يحيى
Wherein he will neither die nor live.
He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself
قد أفلح من تزكى
He is who groweth,
And mentions the name of his Lord and prays.
وذكر اسم ربه فصلى
And remembereth the name of his Lord, so prayeth,
But you prefer the worldly life,
بل تؤثرون الحياة الدنيا
But ye prefer the life of the world
While the Hereafter is better and more enduring.
والآخرة خير وأبقى
Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting.
Indeed, this is in the former scriptures,
إن هذا لفي الصحف الأولى
Lo! This is in the former scrolls.
The scriptures of Abraham and Moses.
صحف إبراهيم وموسى
The Books of Abraham and Moses.