Surah Al-Fajr, or ‘The Dawn’, is the 89th surah of the Holy Quran and comes in the final chapter. It contains 30 verses which explain how rewards and punishments will be handed out.
In this surah, Allah begins by swearing oaths with the dawn, the ten nights and the even and the odd. This is done to ask the disbelievers, even after all these signs, how can you still not believe? Examples have then been given of previous nations like A’ad and Thamud, along with Pharaoh, who were punished for disbelieving even after all the clear signs had come to them.
Ayatul Kursi: What are it’s Virtues and Rewards?
Hadith and Tafseer on Surah Fajr
Ibn Kathir related about:
﴾ وليال عشر ﴿
And [by] ten nights (89:2)
It has been confirmed in Sahih Al-Bukhari from Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said, “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days (meaning the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah). They (the companions) said, “Not even fighting Jihad in the way of Allah” He replied, “Not even Jihad in the way of Allah; except for a man who goes out (for Jihad) with his self and his wealth, and he does not return with any of that.”
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
Ibn Kathir related about:
﴾ كلا بل لا تكرمون اليتيم ﴿
No! But you treat not the orphans with kindness and generosity (89:17)
Abu Dawud recorded from Sahl bin Sa’id (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said, “The guardian of the orphan and I will be like these two in Paradise.” And he put his two fingers together – the middle finger and the index finger.
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
Translation of Surah Fajr
- By the dawn,
- and the ten nights,
- and the even and the odd,
- and the night when it passes!
- Is all this ˹not˺ a sufficient oath for those who have sense?
- Did you not see how your Lord dealt with ’Ȃd
- ˹the people˺ of Iram—with ˹their˺ great stature,
- unmatched in any other land;
- and Thamûd who carved ˹their homes into˺ the rocks in the ˹Stone˺ Valley;
- and the Pharaoh of mighty structures?
- They all transgressed throughout the land,
- spreading much corruption there.
- So your Lord unleashed on them a scourge of punishment.
- ˹For˺ your Lord is truly vigilant.
- Now, whenever a human being is tested by their Lord through ˹His˺ generosity and blessings, they boast, “My Lord has ˹deservedly˺ honoured me!”
- But when He tests them by limiting their provision, they protest, “My Lord has ˹undeservedly˺ humiliated me!”
- Absolutely not! In fact, you are not ˹even˺ gracious to the orphan,
- nor do you urge one another to feed the poor.
- And you devour ˹others’˺ inheritance greedily,
- and love wealth fervently.
- Enough! When the earth is entirely crushed over and over,
- and your Lord comes ˹to judge˺ with angels, rank upon rank,
- and Hell is brought forth on that Day—this is when every ˹disbelieving˺ person will remember ˹their own sins˺. But what is the use of remembering then?
- They will cry, “I wish I had sent forth ˹something good˺ for my ˹true˺ life.”
- On that Day He will punish ˹them˺ severely, like no other,
- and bind ˹them˺ tightly, like no other.
- ˹Allah will say to the righteous,˺ “O tranquil soul!
- Return to your Lord, well pleased ˹with Him˺ and well pleasing ˹to Him˺.
- So join My servants,
- and enter My Paradise.”
Transliteration of Surah Al-Fajr
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
- Wal-Fajr
- Wa layaalin ‘ashr
- Wash shaf’i wal watr
- Wallaili izhaa yasr
- Hal fee zhaalika qasamul lizhee hijr
- Alam tara kaifa fa’ala rabbuka bi’aad
- Iramaa zhaatil ‘imaad
- Allatee lam yukhlaq mithluhaa fil bilaad
- Wa thamoodal lazheena jaabus sakhra bil waad
- Wa fir’awna zhil awtaad
- Allazheena taghaw fil bilaad
- Fa aktharoo feehal fasaad
- Fasabba ‘alaihim Rabbuka sawta ‘azhaab
- Inna Rabbaka labil mirsaad
- Fa ammal insaanu izhaa mab talaahu Rabbuhoo fa akramahoo wa na’ ‘amahoo fa yaqoolu Rabbeee akraman
- Wa ammaaa izhaa mabtalaahu faqadara ‘alaihi rizqahoo fa yaqoolu Rabbeee ahaanan
- Kalla bal laa tukrimooo nal yateem
- Wa laa tahaaaddoona ‘alaata’aamil miskeen
- Wa taakuloonat turaatha aklal lammaa
- Wa tuhibboonal maala hubban jammaa
- Kallaaa izhaaa dukkatil ardu dakkan dakka
- Wa jaaa’a Rabbuka wal malaku saffan saffaa
- Wa jeee’a yawma’izhim bi jahannnam; Yawma ‘izhiy yatazhakkarul insaanu wa annaa lahuzh zhikraa
- Yaqoolu yaa laitanee qaddamtu lihayaatee
- Fa Yawma izhil laa yu’azzhibu ‘azhaabahooo ahad
- Wa laa yoothiqu wathaaqa hoo ahad
- Yaaa ayyatuhan nafsul mutma ‘innah
- Irji’eee ilaa Rabbiki raadhiyatam mardhiyyah
- Fadkhulee fee ‘ibaadee
- Wadkhulee jannatee
