Surah Alaq is the 96th surah of the Holy Quran, but was the first to be revealed. It was revealed in Makkah when the Prophet SAW was in the cave Hira. The surah itself was revealed in two parts. The first part consists of the first 5 verses, and the second part consists of verses 6-19.
Read why this surah was revealed here >>
| Surah | |
|---|---|
| Name | Al-Alaq |
| Meaning | The Clot |
| Number of Verses | 19 |
| Place of Revelation | Makkah |
| Chapter Number | 96 |
Surah Alaq Translation
- Recite in the name of your Lord who created
- Created man from a clinging substance.
- Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous,
- Who taught by the pen
- Taught man that which he knew not.
- No! [But] indeed, man transgresses
- Because he sees himself self-sufficient.
- Indeed, to your Lord is the return.
- Have you seen the one who forbids
- A servant when he prays?
- Have you seen if he is upon guidance
- or encourages righteousness?
- Have you seen if he denies and turns away –
- Does he not know that Allah sees?
- No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock
- A lying, sinning forelock.
- Then let him call his associates;
- We will call the angels of Hell.
- No! Do not obey him. But prostrate and draw near [to Allah].
Surah Ad-Duha – Translation and 11 Benefits
Surah Alaq Transliteration
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
- Iqra bismi rab bikal lazhee khalaq
- Khalaqal insaana min ‘alaq
- Iqra wa rab bukal akram
- Al lazhee ‘allama bil qalam
- ‘Al lamal insaana ma lam y’alam
- Kallaa innal insaana layatghaa
- Ar-ra aahus taghnaa
- Innna ilaa rabbikar ruj’aa
- Ara-aital lazhee yanhaa
- ‘Abdan izha sallaa
- Ara-aita in kana ‘alal hudaa
- Au amara bit taqwaa
- Ara-aita in kazh zaba wa ta walla
- Alam y’alam bi-an nal lahaa yaraa
- Kalla la illam yantahi la nasfa’am bin nasiyah
- Nasiyatin kazhi batin khaatiah
- Fal yad’u naadiyah
- Sanad ‘uz zabaaniyah
- Kalla; la tuti’hu wasjud waqtarib (make sajda)
10 Benefits and Virtues of Giving Sadaqah in Islam
Surah Alaq Benefits
- surah al-alaq explains to us that in whatever good we do, we should start with the name of Allah
- teaches us the importance of preserving knowledge
- we should increase our prostrations (i.e. through more voluntary prayers and reciting more quran)
Ibn Kathir (رحمه الله) related about
﴾ واسجد واقترب ﴿
Fall prostrate and draw near [to Allah]! (96:19)
It has been confirmed in the Sahih of Muslim on the authority of Abu Salih (رضي الله عنه) who reported from Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم) said, “The closest that a servant can be to his Lord is when he is in prostration. Therefore, make abundant supplications (i.e., while prostrating).” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
Hadith on Surah Alaq
A’isha (RA), the wife of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم), reported:
The first (form) with which was started the revelation to the Messenger of Allah was the true vision in sleep. And he did not see any vision but it came like the bright gleam of dawn. Thenceforth solitude became dear to him and he used to seclude himself in the cave of Hira‘, where he would engage in tahannuth (and that is a worship for a number of nights) before returning to his family and getting provisions again for this purpose. He would then return to Khadija (رضي الله عنها) and take provisions for a like period, till Truth came upon him while he was in the cave of Hira‘.
There came to him the angel and said: Recite, to which he replied: I am not lettered. He took hold of me [the Apostle said] and pressed me, till I was hard pressed; thereafter he let me off and said: Recite. I said: I am not lettered. He then again took hold of me and pressed me for the second time till I was hard pressed and then let me off and said: Recite, to which I replied: I am not lettered. He took hold of me and pressed me for the third time, till I was hard pressed and then let me go and said:
﴾ اقرأ باسم ربك الذي خلق ﴿
Recite in the name of your Lord who created –
﴾ خلق الإنسان من علق ﴿
Created man from a clinging substance.
﴾ اقرأ وربك الأكرم ﴿
Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous –
﴾ الذي علم بالقلم ﴿
Who taught by the Pen –
﴾ علم الإنسان ما لم يعلم ﴿
Taught man that which he knew not. (96:1-5).
Then the Prophet returned therewith, his heart was trembling, and he went to Khadija and said: Wrap me up, wrap me up! So they wrapped him till the fear had left him. He then said to Khadija: O Khadija! what has happened to me? and he informed her of the happening, saying: I fear for myself. She replied: It can’t be. Be happy. I swear by Allah that He shall never humiliate you. By Allah, you join ties of relationship, you speak the truth, you bear people’s burden, you help the destitute, you entertain guests, and you help against the vicissitudes which affect people.
Khadija then took him to Waraqa b. Naufal b. Asad b. ‘Abd al-‘Uzza, and he was the son of Khadija’s uncle, i. e., the brother of her father. And he was the man who had embraced Christianity in the Days of Ignorance (i. e. before Islam) and he used to write books in Arabic and, therefore, wrote Injil in Arabic as God willed that he should write.
He was very old and had become blind Khadija said to him: O uncle! listen to the son of your brother. Waraqa b. Naufal said: O my nephew! what did you see? The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم), then, informed him what he had seen, and Waraqa said to him: It is namus that God sent down to Musa. Would that I were then (during your prophetic career) a young man. Would that I might be alive when your people would expel you! The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم) said: Will they drive me out? Waraqa said: Yes. Never came a man with a like of what you have brought but met hostilities. If I see your day I shall help you wholeheartedly. [Sahih Muslim]
Narrated `Aisha (RA):
The commencement of (the Divine Inspirations to) Allah’s Messenger (SAW) was in the form of true dreams. The Angel came to him and said,
“Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists),Has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is Most Generous, Who has taught (the writing) by the Pen. (96:1-4)”
Sahih Bukhari
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah (RA) said:
We prostrated with the Messenger of Allah (SAW) in “When the heaven is split asunder” [Al-‘Inshiqaq 84:1] and “Read! In the Name of your Lord.” [Al-‘Alaq 96:1]
Ibn Majah
