بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of AllŒh,[1] the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.[2]
1- AllŒh is a proper name belonging only to the one Almighty God, Creator and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is within them, the Eternal and Absolute, to whom alone all worship is due.
2- Ar-RaúmŒn and ar-Raúeem are two names of AllŒh derived from the word "raúmah" (mercy). In Arabic grammar both are intensive forms of "merciful (i.e., extremely merciful). A complimentary and comprehensive meaning is intended by using both together.
RaúmŒn is used only to describe AllŒh, while raúeem might be used to describe a person as well. The Prophet () was described in the QurÕŒn as raúeem. RaúmŒn is above the human level (i.e., intensely merciful). Since one usually understands intensity to be something of short duration, AllŒh describes Himself also as raúeem (i.e., continually merciful).
RaúmŒn also carries a wider meaning – merciful to all creation. Justice is a part of this mercy. Raúeem includes the concept of speciality – especially and specifically merciful to the believers. Forgiveness is a part of this mercy. In addition, RaúmŒn is adjectival, referring to an attribute of AllŒh and is part of His essence. Raúeem is verbal, indicating what He does: i.e., bestowing and implementing mercy.
ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ
[All] praise is [due] to AllŒh, Lord[1] of the worlds –
1- When referring to AllŒh (subúŒnahu wa taÔŒlŒ) , the Arabic term "rabb" (translated as "Lord") includes all of the following meanings: "owner, master, ruler, controller, sustainer, provider, guardian and caretaker."
ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,
مَٰلِكِ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ
Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.[1]
1- i.e., repayment and compensation for whatever was earned of good or evil during life on this earth.
إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ
It is You we worship and You we ask for help.
ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ
Guide us to the straight path –
صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ غَيۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have earned [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
الٓمٓ
Alif, LŒm, Meem.[1]
1- These are among the fourteen opening letters which occur in various combinations at the beginning of twenty-nine s´rahs in the QurÕŒn. Although there has been much speculation as to their meaning, it was not, in fact, revealed by AllŒh to anyone and is known only to Him.
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبُ لَا رَيۡبَۛ فِيهِۛ هُدٗى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ
This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of AllŒh[1] –
1- Literally, "those who have taqwŒ," i.e., who have piety, righteousness, fear and love of AllŒh, and who take great care to avoid His displeasure.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ
Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer,[1] and spend out of what We[2] have provided for them,
1- At its proper times and according to its specified conditions.
2- It is to be noted that the reference of AllŒh (subúŒnahu wa taÔŒlŒ) to Himself as "We" in many QurÕŒnic verses is necessarily understood in the Arabic language to denote grandeur and power, as opposed to the more intimate singular form "I" used in specific instances.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ وَبِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ هُمۡ يُوقِنُونَ
And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muúammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith].
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدٗى مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ
Those are upon [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَأَنذَرۡتَهُمۡ أَمۡ لَمۡ تُنذِرۡهُمۡ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ
Indeed, those who disbelieve[1] – it is all the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn them – they will not believe.
1- Literally, "cover" or "conceal" (faith or truth).
خَتَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ وَعَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِمۡۖ وَعَلَىٰٓ أَبۡصَٰرِهِمۡ غِشَٰوَةٞۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٞ
AllŒh has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil.[1] And for them is a great punishment.
1- A covering preventing them from discerning guidance. This condition is a direct result of their arrogance and persistence in sin.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَبِٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤۡمِنِينَ
And of the people are some who say, "We believe in AllŒh and the Last Day," but they are not believers.
يُخَٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَمَا يَخۡدَعُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَمَا يَشۡعُرُونَ
They [think to] deceive AllŒh and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not.
فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٞ فَزَادَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَرَضٗاۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمُۢ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡذِبُونَ
In their hearts is disease, so AllŒh has increased their disease;[1] and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie.
1- The "disease" mentioned here includes doubt, hypocrisy, arrogance and disbelief.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ لَا تُفۡسِدُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ مُصۡلِحُونَ
And when it is said to them, "Do not cause corruption on the earth," they say, "We are but reformers."
أَلَآ إِنَّهُمۡ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدُونَ وَلَٰكِن لَّا يَشۡعُرُونَ
Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ ءَامِنُواْ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلنَّاسُ قَالُوٓاْ أَنُؤۡمِنُ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُمۡ هُمُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ وَلَٰكِن لَّا يَعۡلَمُونَ
And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they say, "Should we believe as the foolish have believed?" Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not.
وَإِذَا لَقُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ شَيَٰطِينِهِمۡ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا مَعَكُمۡ إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ مُسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ
And when they meet those who believe, they say, "We believe"; but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, "Indeed, we are with you; we were only mockers."
ٱللَّهُ يَسۡتَهۡزِئُ بِهِمۡ وَيَمُدُّهُمۡ فِي طُغۡيَٰنِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ
[But] AllŒh mocks them and prolongs them in their transgression [while] they wander blindly.
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشۡتَرَوُاْ ٱلضَّلَٰلَةَ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَٰرَتُهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُهۡتَدِينَ
Those are the ones who have purchased error [in exchange] for guidance, so their transaction has brought no profit, nor were they guided.
مَثَلُهُمۡ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِي ٱسۡتَوۡقَدَ نَارٗا فَلَمَّآ أَضَآءَتۡ مَا حَوۡلَهُۥ ذَهَبَ ٱللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمۡ وَتَرَكَهُمۡ فِي ظُلُمَٰتٖ لَّا يُبۡصِرُونَ
Their example is that of one who kindled a fire, but when it illuminated what was around him, AllŒh took away their light and left them in darkness [so] they could not see.
صُمُّۢ بُكۡمٌ عُمۡيٞ فَهُمۡ لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ
Deaf, dumb and blind – so they will not return [to the right path].
أَوۡ كَصَيِّبٖ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَٰتٞ وَرَعۡدٞ وَبَرۡقٞ يَجۡعَلُونَ أَصَٰبِعَهُمۡ فِيٓ ءَاذَانِهِم مِّنَ ٱلصَّوَٰعِقِ حَذَرَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۚ وَٱللَّهُ مُحِيطُۢ بِٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ
Or [it is] like a rainstorm from the sky within which is darkness, thunder and lightning. They put their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps in dread of death. But AllŒh is encompassing[1] of the disbelievers.
1- AllŒh states in the QurÕŒn that He has certain attributes such as hearing, sight, hands, face, mercy, anger, coming, encompassing, being above the Throne, etc. Yet, He has disassociated Himself from the limitations of human attributes or human imagination. Correct IslŒmic belief requires faith in the existence of these attributes as AllŒh has described them without applying to them any allegorical meanings or attempting to explain how a certain quality could be (this is known only to AllŒh) and without comparing them to creation or denying that He (subúŒnahu wa taÔŒlŒ) would have such a quality. His attributes are befitting to Him alone, and "There is nothing like unto Him." (42:)
يَكَادُ ٱلۡبَرۡقُ يَخۡطَفُ أَبۡصَٰرَهُمۡۖ كُلَّمَآ أَضَآءَ لَهُم مَّشَوۡاْ فِيهِ وَإِذَآ أَظۡلَمَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ قَامُواْۚ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمۡعِهِمۡ وَأَبۡصَٰرِهِمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ
The lightning almost snatches away their sight. Every time it lights [the way] for them, they walk therein; but when darkness comes over them, they stand [still]. And if AllŒh had willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Indeed, AllŒh is over all things competent.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱعۡبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ
O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous –
ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِرَٰشٗا وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءٗ وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَأَخۡرَجَ بِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ رِزۡقٗا لَّكُمۡۖ فَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ لِلَّهِ أَندَادٗا وَأَنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ
[He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to AllŒh equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him].
وَإِن كُنتُمۡ فِي رَيۡبٖ مِّمَّا نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَىٰ عَبۡدِنَا فَأۡتُواْ بِسُورَةٖ مِّن مِّثۡلِهِۦ وَٱدۡعُواْ شُهَدَآءَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ
And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down [i.e., the QurÕŒn] upon Our Servant [i.e., Prophet Muúammad ()], then produce a s´rah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses [i.e., supporters] other than AllŒh, if you should be truthful.
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