Surah Al-A’la
The Most High • Surah 87 • 19 verses
Introduction
Unlike the wicked who plot against Allah (according to the end of the previous chapter), the Prophet is ordered at the beginning of this Meccan chapter to glorify his Lord. This fleeting world is compared to the short life of plants (verses 4-5). The Prophet is reassured of Allah’s support, and the wicked are warned of burning in Hell. This warning is emphasized in the next chapter.
سَبِّحِ ٱسْمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلْأَعْلَى
Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High,
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ
Who created and ˹perfectly˺ fashioned ˹all˺,
وَٱلَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ
and Who ordained precisely and inspired accordingly,
وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَخْرَجَ ٱلْمَرْعَىٰ
and Who brings forth ˹green˺ pasture,
فَجَعَلَهُۥ غُثَآءً أَحْوَىٰ
then reduces it to withered chaff.
سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَىٰٓ
We will have you recite ˹the Quran, O Prophet,˺ so you will not forget ˹any of it˺,
إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ
unless Allah wills otherwise. He surely knows what is open and what is hidden.
وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
We will facilitate for you the Way of Ease.
فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ
So ˹always˺ remind ˹with the Quran˺—˹even˺ if the reminder is beneficial ˹only to some˺.
سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰ
Those in awe ˹of Allah˺ will be mindful ˹of it˺.
وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَشْقَى
But it will be shunned by the most wretched,
ٱلَّذِى يَصْلَى ٱلنَّارَ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ
who will burn in the greatest Fire,
ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ
where they will not ˹be able to˺ live or die.
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ
Successful indeed are those who purify themselves,
وَذَكَرَ ٱسْمَ رَبِّهِۦ فَصَلَّىٰ
remember the Name of their Lord, and pray.
بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا
But you ˹deniers only˺ prefer the life of this world,
وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ
even though the Hereafter is far better and more lasting.
إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَفِى ٱلصُّحُفِ ٱلْأُولَىٰ
This is certainly ˹mentioned˺ in the earlier Scriptures—
صُحُفِ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ
the Scriptures of Abraham and Moses.