Surah Al-‘Alaq — Learn with Audio & Meaning

Listen, repeat, and understand Surah Al-‘Alaq with word-by-word audio, simple meanings, and a smooth memorization flow designed for clarity.

  • Origin: Mecca
  • Āyāt: 19
  • Theme: Read in your Lord’s Name—creation, knowledge, and a warning to the tyrant

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~ٱلْعَلَق~‎
Surah Al-‘Alaq

Allah commands “Read” in His Name—the Lord who created man from a clot and honored him with knowledge by the pen.
Yet man transgresses when he deems himself self-sufficient. A stern warning to the tyrant who blocks a servant from prayer:
if he persists, he will be seized by his forelock. Therefore: do not obey him; prostrate and draw near to your Lord.

🔹Reference🔹

Read the original Arabic Tafsīr al-Saʿdī for Surah 96

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📖 Verse 1

اقْرَأْبِاسْمِرَبِّكَالَّذِيخَلَقَ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

Begin by reading in your Lord’s Name—He alone who created and nurtured—so reading becomes worship.

۞ اقْرَأْ ۞

Command to recite/seek knowledge while attached to Allah’s Name.


📖 Verse 2

خَلَقَالْإِنسَانَمِنْعَلَقٍ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

He created the human from a clinging clot—reminding of humble origin and Allah’s perfect power.

۞ عَلَقٍ ۞

A clinging clot/embryo stage.


📖 Verse 3

اقْرَأْوَرَبُّكَالْأَكْرَمُ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

Read—your Lord is Most Generous: He grants knowledge and opens the means to it.

۞ الْأَكْرَمُ ۞

The Most Generous—bestows knowledge, honor, and favor.


📖 Verse 4

الَّذِيعَلَّمَبِالْقَلَمِ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

He taught by the pen—foundation of recording and transmitting knowledge.

۞ بِالْقَلَمِ ۞

By the instrument of writing: preservation and spread of knowledge.


📖 Verse 5

عَلَّمَالْإِنسَانَمَالَمْيَعْلَمْ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

He taught man what he did not know—favor and elevation bestowed on humanity.


📖 Verse 6

كَلَّاإِنَّالْإِنْسَانَلَيَطْغَى

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

No! Man transgresses when forgetful of his Lord and His rights.


📖 Verse 7

أَنْرَّآهُاسْتَغْنَى

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

Because he thinks himself independent—self-sufficiency breeds arrogance.


📖 Verse 8

إِنَّإِلَىٰرَبِّكَالرُّجْعَى

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

Surely to your Lord is the ultimate return—so let that restrain the soul.

۞ الرُّجْعَى ۞

The final return for reckoning and recompense.


📖 Verse 9

أَرَأَيْتَالَّذِييَنْهَىٰ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

Have you seen the one who forbids the servant from worship?


📖 Verse 10

عَبْدًاإِذَاصَلَّى

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

He forbids a servant when he prays—opposition to the greatest devotion.


📖 Verse 11

أَرَأَيْتَإِنْكَانَعَلَىٰالْهُدَى

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

What if he (the one prayed against) is upon guidance—why oppose him?


📖 Verse 12

أَوْأَمَرَبِالتَّقْوَىٰ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

Or he enjoins piety—encourages fearing Allah.


📖 Verse 13

أَرَأَيْتَإِنْكَذَّبَوَتَوَلَّى

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

But if he denies and turns away—he deserves rebuke and threat.


📖 Verse 14

أَلَمْيَعْلَمْبِأَنَّاللَّهَيَرَىٰ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

Does he not know that Allah sees?—a check against sin and injustice.


📖 Verse 15

كَلَّالَئِنْلَمْيَنْتَهِلَنَسْفَعًابِالنَّاصِيَةِ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

No indeed—if he does not desist, We will seize him by the forelock.

۞ لَنَسْفَعًا ۞

We shall drag/seize harshly.

۞ النَّاصِيَةِ ۞

Front forelock—signifying humiliating seizure.


📖 Verse 16

نَاصِيَةٍكَاذِبَةٍخَاطِئَةٍ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

A lying, sinful forelock—he is truly blameworthy.


📖 Verse 17

فَلْيَدْعُنَادِيَهُ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

Let him call his council—his supporters will not avail him.


📖 Verse 18

سَنَدْعُالزَّبَانِيَةَ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

We shall call the wardens (angels of punishment)—none can resist them.

۞ الزَّبَانِيَةَ ۞

Angels appointed for punishment.


📖 Verse 19

كَلَّالَاتُطِعْهُوَاسْجُدْوَاقْتَرِبْ

English Tafsir (Al-Saʿdī):

So do not obey him; rather prostrate and draw near—true honor lies in servitude to Allah.


📚 Recap: Surah Al-‘Alaq

Summary of the Meanings:

۞ 1–5. Revelation & Knowledge ۞

Read in Allah’s Name; He created man and taught by the pen—honoring humanity with knowledge.

۞ 6–14. Cause of Transgression ۞

Man exceeds bounds when deluded by self-sufficiency; but to your Lord is the return, and Allah surely sees.

۞ 15–19. Warning & Command ۞

A threat to the tyrant who blocks prayer: if he persists, he will be seized by the forelock. So do not obey him—prostrate and draw near.


📝 Al-‘Alaq Quiz – Based on Tafsir Al-Saʿdi

1) “اقْرَأْ” (v.1) means:


2) “عَلَقٍ” (v.2) refers to:


3) According to Al-Saʿdi, teaching “by the pen” (v.4) indicates:


4) The cause of man’s transgression in vv.6–7 is:


5) “إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَى” (v.8) teaches that:


6) The oppressor in vv.9–10 forbids a servant from:


7) “أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَىٰ” (v.14) emphasizes Allah’s:


8) “لَنَسْفَعًا بِالنَّاصِيَةِ” (v.15) best meaning:


9) Match the Arabic term to its meaning

Drag each word into the correct meaning

عَلَقٍ
الْقَلَمِ
الرُّجْعَى
الزَّبَانِيَةَ

clinging clot

the pen

the return

wardens (angels of punishment)

10) Audio: Which verse says “وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ”?


11) “الْأَكْرَمُ” (v.3) points to Allah’s:


12) The correct response to the tyrant’s ban (v.19) is to: