al-Raḥmān ( الرحمن )

78 verses • revealed at Medinan

»The surah that crowns the Quran and opens with the chant of a single word proclaiming one of God’s most beautiful names, The All-Beneficent. It takes its name from

which mentions “the All-beneficent” (al-raḥmān). The surah highlights Gods wonders in this world, describes the end of the world, and paints an evocative picture of the delights of Paradise. Hell is briefly contrasted ( ff.) with the joys that await the righteous. The surah is characterized by the refrain “So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?” which runs throughout. The surah divides mankind and jinn into three classes: the disbelievers ( ff.), the best of believers ( ff.), and the ordinary believers (

ff.).«
The surah is also known as: (God) Most Gracious, The All-Merciful, The Beneficent, The Lord of Mercy, The Merciful, The Mercy-giving, The Most Gracious.

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

Transliteration: bi-smi llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīmⁱ

Translation: In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

1

الرَّحمٰنُ

Transliteration

^ar-raḥmān^u

Translation

The All-beneficent

2

عَلَّمَ القُرآنَ

Transliteration

ʿallama l-qurʾān^a

Translation

has taught the Qurʾān.

3

خَلَقَ الإِنسانَ

Transliteration

khalaqa l-ʾinsān^a

Translation

He created man,

4

عَلَّمَهُ البَيانَ

Transliteration

ʿallamahu l-bayān^a

Translation

[and] taught him articulate speech.

5

الشَّمسُ وَالقَمَرُ بِحُسبانٍ

Transliteration

^ash-shamsu wa-l-qamaru bi-ḥusbānⁱⁿ

Translation

The sun and the moon are [disposed] calculatedly,

6

وَالنَّجمُ وَالشَّجَرُ يَسجُدانِ

Transliteration

wa-n-najmu wa-sh-shajaru yasjudānⁱ

Translation

and the herb and the tree prostrate [to Allah].

7

وَالسَّماءَ رَفَعَها وَوَضَعَ الميزانَ

Transliteration

wa-s-samāʾa rafaʿahā wa-waḍaʿa l-mīzān^a

Translation

He raised the sky and set up the balance,

8

أَلّا تَطغَوا فِي الميزانِ

Transliteration

ʾallā taṭghaw fī l-mīzānⁱ

Translation

declaring, ‘Do not infringe the balance!

9

وَأَقيمُوا الوَزنَ بِالقِسطِ وَلا تُخسِرُوا الميزانَ

Transliteration

wa-ʾaqīmū l-wazna bi-l-qisṭi wa-lā tukhsirū l-mīzān^a

Translation

Maintain the weights with justice, and do not shorten the balance!’

10

وَالأَرضَ وَضَعَها لِلأَنامِ

Transliteration

wa-l-ʾarḍa waḍaʿahā li-l-ʾanāmⁱ

Translation

And the earth, He laid it out for mankind.

11

فيها فاكِهَةٌ وَالنَّخلُ ذاتُ الأَكمامِ

Transliteration

fīhā fākihatun wa-n-nakhlu dhātu l-ʾakmāmⁱ

Translation

In it are fruits and date-palms with sheaths,

12

وَالحَبُّ ذُو العَصفِ وَالرَّيحانُ

Transliteration

wa-l-ḥabbu dhū l-ʿaṣfi wa-r-rayḥān^u

Translation

grain with husk, and fragrant herbs.

13

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both¹ deny?

• That is, the jinn and humans. The pronoun ‘you’ and the adjective ‘your’ are both dual in the Arabic.

14

خَلَقَ الإِنسانَ مِن صَلصالٍ كَالفَخّارِ

Transliteration

khalaqa l-ʾinsāna min ṣalṣālin ka-l-fakhkhārⁱ

Translation

He created man out of dry clay,¹ like the potter’s,

• Cf.

, ,

• .

15

وَخَلَقَ الجانَّ مِن مارِجٍ مِن نارٍ

Transliteration

wa-khalaqa l-jānna min mārijin min nārⁱⁿ

Translation

and created the jinn out of a flame of a fire.

16

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

17

رَبُّ المَشرِقَينِ وَرَبُّ المَغرِبَينِ

Transliteration

rabbu l-mashriqayni wa-rabbu l-maghribaynⁱ

Translation

Lord of the two easts, and Lord of the two wests!¹

• That is, the points of sunrise and sunset at the winter and summer solstices.

18

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

19

مَرَجَ البَحرَينِ يَلتَقِيانِ

Transliteration

maraja l-baḥrayni yaltaqiyānⁱ

Translation

He merged the two seas,¹ meeting each other.

• See the footnote at

• .

20

بَينَهُما بَرزَخٌ لا يَبغِيانِ

Transliteration

baynahumā barzakhun lā yabghiyānⁱ

Translation

There is a barrier between them which they do not overstep.

21

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

22

يَخرُجُ مِنهُمَا اللُّؤلُؤُ وَالمَرجانُ

Transliteration

yakhruju minhumā l-luʾluʾu wa-l-marjān^u

Translation

From them emerge the pearl and the coral.

23

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

24

وَلَهُ الجَوارِ المُنشَآتُ فِي البَحرِ كَالأَعلامِ

Transliteration

wa-lahu l-jawāri l-munshaʾātu fī l-baḥri ka-l-ʾaʿlāmⁱ

Translation

His are the sailing ships¹ on the sea [appearing] like landmarks.

• Or ‘the watercrafts.’

25

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

26

كُلُّ مَن عَلَيها فانٍ

Transliteration

kullu man ʿalayhā fānⁱⁿ

Translation

Everyone on it¹ is ephemeral,

• That is, on the earth.

27

وَيَبقىٰ وَجهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الجَلالِ وَالإِكرامِ

Transliteration

wa-yabqā wajhu rabbika dhū l-jalāli wa-l-ʾikrāmⁱ

Translation

yet lasting is the Face of your Lord, majestic and munificent.¹

• The adjectives ‘majestic’ and ‘munificent’ pertain to the Face.

28

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

29

يَسأَلُهُ مَن فِي السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ ۚ كُلَّ يَومٍ هُوَ في شَأنٍ

Transliteration

yasʾaluhū man fī s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi kulla yawmin huwa fī shaʾnⁱⁿ

Translation

Everyone in the heavens and the earth asks Him. Every day He is engaged in some work.

30

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

31

سَنَفرُغُ لَكُم أَيُّهَ الثَّقَلانِ

Transliteration

sa-nafrughu lakum ʾayyuha th-thaqalānⁱ

Translation

We shall soon make Ourselves unoccupied for you, O you notable two!¹

• That is, the jinn and humans, or the Qurʾān and the Prophet’s Household, referred to as ‘thaqalayn’ in a famous tradition cited in Sunnī and Shī‘ī sources.

32

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

33

يا مَعشَرَ الجِنِّ وَالإِنسِ إِنِ استَطَعتُم أَن تَنفُذوا مِن أَقطارِ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ فَانفُذوا ۚ لا تَنفُذونَ إِلّا بِسُلطانٍ

Transliteration

yā-maʿshara l-jinni wa-l-ʾinsi ʾini staṭaʿtum ʾan tanfudhū min ʾaqṭāri s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi fa-nfudhū lā tanfudhūna ʾillā bi-sulṭānⁱⁿ

Translation

O company of jinn and humans! If you can pass through the confines of the heavens and the earth, then do pass through. But you will not pass through except by an authority [from Allah].

34

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

35

يُرسَلُ عَلَيكُما شُواظٌ مِن نارٍ وَنُحاسٌ فَلا تَنتَصِرانِ

Transliteration

yursalu ʿalaykumā shuwāẓun min nārin wa-nuḥāsun fa-lā tantaṣirānⁱ

Translation

There will be unleashed upon you a flash of fire and a smoke; then you will not be able to help one another.

36

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

37

فَإِذَا انشَقَّتِ السَّماءُ فَكانَت وَردَةً كَالدِّهانِ

Transliteration

fa-ʾidhā nshaqqati s-samāʾu fa-kānat wardatan ka-d-dihānⁱ

Translation

When the sky is split open, and turns crimson like tanned leather.

38

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

39

فَيَومَئِذٍ لا يُسأَلُ عَن ذَنبِهِ إِنسٌ وَلا جانٌّ

Transliteration

fa-yawmaʾidhin lā yusʾalu ʿan dhanbihī ʾinsun wa-lā jānn^un

Translation

On that day neither humans will be questioned about their sins nor jinn.¹

• Cf.

• .

40

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

41

يُعرَفُ المُجرِمونَ بِسيماهُم فَيُؤخَذُ بِالنَّواصي وَالأَقدامِ

Transliteration

yuʿrafu l-mujrimūna bi-sīmāhum fa-yuʾkhadhu bi-n-nawāṣī wa-l-ʾaqdāmⁱ

Translation

The guilty will be recognized by their mark; so they will be seized by the forelocks and the feet.

42

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

43

هٰذِهِ جَهَنَّمُ الَّتي يُكَذِّبُ بِهَا المُجرِمونَ

Transliteration

hādhihī jahannamu llatī yukadhdhibu bihā l-mujrimūn^a

Translation

‘This is the hell which the guilty would deny!’

44

يَطوفونَ بَينَها وَبَينَ حَميمٍ آنٍ

Transliteration

yaṭūfūna baynahā wa-bayna ḥamīmin ʾānⁱⁿ

Translation

They shall circuit between it and boiling hot water.

45

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

46

وَلِمَن خافَ مَقامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتانِ

Transliteration

wa-li-man khāfa maqāma rabbihī jannatānⁱ

Translation

For him who stands in awe of his Lord will be two gardens.

47

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

48

ذَواتا أَفنانٍ

Transliteration

dhawātā ʾafnānⁱⁿ

Translation

Both abounding in branches.¹

• Or ‘Both full of variety;’ that is, of fruits.

49

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

50

فيهِما عَينانِ تَجرِيانِ

Transliteration

fīhimā ʿaynāni tajriyānⁱ

Translation

In both of them will be two flowing springs.

51

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

52

فيهِما مِن كُلِّ فاكِهَةٍ زَوجانِ

Transliteration

fīhimā min kulli fākihatin zawjānⁱ

Translation

In both of them will be two kinds of every fruit.

53

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

54

مُتَّكِئينَ عَلىٰ فُرُشٍ بَطائِنُها مِن إِستَبرَقٍ ۚ وَجَنَى الجَنَّتَينِ دانٍ

Transliteration

muttakiʾīna ʿalā furushin baṭāʾinuhā min ʾistabraqin wa-janā l-jannatayni dānⁱⁿ

Translation

[They will be] reclining on beds lined with green silk. And the fruit of the two gardens will be near at hand.

55

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

56

فيهِنَّ قاصِراتُ الطَّرفِ لَم يَطمِثهُنَّ إِنسٌ قَبلَهُم وَلا جانٌّ

Transliteration

fīhinna qāṣirātu ṭ-ṭarfi lam yaṭmithhunna ʾinsun qablahum wa-lā jānn^un

Translation

In them are maidens of restrained glances, whom no human has touched before, nor jinn.

57

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

58

كَأَنَّهُنَّ الياقوتُ وَالمَرجانُ

Transliteration

ka-ʾannahunna l-yāqūtu wa-l-marjān^u

Translation

As though they were rubies and corals.

59

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

60

هَل جَزاءُ الإِحسانِ إِلَّا الإِحسانُ

Transliteration

hal jazāʾu l-ʾiḥsāni ʾillā l-ʾiḥsān^u

Translation

Is the requital of goodness anything but goodness?

61

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

62

وَمِن دونِهِما جَنَّتانِ

Transliteration

wa-min dūnihimā jannatānⁱ

Translation

Beside these two, there will be two [other] gardens.

63

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

64

مُدهامَّتانِ

Transliteration

mudhāmmatānⁱ

Translation

Dark green.

65

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

66

فيهِما عَينانِ نَضّاخَتانِ

Transliteration

fīhimā ʿaynāni naḍḍākhatānⁱ

Translation

In both of them will be two gushing springs.

67

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

68

فيهِما فاكِهَةٌ وَنَخلٌ وَرُمّانٌ

Transliteration

fīhimā fākihatun wa-nakhlun wa-rummān^un

Translation

In both of them will be fruits, date-palms and pomegranates.

69

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

70

فيهِنَّ خَيراتٌ حِسانٌ

Transliteration

fīhinna khayrātun ḥisān^un

Translation

In them are maidens good and lovely.

71

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

72

حورٌ مَقصوراتٌ فِي الخِيامِ

Transliteration

ḥūrun maqṣūrātun fī l-khiyāmⁱ

Translation

Houris secluded in pavilions.

73

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

74

لَم يَطمِثهُنَّ إِنسٌ قَبلَهُم وَلا جانٌّ

Transliteration

lam yaṭmithhunna ʾinsun qablahum wa-lā jānn^un

Translation

Whom no human has touched before, nor jinn.

75

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

76

مُتَّكِئينَ عَلىٰ رَفرَفٍ خُضرٍ وَعَبقَرِيٍّ حِسانٍ

Transliteration

muttakiʾīna ʿalā rafrafin khuḍrin wa-ʿabqariyyin ḥisānⁱⁿ

Translation

Reclining on green cushions and lovely carpets.

77

فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُما تُكَذِّبانِ

Transliteration

fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbikumā tukadhdhibānⁱ

Translation

So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

78

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  

تَبارَكَ اسمُ رَبِّكَ ذِي الجَلالِ وَالإِكرامِ

Transliteration

tabāraka smu rabbika dhī l-jalāli wa-l-ʾikrāmⁱ

Translation

Blessed is the Name of your Lord, the Majestic and the Munificent!