Al-A'laa

[Prophet], glorify the name of your Lord the Most High,

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى

sabbiḥi is'ma rabbika l-aʿlā

who created [all things] in due proportion;

الَّذِي خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ

alladhī khalaqa fasawwā

who determined their destinies and guided them;

وَالَّذِي قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ

wa-alladhī qaddara fahadā

who brought out the green pasture

وَالَّذِي أَخْرَجَ الْمَرْعَىٰ

wa-alladhī akhraja l-marʿā

then made it dark debris.

فَجَعَلَهُ غُثَاءً أَحْوَىٰ

fajaʿalahu ghuthāan aḥwā

[Prophet], We shall teach you [the Quran] and you will not forget––

سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنْسَىٰ

sanuq'ri-uka falā tansā

unless God wishes; He knows both what is open and what is hidden––

إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ الْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ

illā mā shāa l-lahu innahu yaʿlamu l-jahra wamā yakhfā

We shall show you the easy way.

وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ

wanuyassiruka lil'yus'rā

So remind, if reminding will help.

فَذَكِّرْ إِنْ نَفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَىٰ

fadhakkir in nafaʿati l-dhik'rā

Those who stand in awe of God will heed the reminder,

سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَنْ يَخْشَىٰ

sayadhakkaru man yakhshā

but it will be ignored by the most wicked,

وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الْأَشْقَى

wayatajannabuhā l-ashqā

who will enter the Great Fire,

الَّذِي يَصْلَى النَّارَ الْكُبْرَىٰ

alladhī yaṣlā l-nāra l-kub'rā

where they will neither die nor live.

ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ

thumma lā yamūtu fīhā walā yaḥyā

Prosperous are those who purify themselves,

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ تَزَكَّىٰ

qad aflaḥa man tazakkā

remember the name of their Lord, and pray.

وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّىٰ

wadhakara is'ma rabbihi faṣallā

Yet you [people] prefer the life of this world,

بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا

bal tu'thirūna l-ḥayata l-dun'yā

even though the Hereafter is better and more lasting.

وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ

wal-ākhiratu khayrun wa-abqā

All this is in the earlier scriptures,

إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الْأُولَىٰ

inna hādhā lafī l-ṣuḥufi l-ūlā

the scriptures of Abraham and Moses.

صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ

ṣuḥufi ib'rāhīma wamūsā