The surah that contains the first revealed verses of the Quran, reminding the human being of The Clinging Mass, a stage that reflects the miracle of human creation in the womb of the mother. The surah is also known by the first Quranic instruction: Read. It is named after “the clining mass” (ʿalaq) mentioned in verse 2. The first five verses are known to be the first revelation of the Quran when the Prophet Muhammad was instructed to read. The second part came later to show that man transgresses when he becomes self-satisfied.The surah is also known as: Clots of Blood, Proclaim, Read, Recite, The Blood-clot, The Clinging Clot, The Clinging Form, The Clot, The Embryo.
1
اقرَأ بِاسمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذي خَلَقَ
iqraʾ bi-smi rabbika lladhī khalaqa
Read in the Name of your Lord who created;
2
خَلَقَ الإِنسانَ مِن عَلَقٍ
khalaqa l-ʾinsāna min ʿalaqin-i
created man from a clinging mass.
3
اقرَأ وَرَبُّكَ الأَكرَمُ
iqraʾ wa-rabbuka l-ʾakramu
Read, and your Lord is the most generous,
4
الَّذي عَلَّمَ بِالقَلَمِ
alladhī ʿallama bi-l-qalami
who taught by the pen,
5
عَلَّمَ الإِنسانَ ما لَم يَعلَم
ʿallama l-ʾinsāna mā lam yaʿlam
taught man what he did not know.
6
كَلّا إِنَّ الإِنسانَ لَيَطغىٰ
kallā ʾinna l-ʾinsāna la-yaṭghā
Indeed man becomes rebellious
7
أَن رَآهُ استَغنىٰ
ʾan raʾāhu staghnā
when he considers himself without need.
8
إِنَّ إِلىٰ رَبِّكَ الرُّجعىٰ
ʾinna ʾilā rabbika r-rujʿā
Indeed to your Lord is the return.
9
أَرَأَيتَ الَّذي يَنهىٰ
ʾa-raʾayta lladhī yanhā
Tell me, he who forbids
10
عَبدًا إِذا صَلّىٰ
ʿabdan ʾidhā ṣallā
a servant when he prays,
11
أَرَأَيتَ إِن كانَ عَلَى الهُدىٰ
ʾa-raʾayta ʾin kāna ʿalā l-hudā
tell me, should he be on [true] guidance,
12
أَو أَمَرَ بِالتَّقوىٰ
ʾaw ʾamara bi-t-taqwā
or bid [others] to Godwariness,
13
أَرَأَيتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلّىٰ
ʾa-raʾayta ʾin kadhdhaba wa-tawallā
tell me, should he call him a liar and turn away
14
أَلَم يَعلَم بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرىٰ
ʾa-lam yaʿlam bi-ʾanna llāha yarā
—does he not know that Allah sees?
15
كَلّا لَئِن لَم يَنتَهِ لَنَسفَعًا بِالنّاصِيَةِ
kallā la-ʾin lam yantahi la-nasfaʿan bi-n-nāṣiyati
No indeed! If he does not stop,We shall seize him by the forelock,
16
ناصِيَةٍ كاذِبَةٍ خاطِئَةٍ
nāṣiyatin kādhibatin khāṭiʾatin
a lying, sinful forelock!
17
فَليَدعُ نادِيَهُ
fa-l-yadʿu nādiyahū
Then let him call out his gang!
18
سَنَدعُ الزَّبانِيَةَ
sa-nadʿu z-zabāniyata
We [too] shall call the keepers of hell.
19
كَلّا لا تُطِعهُ وَاسجُد وَاقتَرِب ۩
kallā lā tuṭiʿhu wa-sjud wa-qtarib
No indeed! Do not obey him,but prostrate and draw near [to Allah]!