Surah 096

Al-ʿAlaq

العلق

19 verses · Meccan

Key structural observations

The surah is structured around a reversal of pressure: the obstacle does not necessarily close the path, it can clarify it, forcing nearness to become decision rather than habit.
Its two opening axes, Iqraʾ and Qalam, answer arrogance not with brute force but with grounded origin, learning, and transmitted knowledge.
The surah culminates by healing the proud nāṣiya through sajda: the forehead that rose in self-sufficiency is reset by touching the ground and drawing near.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ

خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ

اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ

الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ

عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ

كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَيَطْغَىٰ

أَنْ رَآهُ اسْتَغْنَىٰ

إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَىٰ

أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَىٰ

عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰ

أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدَىٰ

أَوْ أَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوَىٰ

أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَىٰ

كَلَّا لَئِنْ لَمْ يَنْتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًا بِالنَّاصِيَةِ

نَاصِيَةٍ كَاذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ

فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُ

سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ

كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ ۩