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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

bookmark 1. Ha, Meem.

1. حمٓ

bookmark 2. The revelation of the Book is from God, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

2. تَنزِيلُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ

bookmark 3. In the heavens and the earth are proofs for the believers.

3. إِنَّ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

bookmark 4. And in your own creation, and in the creatures He scattered, are signs for people of firm faith.

4. وَفِى خَلْقِكُمْ وَمَا يَبُثُّ مِن دَآبَّةٍ ءَايَٰتٌۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُوقِنُونَ

bookmark 5. And in the alternation of night and day, and in the sustenance God sends down from the sky, with which He revives the earth after its death, and in the circulation of the winds, are marvels for people who reason.

5. وَٱخْتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن رِّزْقٍۢ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَتَصْرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَٰحِ ءَايَٰتٌۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَعْقِلُونَ

bookmark 6. These are God’s Verses which We recite to you in truth. In which message, after God and His revelations, will they believe?

6. تِلْكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ فَبِأَىِّ حَدِيثٍۭ بَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ وَءَايَٰتِهِۦ يُؤْمِنُونَ

bookmark 7. Woe to every sinful liar.

7. وَيْلٌۭ لِّكُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمٍۢ

bookmark 8. Who hears God's revelations being recited to him, yet he persists arrogantly, as though he did not hear them. Announce to him a painful punishment.

8. يَسْمَعُ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يُصِرُّ مُسْتَكْبِرًۭا كَأَن لَّمْ يَسْمَعْهَا ۖ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ

bookmark 9. And when he learns something of Our revelations, he takes them in mockery. For such there is a shameful punishment.

9. وَإِذَا عَلِمَ مِنْ ءَايَٰتِنَا شَيْـًٔا ٱتَّخَذَهَا هُزُوًا ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌۭ مُّهِينٌۭ

bookmark 10. Beyond them lies Hell. What they have earned will not benefit them at all, nor will those they adopted as lords instead of God. They will have a terrible punishment.

10. مِّن وَرَآئِهِمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَلَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُم مَّا كَسَبُوا۟ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا مَا ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

bookmark 11. This is guidance. Those who blaspheme their Lord’s revelations will have a punishment of agonizing pain.

11. هَٰذَا هُدًۭى ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌۭ مِّن رِّجْزٍ أَلِيمٌ

bookmark 12. It is God who placed the sea at your service, so that ships may run through it by His command, and that you may seek of His bounty, and that you may give thanks.

12. ۞ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلْبَحْرَ لِتَجْرِىَ ٱلْفُلْكُ فِيهِ بِأَمْرِهِۦ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

bookmark 13. And He placed at your service whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth—all is from Him. In that are signs for a people who think.

13. وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًۭا مِّنْهُ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

bookmark 14. Tell those who believe to forgive those who do not hope for the Days of God. He will fully recompense people for whatever they have earned.

14. قُل لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يَغْفِرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ أَيَّامَ ٱللَّهِ لِيَجْزِىَ قَوْمًۢا بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ

bookmark 15. Whoever does a good deed, it is for his soul; and whoever commits evil, it is against it; then to your Lord you will be returned.

15. مَنْ عَمِلَ صَٰلِحًۭا فَلِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَنْ أَسَآءَ فَعَلَيْهَا ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ

bookmark 16. We gave the Children of Israel the Book, and wisdom, and prophecy; and We provided them with the good things; and We gave them advantage over all other people.

16. وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقْنَٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ وَفَضَّلْنَٰهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

bookmark 17. And We gave them precise rulings. They fell into dispute only after knowledge came to them, out of mutual rivalry. Your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection regarding the things they differed about.

17. وَءَاتَيْنَٰهُم بَيِّنَٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ فَمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوٓا۟ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعِلْمُ بَغْيًۢا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِى بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

bookmark 18. Then We set you upon a pathway of faith, so follow it, and do not follow the inclinations of those who do not know.

18. ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَٰكَ عَلَىٰ شَرِيعَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ فَٱتَّبِعْهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

bookmark 19. They will not help you against God in any way. The wrongdoers are allies of one another, while God is the Protector of the righteous.

19. إِنَّهُمْ لَن يُغْنُوا۟ عَنكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًۭٔا ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍۢ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

bookmark 20. This is an illumination for mankind, and guidance, and mercy for people who believe with certainty.

20. هَٰذَا بَصَٰٓئِرُ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًۭى وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُوقِنُونَ

bookmark 21. Do those who perpetrate the evil deeds assume that We will regard them as equal to those who believe and do righteous deeds, whether in their life or their death? Evil is their judgment!

21. أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱجْتَرَحُوا۟ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن نَّجْعَلَهُمْ كَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ سَوَآءًۭ مَّحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتُهُمْ ۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ

bookmark 22. God created the heavens and the earth with justice, so that every soul will be repaid for what it has earned. And they will not be wronged.

22. وَخَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

bookmark 23. Have you considered him who has taken his desire for his god? God has knowingly led him astray, and has sealed his hearing and his heart, and has placed a veil over his vision. Who will guide him after God? Will you not reflect?

23. أَفَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍۢ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِۦ وَقَلْبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَٰوَةًۭ فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ

bookmark 24. And they say, “There is nothing but this our present life; we die and we live, and nothing destroys us except time.” But they have no knowledge of that; they are only guessing.

24. وَقَالُوا۟ مَا هِىَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَآ إِلَّا ٱلدَّهْرُ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ

bookmark 25. When Our clarifying Verses are recited to them, their only argument is to say, “Bring back our ancestors, if you are truthful.”

25. وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتُنَا بَيِّنَٰتٍۢ مَّا كَانَ حُجَّتَهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ ٱئْتُوا۟ بِـَٔابَآئِنَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ

bookmark 26. Say, “God gives you life, then He makes you die; then He gathers you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. But most people do not know.”

26. قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يَجْمَعُكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

bookmark 27. To God belongs the kingship of the heavens and the earth. On the Day when the Hour takes place, on that Day the falsifiers will lose.

27. وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ يَخْسَرُ ٱلْمُبْطِلُونَ

bookmark 28. You will see every community on its knees; every community will be called to its Book: “Today you are being repaid for what you used to do.

28. وَتَرَىٰ كُلَّ أُمَّةٍۢ جَاثِيَةًۭ ۚ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍۢ تُدْعَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ كِتَٰبِهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

bookmark 29. This Book of Ours speaks about you in truth. We have been transcribing what you have been doing.”

29. هَٰذَا كِتَٰبُنَا يَنطِقُ عَلَيْكُم بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسْتَنسِخُ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

bookmark 30. As for those who believed and did righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them into His mercy. That is the clear triumph.

30. فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ فَيُدْخِلُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ فِى رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْمُبِينُ

bookmark 31. But as for those who disbelieved: “Were My revelations not recited to you? But you turned arrogant, and were guilty people.”

31. وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَفَلَمْ تَكُنْ ءَايَٰتِى تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَٱسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ وَكُنتُمْ قَوْمًۭا مُّجْرِمِينَ

bookmark 32. And when it was said, “The promise of God is true, and of the Hour there is no doubt,” you said, “We do not know what the Hour is; we think it is only speculation; we are not convinced.”

32. وَإِذَا قِيلَ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّۭ وَٱلسَّاعَةُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا قُلْتُم مَّا نَدْرِى مَا ٱلسَّاعَةُ إِن نَّظُنُّ إِلَّا ظَنًّۭا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ

bookmark 33. The evils of what they did will become evident to them, and the very thing they ridiculed will haunt them.

33. وَبَدَا لَهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتُ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ

bookmark 34. And it will be said, “Today We forget you, as you forgot the encounter of this Day of yours. Your abode is the Fire, and there are no saviors for you.

34. وَقِيلَ ٱلْيَوْمَ نَنسَىٰكُمْ كَمَا نَسِيتُمْ لِقَآءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَٰذَا وَمَأْوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ

bookmark 35. That is because you took God’s revelations for a joke, and the worldly life lured you.” So today they will not be brought out of it, and they will not be allowed to repent.

35. ذَٰلِكُم بِأَنَّكُمُ ٱتَّخَذْتُمْ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ هُزُوًۭا وَغَرَّتْكُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۚ فَٱلْيَوْمَ لَا يُخْرَجُونَ مِنْهَا وَلَا هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ

bookmark 36. Praise belongs to God; Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth, Lord of humanity.

36. فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْحَمْدُ رَبِّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَرَبِّ ٱلْأَرْضِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

bookmark 37. To Him belongs all supremacy in the heavens and the earth. He is the Majestic, the Wise.

37. وَلَهُ ٱلْكِبْرِيَآءُ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ

Context of Revelation

The chapter Al-Jathiyah (“The Kneeling”) is a Meccan surah composed of 37 verses. Its name comes from verse 28, which depicts every nation kneeling before God on the Day of Judgment — a symbol of humility and submission to divine justice. Revealed in a period of intensified opposition in Mecca, the surah confronts those who denied resurrection and moral accountability, urging reflection upon the signs of God in creation.

It serves as both a warning to the arrogant and an invitation to faith, reminding humanity that everything in the heavens and the earth bears witness to God’s oneness and justice.

Main Teachings and Key Insights

Al-Jathiyah emphasizes divine signs in creation, human responsibility, and the certainty of the Last Judgment. It rejects materialism and self-worship while reaffirming the absolute justice of God. Key teachings include:

  • God’s signs in creation: the heavens, earth, and all creatures testify to His power (vv. 3–5).
  • Revelation as guidance and mercy for those who believe (v. 11).
  • The denial of judgment by those who follow only their desires (vv. 23–26).
  • The scene of Judgment Day: every community kneeling before God to be judged (vv. 27–28).
  • Gratitude and submission: humanity is reminded that the seas, winds, and nature itself are subjugated for its benefit (vv. 12–13).

The surah calls for intellectual reflection and moral awareness, linking knowledge of God’s signs to sincere faith and humility.

Structure and Main Themes

  • Introduction (vv. 1–11): affirmation of the revelation and signs of God in nature.
  • Ingratitude of the deniers (vv. 12–20): examples of divine favors and the guidance given to the Children of Israel.
  • Denial of resurrection (vv. 21–26): critique of those who reject accountability and follow their whims.
  • Judgment scene (vv. 27–37): portrayal of nations kneeling and acknowledging divine justice.

The tone of the surah is majestic and contemplative: it invites the reader to reflect deeply on divine wisdom and to recognize the moral consequences of disbelief.

Key Verse

The pivotal verse is verse 23:

أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً ۚ فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ

“Have you seen the one who takes his own desires as his god? God leaves him astray knowingly, seals his hearing and heart, and places a veil over his sight. Who can guide him after God? Will you not then reflect?”

Why this verse is key:

  • It exposes the root of spiritual misguidance: worship of one’s own desires in place of God.
  • It illustrates the closing of the heart and mind as a consequence of arrogance and denial.
  • It captures the Qur’anic moral philosophy: true freedom lies not in following desire but in surrendering to divine truth.

In summary, Al-Jathiyah reminds humankind of its moral accountability, the reality of the Resurrection, and the inevitable justice of God. It invites reflection, humility, and gratitude toward the Creator who governs all existence.

Surah Al-Jathya
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