Qur’an reader
89. Al-Fajr · The Dawn
Earlier powers and their downfall challenge confidence in worldly strength, while wealth and hardship are both presented as tests. Criticism of neglecting orphans and the poor leads toward judgment and a closing address to the peaceful soul.
Editorial themes: Power · Wealth · Care for the vulnerable · Judgment
English: Marmaduke Pickthall (1930), public-domain translation. Arabic: Tanzil Project, Uthmani 1.1, used verbatim under its text licence. Text provenance & limitations →
A note on Arabic, English and verse numbering
Tanzil’s Arabic source includes the opening basmala with the first verse of surahs other than 9. Pickthall’s numbered translation includes it at 1:1; at other surah openings it is not repeated within the numbered English verse. This display preserves both source conventions. The Arabic is not a collection of all variant readings.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ وَٱلْفَجْرِ
By the Dawn
وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ
And ten nights,
وَٱلشَّفْعِ وَٱلْوَتْرِ
And the Even and the Odd,
وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ
And the night when it departeth,
هَلْ فِى ذَٰلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِّذِى حِجْرٍ
There surely is an oath for thinking man.
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ
Dost thou not consider how thy Lord dealt with (the tribe of) A'ad,
إِرَمَ ذَاتِ ٱلْعِمَادِ
With many-columned Iram,
ٱلَّتِى لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِى ٱلْبِلَٰدِ
The like of which was not created in the lands;
وَثَمُودَ ٱلَّذِينَ جَابُوا۟ ٱلصَّخْرَ بِٱلْوَادِ
And with (the tribe of) Thamud, who clove the rocks in the valley;
وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِى ٱلْأَوْتَادِ
And with Pharaoh, firm of might,
ٱلَّذِينَ طَغَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْبِلَٰدِ
Who (all) were rebellious (to Allah) in these lands,
فَأَكْثَرُوا۟ فِيهَا ٱلْفَسَادَ
And multiplied iniquity therein?
فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ
Therefore thy Lord poured on them the disaster of His punishment.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِٱلْمِرْصَادِ
Lo! thy Lord is ever watchful.
فَأَمَّا ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ إِذَا مَا ٱبْتَلَىٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَأَكْرَمَهُۥ وَنَعَّمَهُۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّىٓ أَكْرَمَنِ
As for man, whenever his Lord trieth him by honouring him, and is gracious unto him, he saith: My Lord honoureth me.
وَأَمَّآ إِذَا مَا ٱبْتَلَىٰهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّىٓ أَهَٰنَنِ
But whenever He trieth him by straitening his means of life, he saith: My Lord despiseth me.
كَلَّا بَل لَّا تُكْرِمُونَ ٱلْيَتِيمَ
Nay, but ye (for your part) honour not the orphan
وَلَا تَحَٰٓضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ
And urge not on the feeding of the poor.
وَتَأْكُلُونَ ٱلتُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَّمًّا
And ye devour heritages with devouring greed.
وَتُحِبُّونَ ٱلْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا
And love wealth with abounding love.
كَلَّآ إِذَا دُكَّتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ دَكًّا دَكًّا
Nay, but when the earth is ground to atoms, grinding, grinding,
وَجَآءَ رَبُّكَ وَٱلْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا
And thy Lord shall come with angels, rank on rank,
وَجِا۟ىٓءَ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بِجَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ
And hell is brought near that day; on that day man will remember, but how will the remembrance (then avail him)?
يَقُولُ يَٰلَيْتَنِى قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِى
He will say: Ah, would that I had sent before me (some provision) for my life!
فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
None punisheth as He will punish on that day!
وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
None bindeth as He then will bind.
يَٰٓأَيَّتُهَا ٱلنَّفْسُ ٱلْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ
But ah! thou soul at peace!
ٱرْجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً
Return unto thy Lord, content in His good pleasure!
فَٱدْخُلِى فِى عِبَٰدِى
Enter thou among My bondmen!
وَٱدْخُلِى جَنَّتِى
Enter thou My Garden!