Revealed in Makkah, Surah Adh-Dhariyat (The Winnowing Winds) starts with powerful oaths swearing by natural forces—winds, rain-clouds, ships, and dividing angels—to establish the absolute truth of judgment and resurrection. It details the rewards of the righteous who spend their nights in prayer and share their wealth with the needy. The Surah recounts the visits of angels to Abraham, Hud's warning to 'Ad, and Pharaoh's defiance, reminding humanity of the purpose of their creation: to worship God alone.
Transliteration
Waalththariyati tharwan
Translation
By the spreaders spreading
God swears by the winds that scatter dust and seeds across the earth.
Transliteration
Faalhamilati wiqran
Translation
And those carrying loads
God swears by the heavy clouds that carry rain to give life to the earth.
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Faaljariyati yusran
Translation
And those moving gently
God swears by the ships sailing smoothly across the oceans.
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Faalmuqassimati amran
Translation
And those distributing as commanded
God swears by the angels who carry out His commands to distribute provisions and weather.
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Innama tooAAadoona lasadiqun
Translation
What you are promised is true
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Wainna alddeena lawaqiAAun
Translation
Judgment will take place
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Waalssamai thati alhubuki
Translation
By the sky that is woven
God swears an oath by the celestial sky adorned with intricate gravitational orbits, interwoven cosmic webs, and luminous planetary tracks.
Transliteration
Innakum lafee qawlin mukhtalifin
Translation
You differ in what you say
The divine conclusion sworn to by the woven sky: Meccan skeptics were hopelessly divided in conflicting contradictions, at times calling the Prophet a poet, a sorcerer, a madman, or a soothsayer.
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Yufaku AAanhu man ofika
Translation
Averted from it is he who is averted
Transliteration
Qutila alkharrasoona
Translation
Perish the imposters
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Allatheena hum fee ghamratin sahoona
Translation
Those who are dazed in ignorance
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Yasaloona ayyana yawmu alddeeni
Translation
They ask, “When is the Day of Judgment?”
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Yawma hum AAala alnnari yuftanoona
Translation
The Day they are presented to the Fire
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Thooqoo fitnatakum hatha allathee kuntum bihi tastaAAjiloona
Translation
“Taste your ordeal. This is what you used to challenge.”
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Inna almuttaqeena fee jannatin waAAuyoonin
Translation
But the pious are amidst gardens and springs
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Akhitheena ma atahum rabbuhum innahum kanoo qabla thalika muhsineena
Translation
Receiving what their Lord has given them. They were virtuous before that
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Kanoo qaleelan mina allayli ma yahjaAAoona
Translation
They used to sleep a little at night
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Wabialashari hum yastaghfiroona
Translation
And at dawn, they would pray for pardon
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Wafee amwalihim haqqun lilssaili waalmahroomi
Translation
And in their wealth, there was a share for the beggar and the deprived
Establishes a profound social welfare principle: a poor person's share in a wealthy believer's estate is not an optional favor, but a recognized right ('Haqq'). The verse explicitly mentions both the vocal petitioner who asks ('Sa'il') and the dignified, silent poor person who conceals their need out of self-respect ('Mahrum').
Transliteration
Wafee alardi ayatun lilmooqineena
Translation
And on earth are signs for the convinced
Transliteration
Wafee anfusikum afala tubsiroona
Translation
And within yourselves. Do you not see
Directs human contemplation inwards toward anatomy and biology: human cellular structures, cardiovascular systems, and neurological wiring serve as living signs of an intelligent Creator.
Transliteration
Wafee alssamai rizqukum wama tooAAadoona
Translation
And in the heaven is your livelihood, and what you are promised
Transliteration
Fawarabbi alssamai waalardi innahu lahaqqun mithla ma annakum tantiqoona
Translation
By the Lord of the heaven and the earth, it is as true as the fact that you speak
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Hal ataka hadeethu dayfi ibraheema almukrameena
Translation
Has the story of Abraham’s honorable guests reached you
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Ith dakhaloo AAalayhi faqaloo salaman qala salamun qawmun munkaroona
Translation
When they entered upon him, they said, “Peace.” He said, “Peace, strangers.”
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Faragha ila ahlihi fajaa biAAijlin sameenin
Translation
Then he slipped away to his family, and brought a fatted calf
Recalls Prophet Abraham's (Ibrahim) legendary hospitality: when unannounced angelic guests arrived in human form, he immediately roasted a fat calf without asking if they were hungry.
Transliteration
Faqarrabahu ilayhim qala ala takuloona
Translation
He set it before them. He said, “Will you not eat?”
Transliteration
Faawjasa minhum kheefatan qaloo la takhaf wabashsharoohu bighulamin AAaleemin
Translation
And he harbored fear of them. They said, “Do not fear,” and they announced to him the good news of a knowledgeable boy
In ancient Middle Eastern hospitality codes, refusing to partake in offered food signaled hostility or impending betrayal. Seeing his guests' hands refrain from touching the meat, Abraham felt sudden apprehension, until the angels identified themselves and announced the birth of Isaac (Ishaq).
Transliteration
Faaqbalati imraatuhu fee sarratin fasakkat wajhaha waqalat AAajoozun AAaqeemun
Translation
His wife came forward crying. She clasped her face, and said, “A barren old woman?”
Sarah, Abraham's elderly wife, cried out in shock, striking her forehead in astonishment that a barren woman of ninety years could conceive a child.
Transliteration
Qaloo kathaliki qala rabbuki innahu huwa alhakeemu alAAaleemu
Translation
They said, “Thus spoke your Lord. He is the Wise, the Knowing.”
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Qala fama khatbukum ayyuha almursaloona
Translation
He said, “What is your business, O envoys?”
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Qaloo inna orsilna ila qawmin mujrimeena
Translation
They said, “We are sent to a people guilty of sin.”
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Linursila AAalayhim hijaratan min teenin
Translation
“To unleash upon them rocks of clay.”
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Musawwamatan AAinda rabbika lilmusrifeena
Translation
“Marked by your Lord for the excessive.”
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Faakhrajna man kana feeha mina almumineena
Translation
We evacuated all the believers who were in it
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Fama wajadna feeha ghayra baytin mina almuslimeena
Translation
But found in it only one household of Muslims
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Watarakna feeha ayatan lillatheena yakhafoona alAAathaba alaleema
Translation
And We left in it a sign for those who fear the painful punishment
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Wafee moosa ith arsalnahu ila firAAawna bisultanin mubeenin
Translation
And in Moses. We sent him to Pharaoh with a clear authority
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Fatawalla biruknihi waqala sahirun aw majnoonun
Translation
But he turned away with his warlords, and said, “A sorcerer or a madman.”
Transliteration
Faakhathnahu wajunoodahu fanabathnahum fee alyammi wahuwa muleemun
Translation
So We seized him and his troops, and threw them into the sea, and He was to blame
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Wafee AAadin ith arsalna AAalayhimu alrreeha alAAaqeema
Translation
And in Aad. We unleashed against them the devastating wind
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Ma tatharu min shayin atat AAalayhi illa jaAAalathu kaalrrameemi
Translation
It spared nothing it came upon, but rendered it like decayed ruins
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Wafee thamooda ith qeela lahum tamattaAAoo hatta heenin
Translation
And in Thamood. They were told, “Enjoy yourselves for a while.”
Transliteration
FaAAataw AAan amri rabbihim faakhathathumu alssaAAiqatu wahum yanthuroona
Translation
But they defied the command of their Lord, so the lightning struck them as they looked on
Transliteration
Fama istataAAoo min qiyamin wama kanoo muntasireena
Translation
They could not rise up, nor could they find help
Transliteration
Waqawma noohin min qablu innahum kanoo qawman fasiqeena
Translation
And before that, the people of Noah. They were immoral people
Transliteration
Waalssamaa banaynaha biaydin wainna lamoosiAAoona
Translation
We constructed the universe with power, and We are expanding it
A profound cosmological insight: declares that God constructed the celestial universe with divine might, adding: 'and indeed, We are steadily expanding it' ('Wa-inna la-musi'un')—directly anticipating modern astrophysics and the discovery that the universe is continuously expanding.
Transliteration
Waalarda farashnaha faniAAma almahidoona
Translation
And the earth—We spread it out—How well We prepared it
Transliteration
Wamin kulli shayin khalaqna zawjayni laAAallakum tathakkaroona
Translation
We created all things in pairs, so that you may reflect and ponder
Highlights the universal law of duality: God created all things in pairs or opposite polarities (male and female, positive and negative electric charges, matter and antimatter), emphasizing that He alone is uniquely One without a counterpart.
Transliteration
Fafirroo ila Allahi innee lakum minhu natheerun mubeenun
Translation
“So flee towards God. I am to you from Him a clear warner.”
Transliteration
Wala tajAAaloo maAAa Allahi ilahan akhara innee lakum minhu natheerun mubeenun
Translation
“And do not set up any other god with God. I am to you from Him a clear warner.”
Transliteration
Kathalika ma ata allatheena min qablihim min rasoolin illa qaloo sahirun aw majnoonun
Translation
Likewise, no messenger came to those before them, but they said, “A sorcerer or a madman.”
Transliteration
Atawasaw bihi bal hum qawmun taghoona
Translation
Did they recommend it to one another? In fact, they are rebellious people
Transliteration
Fatawalla AAanhum fama anta bimaloomin
Translation
So turn away from them; you are not to blame
Transliteration
Wathakkir fainna alththikra tanfaAAu almumineena
Translation
And remind, for the reminder benefits the believers
Transliteration
Wama khalaqtu aljinna waalinsa illa liyaAAbudooni
Translation
I did not create the jinn and the humans except to worship Me
The foundational statement of human purpose: God explicitly defines the existential meaning of life, revealing that human beings and jinn were created not for frivolous amusement, but to consciously know, love, and worship their Creator.
Transliteration
Ma oreedu minhum min rizqin wama oreedu an yutAAimooni
Translation
I need no livelihood from them, nor do I need them to feed Me
Transliteration
Inna Allaha huwa alrrazzaqu thoo alquwwati almateenu
Translation
God is the Provider, the One with Power, the Strong
Transliteration
Fainna lillatheena thalamoo thanooban mithla thanoobi ashabihim fala yastaAAjiloona
Translation
Those who do wrong will have their turn, like the turn of their counterparts, so let them not rush Me
Transliteration
Fawaylun lillatheena kafaroo min yawmihimu allathee yooAAadoona
Translation
So woe to those who disbelieve because of that Day of theirs which they are promised