Revealed in Makkah, Surah Al-Fajr (The Dawn) begins with powerful oaths by the dawn and the ten nights (of Dhu'l-Hijjah) to warn disbelievers of the fate of ancient tribes like 'Ad, Thamud, and Pharaoh who transgressed in their lands. It condemns greed and the neglect of orphans and the poor, concluding with a comforting address to the tranquil soul (*An-Nafs al-Mutma'innah*) welcoming it back to its Lord.
Transliteration
Waalfajri
Translation
By the daybreak
God swears an oath by the breaking of daybreak, when light fractures the darkness of night, symbolizing spiritual awakening.
Transliteration
Walayalin AAashrin
Translation
And ten nights
God swears by the sacred first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, recognized as the most blessed days of the year for righteous deeds.
Transliteration
WaalshshafAAi waalwatri
Translation
And the even and the odd
God swears by the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah (Day of Sacrifice - even) and the 9th (Day of Arafah - odd), and the contrast between created pairs and the One Creator.
Transliteration
Waallayli itha yasri
Translation
And the night as it recedes
God swears by the quiet night as it departs at dawn, clearing the way for the illumination of day.
Transliteration
Hal fee thalika qasamun lithee hijrin
Translation
Is there in this an oath for a rational person
Transliteration
Alam tara kayfa faAAala rabbuka biAAadin
Translation
Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with Aad
Transliteration
Irama thati alAAimadi
Translation
Erum of the pillars
Refers to 'Iram of the Pillars' ('Iram dhat al-'Imad')—the legendary ancient capital of the civilization of 'Ad in southern Arabia, renowned for its towering architectural columns. Long dismissed by Western skeptics as a myth, NASA space radar satellite imagery in the 1990s discovered the subterranean ruins of this exact lost fortress city (Ubar / Iram) beneath Oman's sand dunes.
Transliteration
Allatee lam yukhlaq mithluha fee albiladi
Translation
The like of which was never created in the land
Transliteration
Wathamooda allatheena jaboo alssakhra bialwadi
Translation
And Thamood—those who carved the rocks in the valley
Refers to the ancient Nabataean/Thamudic civilization who carved monumental palatial homes and tombs directly into solid sandstone canyon cliffs (seen today at Mada'in Salih and Petra).
Transliteration
WafirAAawna thee alawtadi
Translation
And Pharaoh of the Stakes
Refers to Pharaoh as 'Lord of the Stakes' ('Dhi al-Awtad')—referring to the massive triangular pyramid obelisks anchoring his kingdom, as well as his sadistic torture method of tying dissidents to four wooden stakes driven into the desert ground.
Transliteration
Allatheena taghaw fee albiladi
Translation
Those who committed excesses in the lands
Transliteration
Faaktharoo feeha alfasada
Translation
And spread much corruption therein
Transliteration
Fasabba AAalayhim rabbuka sawta AAathabin
Translation
So your Lord poured down upon them a scourge of punishment
Transliteration
Inna rabbaka labialmirsadi
Translation
Your Lord is on the lookout
Transliteration
Faamma alinsanu itha ma ibtalahu rabbuhu faakramahu wanaAAAAamahu fayaqoolu rabbee akramani
Translation
As for man, whenever his Lord tests him, and honors him, and prospers him, he says, “My Lord has honored me.”
Diagnoses the superficial human metric of worth: when blessed with financial prosperity and status, humans boast: 'My Lord has honored me!'; but when tested with economic hardship, they complain: 'My Lord has humiliated me!' God clarifies that material wealth is a test of gratitude, while financial hardship is a test of resilience—neither is a measurement of divine favor.
Transliteration
Waamma itha ma ibtalahu faqadara AAalayhi rizqahu fayaqoolu rabbee ahanani
Translation
But whenever He tests him, and restricts his livelihood for him, he says, “My Lord has insulted me.”
Transliteration
Kalla bal la tukrimoona alyateema
Translation
Not at all. But you do not honor the orphan
Transliteration
Wala tahaddoona AAala taAAami almiskeeni
Translation
And you do not urge the feeding of the poor
Transliteration
Watakuloona altturatha aklan lamman
Translation
And you devour inheritance with all greed
Condemns the predatory pre-Islamic custom of dispossessing orphans and widows of their rightful family inheritance, devouring estates with insatiable greed ('Aklan Lamma').
Transliteration
Watuhibboona almala hubban jamman
Translation
And you love wealth with immense love
Transliteration
Kalla itha dukkati alardu dakkan dakkan
Translation
No—when the earth is leveled, pounded, and crushed
Transliteration
Wajaa rabbuka waalmalaku saffan saffan
Translation
And your Lord comes, with the angels, row after row
Transliteration
Wajeea yawmaithin bijahannama yawmaithin yatathakkaru alinsanu waanna lahu alththikra
Translation
And on that Day, Hell is brought forward. On that Day, man will remember, but how will remembrance avail him
Transliteration
Yaqoolu ya laytanee qaddamtu lihayatee
Translation
He will say, “If only I had forwarded for my life.”
Captures the ultimate realization of reality on Judgment Day: the condemned soul screams in agony: 'Oh, I wish I had sent forth good deeds for my true life!' ('Li-hayati')—finally realizing that the brief earthly lifespan was merely an entrance exam, and that the afterlife is the only true, permanent life.
Transliteration
Fayawmaithin la yuAAaththibu AAathabahu ahadun
Translation
On that Day, none will punish as He punishes
Transliteration
Wala yoothiqu wathaqahu ahadun
Translation
And none will shackle as He shackles
Transliteration
Ya ayyatuha alnnafsu almutmainnatu
Translation
But as for you, O tranquil soul
A celebrated divine greeting to the righteous soul: 'O tranquil soul!' ('Ya ayyatuha an-nafsu al-mutma'innah')—welcoming the soul that achieved peaceful contentment with God's will into eternal fellowship with the righteous in Paradise.
Transliteration
IrjiAAee ila rabbiki radiyatan mardiyyatan
Translation
Return to your Lord, pleased and accepted
Transliteration
Faodkhulee fee AAibadee
Translation
Enter among My servants
Transliteration
Waodkhulee jannatee
Translation
Enter My Paradise