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Qur’an reader

87. Al-A'laa · The Most High

Praise of the Most High joins creation and guidance with reassurance concerning the reception of revelation. Remembrance, prayer, and purification are set against preference for worldly life, and the teaching is linked to Abraham and Moses.

Updated 20 October 2026Editorial review edition

Meccan (traditional classification) · 19 verses

Editorial themes: Praise · Guidance · Prayer · Earlier revelation

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 سَبِّحِ ٱسْمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلْأَعْلَى

Praise the name of thy Lord the Most High,

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ

Who createth, then disposeth;

وَٱلَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ

Who measureth, then guideth;

وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَخْرَجَ ٱلْمَرْعَىٰ

Who bringeth forth the pasturage,

فَجَعَلَهُۥ غُثَآءً أَحْوَىٰ

Then turneth it to russet stubble.

سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَىٰٓ

We shall make thee read (O Muhammad) so that thou shalt not forget

إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ إِنَّهُۥ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ

Save that which Allah willeth. Lo! He knoweth the disclosed and that which still is hidden;

وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ

And We shall ease thy way unto the state of ease.

فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ

Therefor remind (men), for of use is the reminder.

سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰ

He will heed who feareth,

وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَشْقَى

But the most hapless will flout it,

ٱلَّذِى يَصْلَى ٱلنَّارَ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ

He who will be flung to the great Fire

ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ

Wherein he will neither die nor live.

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ

He is successful who groweth,

وَذَكَرَ ٱسْمَ رَبِّهِۦ فَصَلَّىٰ

And remembereth the name of his Lord, so prayeth,

بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا

But ye prefer the life of the world

وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ

Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting.

إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَفِى ٱلصُّحُفِ ٱلْأُولَىٰ

Lo! This is in the former scrolls.

صُحُفِ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ

The Books of Abraham and Moses.

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