Category: Chapters / Surah

Alif-Lam-Mim-Ra [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]. These are the Verses of the Book (the Quran), and that which has been revealed unto you (Muhammad) from your Lord is the truth, but most men believe not.

Allah is the One Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see, then firmly established Himself on the throne of authority and subjected the sun and the moon to His law – each one pursuing its course for an appointed time. He regulates all affairs. He has spelled out His revelations so that you may believe in meeting your Lord.

And He is the One Who spread out the earth and placed firm mountains and rivers upon it, and created fruits of every kind in pairs. He covers the day with night. Certainly in these things there are signs for those who use their common sense.
Meaning:-
Pairs: Males and females, sweet and bitter, etc.

And on the earth there are ˹different˺ neighbouring tracts, gardens of grapevines, ˹various˺ crops, palm trees—some stemming from the same root, others standing alone. They are all irrigated with the same water, yet We make some taste better than others. Surely in this, there are signs for people who use their common sense.
Meaning:-
Tracts: a system of body parts or organs that act together to perform some function.
irrigated: supply water to (land or crops) to help growth, typically by means of channels.

Now, if there is anything that feels strange, then strange is their saying: “What! When we will become dust, could we then be raised to a new life again?” They are the people who have denied their Lord, they are the ones who will have yokes around their necks and they are the ones who will be the inmates of hellfire to live therein forever.
Meaning:-
Yoke: collar, coupling, a wooden bar or frame by which two work animals (as oxen) are harnessed at the heads or necks for drawing a plow or load.
Inmate: a person who is confined in a prison,

They ask you ˹O Prophet˺ to hasten on the evil (Allah’s scourge) rather than the good, although there have been instances of exemplary punishments before them. In fact your Lord is the Lord of Forgiveness to the people, notwithstanding their wrongdoing; and it is also the fact that your Lord is stern in retribution.
Meaning:-
Scourge: to cause great suffering or punishment.
exemplary :serving as a warning, (of a punishment) serving as a warning or deterrent.
Stern: firm, strict, or uncompromising
Retribution: the distribution of rewards and punishments in a future life

The unbelievers say: “Why is not a sign sent down to him (Muhammad) from his Lord?” You are nothing but a Warner and every nation was assigned a guide.

Allah knows what every female bears in her womb. He is fully aware of what decrease or increase (miscarriage or a long wait) takes place in the womb. Everything has a due measure with Him.

He has perfect knowledge of both the seen and the unseen. He is the Great, the Most High.

It is the same to Him whether any of you speak in secret or aloud, whether anyone hides under the darkness of night or walks about in broad daylight.

Each person has been assigned guardian angels before him and behind him, who watch him by the command of Allah. The fact is that Allah never changes the condition of a people until they intend to change it themselves. If Allah wants to afflict a people with misfortune, none can ward it off, nor they can find any protector besides Him.
Meaning:-
Afflict: (of a problem or illness) cause pain or suffering to; affect or trouble

He is the One Who shows you lightning, inspiring ˹you with˺ hope and fear, and brings up heavy clouds (with rain).
Meaning:-
Inspiring: Exciting and makes you feel strongly interested and enthusiastic.

The thunder glorifies His praises, as do the angels in awe of Him. He is the One Who sends thunderbolts and smites with them whomever He wants. Yet these unbelievers dispute concerning Allah; He is mighty in strength.
Meaning:-
Awe: feeling of respect and amazement that you have when you are faced with something wonderful and often rather frightening.
thunderbolts: a flash of lightning with a simultaneous crash of thunder.
Smite: strike with a firm blow, to strike or hit hard, with or as with the hand, a stick, or other weapon

Praying to Him (Allah) Alone is the right thing. But those ˹idols˺ the pagans invoke besides Him ˹can˺ never respond to them in any way. They are like a man who stretches forth his hands to the water and asks it to reach his mouth. It cannot reach his mouth this way; likewise the prayer of the unbelievers is nothing but a fruitless effort.
Meaning:-
Idols: an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship.
Pagans: is a person who worships many gods or who worships nature and the Earth.
Invoke: call on (a deity or spirit) in prayer, as a witness, or for inspiration.

Whatever is in the heavens and the earth do prostrate before Allah Alone willingly or unwillingly, and so do their shadows in the mornings and evenings.
Meaning:-
Prostrate: lying stretched out on the ground with one’s face downward, especially in reverence or submission.
Shadows: I.e., the varying lengths of the shadow projected by any material object depend on the position of the sun in relation to the earth; and since the earth’s rotation around the sun is – as everything else in the universe – an outcome of God’s creative will, the greater length of a shadow in the morning and evening and its contraction towards noon visibly expresses the shadow’s subjection to Him.

Ask them: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” If they hesitate to respond, say: “Allah.” Then ask them: “When this is the fact, why do you take other deities, besides Him, who do not control any benefit or harm even to themselves, as your protectors?” Say: “Are the blind and the seeing equal? Or can the darkness and light be equal?” If that is not so, then, have their shoraka’ (other deities they worship) created anything like His creation which has made the matter of creation doubtful for them? Say: “Allah Alone is the Creator of everything and He is the One, the Irresistible.”
Meaning:-
Deity: God; Supreme Being, like a god or goddess, Fake God.
Irresistible: too powerful or convincing to be resisted.

He sends down water from the skies and each channel starts flowing according to its measure, and then the torrent bears a swelling foam – like the scum which appears from metal which are melted in the furnace for making ornaments and utensils. This is how Allah compares truth to falsehood. As for the scum, it is thrown away, being worthless, but that which is useful for the mankind remains behind on the earth. In this way Allah cites examples to make His message clear.
Meaning:-
Torrent: a strong and fast-moving stream of water or other liquid.
Scum: a layer of unpleasant or unwanted material that has formed on the top of a liquid or body of water
Depicts: to represent by or as if by painting; portray; delineate, characterize in words.
Cites: to mention in support, proof, or confirmation;

There is an excellent reward for those who respond to the call of their Lord. As for those who do not respond to Him – even if they had all that is in the earth, and as much besides, to offer as a ransom in order to save themselves from punishment, it would be of no use. They are the ones who will have terrible reckoning; their abode will be hell – what an evil resting place.
Meaning:-
Reckoning: the settlement of accounts.
Abode: a place in which a person resides; residence; dwelling; habitation; home.

How can the one who knows that which has been revealed to you from your Lord is the Truth, be like the one who is blind to this fact? Only those who use their common sense benefit from this reminder.

They are the ones who fulfill their covenant with Allah and do not break their pledge;
Meaning:-
Covenant: contract, agreement, undertaking, commitment, guarantee, pledge, promise.
Pledge: promise, undertaking, vow, word, word of honor, commitment, oath.

And those who join that which Allah has ordered to be joined and fear their Lord and are afraid of the evil of [their] account,

also they are the ones who are patient, seek the pleasure of their Lord, establish Salah (prayer) , spend secretly and openly out of the sustenance which We have provided for them, and repel evil with good – they are the ones for whom there is the home of the hereafter
Meaning:-
Sustenance: food and drink regarded as a source of strength; nourishment.

Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with whoever were righteous among their fathers, their spouses and their descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying],
Meaning:-
Perpetual: continuing or enduring forever; everlasting.

saying: “Peace be upon you for all that you steadfastly endured in the world. Now! How excellent will be the home of the hereafter!”
Meaning:-
Steadfast: fixed in direction, firm in purpose.
Endured: To carry on through, despite hardships; undergo or suffer.

But those who break Allah’s Covenant after it has been affirmed, break whatever ˹ties˺ Allah has ordered to be maintained, and spread corruption in the land—for them is the curse, and they will have the worst home.
Meaning:-
Covenant: contract, agreement, undertaking, commitment, guarantee, pledge, promise.

Allah grants the provision to whomsoever He wills abundantly and grants others in strict measure. They rejoice in the life of the world, although compared with the Hereafter, the life of the world is no more than temporary enjoyment.
Meaning:-
Abundantly: in large quantities; plentifully.
Rejoice: feel or show great joy or delight.

The disbelievers say, “If only a sign could be sent down to him from his Lord.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Indeed, Allah leaves to astray whoever He wills, and guides to Himself whoever turns to Him—
Meaning:-
Astray: into error, away from the correct path or direction.

those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort.

As for those who believe and do good deeds, for them there will be prosperity and a beautiful place of final return.”

O Muhammad! We have sent you among a nation before whom other nations have passed away; so that you may recite to them Our revelations which We have sent down to you; yet they are rejecting the Compassionate (Allah). Say: “He is my Lord! There is no god but Him. In Him I have put my trust and to Him shall I return.”

Even if there were a Qur’an that could move mountains, cleft the earth asunder or make the dead speak (do you think the result would have been different?) Surely all things are subject to Allah’s Will. Have not yet the believers been satisfied that if Allah wanted, He would have certainly guided the whole of mankind? As for the unbelievers, the disaster will not cease to afflict them every now and then or strike close to their homes for their misdeeds, until the promise of Allah is fulfilled; surely Allah will not fail His promise.
Meaning:-
Cleft: a split
Asunder: into separate parts; in or into pieces, apart or widely separated:
Afflict: (of a problem or illness) cause pain or suffering to; affect or trouble.

And indeed (many) Messengers were mocked at before you (O Muhammad), but I granted respite to those who disbelieved, and finally I punished them. Then how (terrible) was My Punishment!
Meaning:-
Mock: to make fun of, to laugh at someone or something and try to make them look stupid by saying unkind things about them
Respite: a period of temporary delay, postpone.

Then is He who is a maintainer of every soul, [knowing] what it has earned, [like any other]? Yet the pagans have associated others with Allah ˹in worship˺. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Name them! Or do you ˹mean to˺ inform Him of something He does not know on the earth? Or are these ˹gods˺ just empty words?” In fact, the disbelievers’ falsehood has been made so appealing to them that they have been turned away from the Path. And whoever Allah leaves to astray will be left with no guide.
Meaning:-
Pagans: is a person who worships many gods or who worships nature and the Earth
Falsehood: lie, untruth, fabrication, fairy tale.
Astray: into error, away from the correct path or direction

For them will be punishment in the life of [this] world, and the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe. And they will not have from Allah any protector.

The example of Paradise, which the righteous have been promised, is [that] beneath it rivers flow. Its fruit is lasting, and its shade. That is the consequence for the righteous, and the consequence for the disbelievers is the Fire.
Meaning:-
Beneath: below; in or to a lower place, position, underneath
consequence: a result of a particular action, often one that is bad.

O Prophet, some of those to whom We have given the Book (i.e. the Quran) rejoice at what is revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺, while there are some factions who deny a part of it. Tell them: “I am commanded to worship Allah and to associate none with Him. To Him I invite you and to Him I shall return.”
Meaning:-:-
Faction:-: a group, small group with different opinions.

With these instructions, We have revealed this commandment in the Arabic language. Now, if you were to follow their desires after ˹all˺ the knowledge that has come to you, there will be none to save you or protect you against the wrath of Allah.
Meaning:-
Wrath extreme anger, great anger that expresses itself in a desire to punish someone.

We have sent forth other Messengers before you (O Muhammad) and given them wives and children and it was never in the power of a Messenger to show any miracle without the permission of Allah. For each period is a Book (revealed).

Allah abrogates and confirms what He pleases – with Him is the Master Copy of the Book.
Meaning:-
Abrogate: repeal or to officially revoke, cancel or abolish.

O Muhammad! Whether We let you see, within your lifetime, a part of what We threaten them with or cause you to die ˹before that˺, your duty is only to deliver ˹the message˺. Judgment is for Us.

Do they not see that We are gradually reducing the land in their control through curtailing its borders? When Allah commands, there is none to reverse His command and He is swift in taking accountability.
Meaning:-
Curtailing: impose a restriction on. put restrictions on it, or stop it entirely.

Those unbelievers who have passed before them also devised plots; but Allah is the Master of all planning. He knows the actions of every soul. Soon the unbelievers will come to know who will get the home of paradise in the hereafter.

And those who have disbelieved say, “You are not a messenger.” Say, [O Muhammad], “Sufficient is Allah as Witness between me and you, and [the witness of] whoever has knowledge of the Book.”