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Tafsir of Surah Al-'Alaq (96) — The Clot · العلق
Meccan surah, 19 ayat. Read the whole surah
Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Quran — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies. QuranEnc.com (english_mokhtasar), 2026-10-30.
Al-'Alaq 96:1
ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ
Recite in the name of your Lord who created
Tafsir 96:1
O Messenger! Read what Allah reveals to you, starting with the name of your Lord who created the creation.
Al-'Alaq 96:2
خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِنۡ عَلَقٍ
Created man from a clinging substance
Tafsir 96:2
He created the human from a clot of congealed blood, after it had been a drop of semen.
Al-'Alaq 96:3
ٱقۡرَأۡ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡأَكۡرَمُ
Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous
Tafsir 96:3
O Messenger! Read what Allah reveals to you. Your Lord is the most Kind; no kind person can come to His kindness, because He has abundant generosity and goodness.
Al-'Alaq 96:4
ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ
Who taught by the pen
Tafsir 96:4
The one who taught to write, and the revelation, through the pen.
Al-'Alaq 96:5
عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ
Taught man that which he knew not
Tafsir 96:5
He taught the human that which he did not know.
Al-'Alaq 96:6
كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لَيَطۡغَىٰٓ
No! [But] indeed, man transgresses
Tafsir 96:6
Truly, indeed, the transgressing human i.e. Abu Jahl, has crossed the limit in overstepping the limits of Allah.
Al-'Alaq 96:7
أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰٓ
Because he sees himself self-sufficient
Tafsir 96:7
Just because he has seen him showing no need of the prestige and wealth he possesses.
Al-'Alaq 96:8
إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجۡعَىٰٓ
Indeed, to your Lord is the return
Tafsir 96:8
O human! Indeed, to your Lord is the return on the Day of Judgement, where He will requite each person with what he deserves.
Al-'Alaq 96:9
أَرَءَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِي يَنۡهَىٰ
Have you seen the one who forbids
Tafsir 96:9
Have you seen anything more shocking than the matter of Abu Jahl, who prevented.
Al-'Alaq 96:10
عَبۡدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰٓ
A servant when he prays
Tafsir 96:10
He prevented My servant Muhammad (peace be upon him) when he performed prayer near the Ka‘bah.
Al-'Alaq 96:11
أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ
Have you seen if he is upon guidance
Tafsir 96:11
What do you think will happen, if this person who has been prevented, is following guidance and foresight from his Lord?
Al-'Alaq 96:12
أَوۡ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقۡوَىٰٓ
Or enjoins righteousness
Tafsir 96:12
Or that he instructs the people to be mindful of Allah by fulfilling His commands and refrain from the things he has not allowed; can such a person be prevented?
Al-'Alaq 96:13
أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
Have you seen if he denies and turns away
Tafsir 96:13
What do you think will happen if this preventer rejected whatever the Messenger brought and turned away from it? Does he not fear Allah?
Al-'Alaq 96:14
أَلَمۡ يَعۡلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ
Does he not know that Allah sees
Tafsir 96:14
Does the preventer of this servant from prayer not know that Allah sees whatever he does, and that nothing is hidden from Him?
Al-'Alaq 96:15
كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمۡ يَنتَهِ لَنَسۡفَعَۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ
No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock
Tafsir 96:15
It is not as this ignorant person imagines; if he does not stop causing harm to My servant and rejecting him, I will definitely seize him and drag him violently by the top of his head, towards the hellfire.
Al-'Alaq 96:16
نَاصِيَةٖ كَٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٖ
A lying, sinning forelock
Tafsir 96:16
The owner of that forehead is a liar in speech and erroneous in action.
Al-'Alaq 96:17
فَلۡيَدۡعُ نَادِيَهُۥ
Then let him call his associates
Tafsir 96:17
So when he is seized by his forehead towards the hellfire, let him call out to his companions and associates asking for their help to save him from the punishment.
Al-'Alaq 96:18
سَنَدۡعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ
We will call the angels of Hell
Tafsir 96:18
I will call upon the gatekeepers of hell: the fierce angels who do not disobey My command when I command them, and do whatever they are commanded to do. It will then be seen which of the two parties are stronger and more capable.
Al-'Alaq 96:19
كَلَّا لَا تُطِعۡهُ وَٱسۡجُدۡۤ وَٱقۡتَرِب۩
No! Do not obey him. But prostrate and draw near [to Allah]
Tafsir 96:19
It is not as this oppressor thinks: that he can cause any harm to you. So do not follow him in command or prohibition; rather, prostrate to Allah and draw closer to Him through acts of obedience, because that is how you can draw closer to Him.
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Arabic: Uthmani text, Tanzil Project (tanzil.net) · English: Saheeh International · Bosnian: Besim Korkut