The surah that mentions The Kneeling of every community around the brink of Hellfire on the Day of Doom in wait of its divine judgment. It takes its name from the word “kneeling” (jāthiyah) in verse 28. The surah addresses some of the arguments put forward by those sceptical of the truthfulness of the Quran. Emphasis is placed on the signs of God’s existence discernible in nature, and on the painful punishment that awaits the doubters on the Day of Judgement. The misguided arrogance of the disbelievers (verse 8 and verse 31) is contrasted with God’s true greatness (verse 37); references to God’s wisdom and majesty open and close the surah.The surah is also known as: Bowing the Knee, Crouching, Hobbling, The Kneeling, The Kneeling Down.
1
حم
ḥ-m (ḥā mīm)
Ḥā, Mīm.
2
تَنزيلُ الكِتابِ مِنَ اللَّهِ العَزيزِ الحَكيمِ
tanzīlu l-kitābi mina llāhi l-ʿazīzi l-ḥakīmi
The [gradual] sending down of the Book is from Allah,the All-mighty, All-wise.
3
إِنَّ فِي السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ لَآياتٍ لِلمُؤمِنينَ
ʾinna fī s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi la-ʾāyātin li-l-muʾminīna
Indeed in the heavens and the earth there are signsfor the faithful.
4
وَفي خَلقِكُم وَما يَبُثُّ مِن دابَّةٍ آياتٌ لِقَومٍ يوقِنونَ
wa-fī khalqikum wa-mā yabuththu min dābbatin ʾāyātun li-qawmin yūqinūna
And in your creation [too],and whatever animals that He scatters abroad,there are signs for a people who have certainty.
5
وَاختِلافِ اللَّيلِ وَالنَّهارِ وَما أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ السَّماءِ مِن رِزقٍ فَأَحيا بِهِ الأَرضَ بَعدَ مَوتِها وَتَصريفِ الرِّياحِ آياتٌ لِقَومٍ يَعقِلونَ
wa-khtilāfi l-layli wa-n-nahāri wa-mā ʾanzala llāhu mina s-samāʾi min rizqin fa-ʾaḥyā bihi l-ʾarḍa baʿda mawtihā wa-taṣrīfi r-riyāḥi ʾāyātun li-qawmin yaʿqilūna
And in the alternation of night and dayand what Allah sends down from the skyof [His] provisionwith which He revives the earth after its death,and in the changing of the windsthere are signs for a people who apply reason.
6
تِلكَ آياتُ اللَّهِ نَتلوها عَلَيكَ بِالحَقِّ ۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَديثٍ بَعدَ اللَّهِ وَآياتِهِ يُؤمِنونَ
tilka ʾāyātu llāhi natlūhā ʿalayka bi-l-ḥaqqi fa-bi-ʾayyi ḥadīthin baʿda llāhi wa-ʾāyātihī yuʾminūna
These are the signs of Allahthat We recite for you in truth.So what discoursewill they believe after Allah and His signs?
7
وَيلٌ لِكُلِّ أَفّاكٍ أَثيمٍ
waylun li-kulli ʾaffākin ʾathīmin
Woe to every sinful liar,
8
يَسمَعُ آياتِ اللَّهِ تُتلىٰ عَلَيهِ ثُمَّ يُصِرُّ مُستَكبِرًا كَأَن لَم يَسمَعها ۖ فَبَشِّرهُ بِعَذابٍ أَليمٍ
yasmaʿu ʾāyāti llāhi tutlā ʿalayhi thumma yuṣirru mustakbiran ka-ʾan lam yasmaʿhā fa-bashshirhu bi-ʿadhābin ʾalīmin
who hears the signs of Allah being recited to him,yet persists disdainfully,as if he had not heard them.So inform him of a painful punishment.
9
وَإِذا عَلِمَ مِن آياتِنا شَيئًا اتَّخَذَها هُزُوًا ۚ أُولٰئِكَ لَهُم عَذابٌ مُهينٌ
wa-ʾidhā ʿalima min ʾāyātinā shayʾan-i ttakhadhahā huzuwan ʾulāʾika lahum ʿadhābun muhīnun
Should he learn anything about Our signs,he takes them in derision.For such there is a humiliating punishment.
10
مِن وَرائِهِم جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَلا يُغني عَنهُم ما كَسَبوا شَيئًا وَلا مَا اتَّخَذوا مِن دونِ اللَّهِ أَولِياءَ ۖ وَلَهُم عَذابٌ عَظيمٌ
min warāʾihim jahannamu wa-lā yughnī ʿanhum mā kasabū shayʾan wa-lā mā ttakhadhū min dūni llāhi ʾawliyāʾa wa-lahum ʿadhābun ʿaẓīmun
Ahead of them is helland what they have earned will not avail them in any way,nor what they had taken as guardians besides Allah,and there is a great punishment for them.
11
هٰذا هُدًى ۖ وَالَّذينَ كَفَروا بِآياتِ رَبِّهِم لَهُم عَذابٌ مِن رِجزٍ أَليمٌ
hādhā hudan wa-lladhīna kafarū bi-ʾāyāti rabbihim lahum ʿadhābun min rijzin ʾalīmun-i
This is a guidance,and as for those who defy the signs of their Lord,for them is a painful punishment due to defilement.1Cf. 34:5.
12
۞ اللَّهُ الَّذي سَخَّرَ لَكُمُ البَحرَ لِتَجرِيَ الفُلكُ فيهِ بِأَمرِهِ وَلِتَبتَغوا مِن فَضلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُم تَشكُرونَ
allāhu lladhī sakhkhara lakumu l-baḥra li-tajriya l-fulku fīhi bi-ʾamrihī wa-li tabtaghū min faḍlihī wa-laʿallakum tashkurūna
It is Allah who disposed the sea for you[r benefit]so that the ships may sail in it by His command,and that you may seek of His grace,and that you may give thanks.
13
وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم ما فِي السَّماواتِ وَما فِي الأَرضِ جَميعًا مِنهُ ۚ إِنَّ في ذٰلِكَ لَآياتٍ لِقَومٍ يَتَفَكَّرونَ
wa-sakhkhara lakum mā fī s-samāwāti wa-mā fī l-ʾarḍi jamīʿan minhu ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyātin li-qawmin yatafakkarūna
And He has disposed for you[r benefit]whatever is in the heavensand whatever is on the earth;all is from Him.There are indeed signs in thatfor a people who reflect.
14
قُل لِلَّذينَ آمَنوا يَغفِروا لِلَّذينَ لا يَرجونَ أَيّامَ اللَّهِ لِيَجزِيَ قَومًا بِما كانوا يَكسِبونَ
qul li-lladhīna ʾāmanū yaghfirū li-lladhīna lā yarjūna ʾayyāma llāhi li-yajziya qawman bi-mā kānū yaksibūna
Say to the faithfulto forgive those who do not expect Allah’s days,that He may [Himself] requite a peoplefor what they used to earn.
15
مَن عَمِلَ صالِحًا فَلِنَفسِهِ ۖ وَمَن أَساءَ فَعَلَيها ۖ ثُمَّ إِلىٰ رَبِّكُم تُرجَعونَ
man ʿamila ṣāliḥan fa-li-nafsihī wa-man ʾasāʾa fa-ʿalayhā thumma ʾilā rabbikum turjaʿūna
Whoever acts righteously, it is for his own soul,and whoever does evil, it is to its own detriment,then you will be brought back to your Lord.
16
وَلَقَد آتَينا بَني إِسرائيلَ الكِتابَ وَالحُكمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقناهُم مِنَ الطَّيِّباتِ وَفَضَّلناهُم عَلَى العالَمينَ
wa-la-qad ʾātaynā banī ʾisrāʾīla l-kitāba wa-l-ḥukma wa-n-nubuwwata wa-razaqnāhum mina ṭ-ṭayyibāti wa-faḍḍalnāhum ʿalā l-ʿālamīna
Certainly We gave the Children of Israel the Book,judgement and prophethoodand We provided them with all the good things,and We gave them an advantage over all the nations,
17
وَآتَيناهُم بَيِّناتٍ مِنَ الأَمرِ ۖ فَمَا اختَلَفوا إِلّا مِن بَعدِ ما جاءَهُمُ العِلمُ بَغيًا بَينَهُم ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقضي بَينَهُم يَومَ القِيامَةِ فيما كانوا فيهِ يَختَلِفونَ
wa-ʾātaynāhum bayyinātin mina l-ʾamri fa-mā khtalafū ʾillā min baʿdi mā jāʾahumu l-ʿilmu baghyan baynahum ʾinna rabbaka yaqḍī baynahum yawma l-qiyāmati fī-mā kānū fīhi yakhtalifūna
and We gave them manifest precepts.But they did not differexcept after knowledge had come to them,out of envy among themselves.Indeed your Lord will judge between themon the Day of Resurrectionconcerning that about which they used to differ.
18
ثُمَّ جَعَلناكَ عَلىٰ شَريعَةٍ مِنَ الأَمرِ فَاتَّبِعها وَلا تَتَّبِع أَهواءَ الَّذينَ لا يَعلَمونَ
thumma jaʿalnāka ʿalā sharīʿatin mina l-ʾamri fa-ttabiʿhā wa-lā tattabiʿ ʾahwāʾa lladhīna lā yaʿlamūna
Then We set you upon a clear course of the Law;so follow it,and do not follow the desires of thosewho do not know.
19
إِنَّهُم لَن يُغنوا عَنكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيئًا ۚ وَإِنَّ الظّالِمينَ بَعضُهُم أَولِياءُ بَعضٍ ۖ وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّ المُتَّقينَ
ʾinnahum lan yughnū ʿanka mina llāhi shayʾan wa-ʾinna ẓ-ẓālimīna baʿḍuhum ʾawliyāʾu baʿḍin wa-llāhu waliyyu l-muttaqīna
Indeed they will not avail youin any way against Allah.Indeed the wrongdoers are allies of one another,but Allah is the guardian1 of the Godwary.Or ‘ally.’
20
هٰذا بَصائِرُ لِلنّاسِ وَهُدًى وَرَحمَةٌ لِقَومٍ يوقِنونَ
hādhā baṣāʾiru li-n-nāsi wa-hudan wa-raḥmatun li-qawmin yūqinūna
These are eye-openers for mankind,and guidance and mercyfor a people who have certainty.
21
أَم حَسِبَ الَّذينَ اجتَرَحُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن نَجعَلَهُم كَالَّذينَ آمَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ سَواءً مَحياهُم وَمَماتُهُم ۚ ساءَ ما يَحكُمونَ
ʾam ḥasiba lladhīna jtaraḥū s-sayyiʾāti ʾan najʿalahum ka-lladhīna ʾāmanū wa-ʿamilū ṣ-ṣāliḥāti sawāʾan maḥyāhum wa-mamātuhum sāʾa mā yaḥkumūna
Do those who have perpetrated misdeeds supposethat We shall treat them as those who have faithand do righteous deeds,their life and death being equal?Evil is the judgement that they make!
22
وَخَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضَ بِالحَقِّ وَلِتُجزىٰ كُلُّ نَفسٍ بِما كَسَبَت وَهُم لا يُظلَمونَ
wa-khalaqa llāhu s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍa bi-l-ḥaqqi wa-li-tujzā kullu nafsin bi-mā kasabat wa-hum lā yuẓlamūna
Allah created the heavens and the earthwith reason,so that every soul may be requitedfor what it has earned,and they will not be wronged.
23
أَفَرَأَيتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلٰهَهُ هَواهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلىٰ عِلمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلىٰ سَمعِهِ وَقَلبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلىٰ بَصَرِهِ غِشاوَةً فَمَن يَهديهِ مِن بَعدِ اللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلا تَذَكَّرونَ
ʾa-fa-raʾayta mani ttakhadha ʾilāhahū hawāhu wa-ʾaḍallahu llāhu ʿalā ʿilmin wa-khatama ʿalā samʿihī wa-qalbihī wa-jaʿala ʿalā baṣarihī ghishāwatan fa-man yahdīhi min baʿdi llāhi ʾa-fa-lā tadhakkarūna
Have you seen him who has takenhis desire to be his godand whom Allah has led astray knowingly,and set a seal upon his hearing and his heart,and put a blindfold on his sight?So who will guide him after Allah?Will you not then take admonition?
24
وَقالوا ما هِيَ إِلّا حَياتُنَا الدُّنيا نَموتُ وَنَحيا وَما يُهلِكُنا إِلَّا الدَّهرُ ۚ وَما لَهُم بِذٰلِكَ مِن عِلمٍ ۖ إِن هُم إِلّا يَظُنّونَ
wa-qālū mā hiya ʾillā ḥayātunā d-dunyā namūtu wa-naḥyā wa-mā yuhlikunā ʾillā d-dahru wa-mā lahum bi-dhālika min ʿilmin ʾin hum ʾillā yaẓunnūna
They say,‘There is nothing but the life of this world:we live and we die,and nothing but time destroys us.’But they do not have any knowledge of that,and they only make conjectures.
25
وَإِذا تُتلىٰ عَلَيهِم آياتُنا بَيِّناتٍ ما كانَ حُجَّتَهُم إِلّا أَن قالُوا ائتوا بِآبائِنا إِن كُنتُم صادِقينَ
wa-ʾidhā tutlā ʿalayhim ʾāyātunā bayyinātin mā kāna ḥujjatahum ʾillā ʾan qālū ʾtū bi-ʾābāʾinā ʾin kuntum ṣādiqīna
And when Our manifest signs are recited to them,their only argument is to say,‘Bring our fathers back [to life],should you be truthful.’
26
قُلِ اللَّهُ يُحييكُم ثُمَّ يُميتُكُم ثُمَّ يَجمَعُكُم إِلىٰ يَومِ القِيامَةِ لا رَيبَ فيهِ وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَ النّاسِ لا يَعلَمونَ
quli llāhu yuḥyīkum thumma yumītukum thumma yajmaʿukum ʾilā yawmi l-qiyāmati lā rayba fīhi wa-lākinna ʾakthara n-nāsi lā yaʿlamūna
Say, ‘It is Allah who gives you life,then He makes you die.Then He will gather youon the Day of Resurrection,in which there is no doubt.But most people do not know.’
27
وَلِلَّهِ مُلكُ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ ۚ وَيَومَ تَقومُ السّاعَةُ يَومَئِذٍ يَخسَرُ المُبطِلونَ
wa-li-llāhi mulku s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi wa-yawma taqūmu s-sāʿatu yawmaʾidhin yakhsaru l-mubṭilūna
To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavensand the earth,and when the Hour sets in,the falsifiers will be losers on that day.
28
وَتَرىٰ كُلَّ أُمَّةٍ جاثِيَةً ۚ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ تُدعىٰ إِلىٰ كِتابِهَا اليَومَ تُجزَونَ ما كُنتُم تَعمَلونَ
wa-tarā kulla ʾummatin jāthiyatan kullu ʾummatin tudʿā ʾilā kitābihā l-yawma tujzawna mā kuntum taʿmalūna
And you will see every nation fallen on its knees.Every nation will be summoned to its book:‘Today you will be requited forwhat you used to do.
29
هٰذا كِتابُنا يَنطِقُ عَلَيكُم بِالحَقِّ ۚ إِنّا كُنّا نَستَنسِخُ ما كُنتُم تَعمَلونَ
hādhā kitābunā yanṭiqu ʿalaykum bi-l-ḥaqqi ʾinnā kunnā nastansikhu mā kuntum taʿmalūna
This is Our book, which speaks truly against you.Indeed We used to record what you used to do.’
30
فَأَمَّا الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ فَيُدخِلُهُم رَبُّهُم في رَحمَتِهِ ۚ ذٰلِكَ هُوَ الفَوزُ المُبينُ
fa-ʾammā lladhīna ʾāmanū wa-ʿamilū ṣ-ṣāliḥāti fa-yudkhiluhum rabbuhum fī raḥmatihī dhālika huwa l-fawzu l-mubīnu
As for those who have faithand do righteous deeds,their Lord will admit them into His mercy.That is the manifest success!
31
وَأَمَّا الَّذينَ كَفَروا أَفَلَم تَكُن آياتي تُتلىٰ عَلَيكُم فَاستَكبَرتُم وَكُنتُم قَومًا مُجرِمينَ
wa-ʾammā lladhīna kafarū ʾa-fa-lam takun ʾāyātī tutlā ʿalaykum fa-stakbartum wa-kuntum qawman mujrimīna
But as for the faithless, [they will be asked,]‘Were not My signs recited to you?But you were disdainful,and you were a guilty lot.
32
وَإِذا قيلَ إِنَّ وَعدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَالسّاعَةُ لا رَيبَ فيها قُلتُم ما نَدري مَا السّاعَةُ إِن نَظُنُّ إِلّا ظَنًّا وَما نَحنُ بِمُستَيقِنينَ
wa-ʾidhā qīla ʾinna waʿda llāhi ḥaqqun wa-s-sāʿatu lā rayba fīhā qultum mā nadrī mā s-sāʿatu ʾin naẓunnu ʾillā ẓannan wa-mā naḥnu bi-mustayqinīna
And when it was said,“Allah’s promise is indeed true,and there is no doubt about the Hour,”you said, “We do not know what the Hour is.We know nothing beyond conjectures,and we do not possess any certainty.” ’
33
وَبَدا لَهُم سَيِّئَاتُ ما عَمِلوا وَحاقَ بِهِم ما كانوا بِهِ يَستَهزِئونَ
wa-badā lahum sayyiʾātu mā ʿamilū wa-ḥāqa bihim mā kānū bihī yastahziʾūna
The evils of what they had done will appear to them,and they will be besiegedby what they used to deride.
34
وَقيلَ اليَومَ نَنساكُم كَما نَسيتُم لِقاءَ يَومِكُم هٰذا وَمَأواكُمُ النّارُ وَما لَكُم مِن ناصِرينَ
wa-qīla l-yawma nansākum ka-mā nasītum liqāʾa yawmikum hādhā wa-maʾwākumu n-nāru wa-mā lakum min nāṣirīna
And it will be said, ‘Today We will forget you,just as you forgot the encounter of this day of yours.The Fire will be your abode,and you will not have any helpers.
35
ذٰلِكُم بِأَنَّكُمُ اتَّخَذتُم آياتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا وَغَرَّتكُمُ الحَياةُ الدُّنيا ۚ فَاليَومَ لا يُخرَجونَ مِنها وَلا هُم يُستَعتَبونَ
dhālikum bi-ʾannakumu ttakhadhtum ʾāyāti llāhi huzuwan wa-gharratkumu l-ḥayātu d-dunyā fa-l-yawma lā yukhrajūna minhā wa-lā hum yustaʿtabūna
That is because you took the signs of Allahin derision,and the life of the world had deceived you.’So today they will not be brought out of it,nor will they be asked to propitiate [Allah].
36
فَلِلَّهِ الحَمدُ رَبِّ السَّماواتِ وَرَبِّ الأَرضِ رَبِّ العالَمينَ
fa-li-llāhi l-ḥamdu rabbi s-samāwāti wa-rabbi l-ʾarḍi rabbi l-ʿālamīna
So all praise belongs to Allah,the Lord of the heavens and the Lord of the earth,the Lord of all the worlds.
37
وَلَهُ الكِبرِياءُ فِي السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ ۖ وَهُوَ العَزيزُ الحَكيمُ
wa-lahu l-kibriyāʾu fī s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi wa-huwa l-ʿazīzu l-ḥakīmu
To Him belongs all supremacy in the heavensand the earth,and He is the All-mighty, the All-wise.