The surah that opens with a question posed to arrogant Man about his utter nothingness before God brought him into existence. It takes its name from the word “man” (al-insān) mentioned in verse 1. The surah speaks of how man is tested (verse 2 .) and what the results will be for the evildoers (verse 4) and for the righteous (verse 5 .). The Prophet is urged to persevere in his devotion and to bear with patience (verse 23 .).The surah is also known as: Every (Man).
1
هَل أَتىٰ عَلَى الإِنسانِ حينٌ مِنَ الدَّهرِ لَم يَكُن شَيئًا مَذكورًا
hal ʾatā ʿalā l-ʾinsāni ḥīnun mina d-dahri lam yakun shayʾan madhkūran
Has there been for man a period of timewhen he was not anything worthy of mention?
2
إِنّا خَلَقنَا الإِنسانَ مِن نُطفَةٍ أَمشاجٍ نَبتَليهِ فَجَعَلناهُ سَميعًا بَصيرًا
ʾinnā khalaqnā l-ʾinsāna min nuṭfatin ʾamshājin nabtalīhi fa-jaʿalnāhu samīʿan baṣīran
Indeed We created manfrom the drop of a mixed fluid1so that We may test him.So We made him endowed with hearing and sight.That is, from the mixing of sperm and ovum.
3
إِنّا هَدَيناهُ السَّبيلَ إِمّا شاكِرًا وَإِمّا كَفورًا
ʾinnā hadaynāhu s-sabīla ʾimmā shākiran wa-ʾimmā kafūran
Indeed We have guided him to the way,be he grateful or ungrateful.
4
إِنّا أَعتَدنا لِلكافِرينَ سَلاسِلَ وَأَغلالًا وَسَعيرًا
ʾinnā ʾaʿtadnā li-l-kāfirīna salāsila wa-ʾaghlālan wa-saʿīran
Indeed We have prepared for the faithlesschains, iron collars, and a blaze.
5
إِنَّ الأَبرارَ يَشرَبونَ مِن كَأسٍ كانَ مِزاجُها كافورًا
ʾinna l-ʾabrāra yashrabūna min kaʾsin kāna mizājuhā kāfūran
Indeed the pious will drink from a cupseasoned with Kāfūr,1Lit., camphor.
6
عَينًا يَشرَبُ بِها عِبادُ اللَّهِ يُفَجِّرونَها تَفجيرًا
ʿaynan yashrabu bihā ʿibādu llāhi yufajjirūnahā tafjīran
a spring where the servants of Allah drink,which they make to gush forth as they please.
7
يوفونَ بِالنَّذرِ وَيَخافونَ يَومًا كانَ شَرُّهُ مُستَطيرًا
yūfūna bi-n-nadhri wa-yakhāfūna yawman kāna sharruhū mustaṭīran
They fulfill their vowsand fear a daywhose ill will be widespread.
8
وَيُطعِمونَ الطَّعامَ عَلىٰ حُبِّهِ مِسكينًا وَيَتيمًا وَأَسيرًا
wa-yuṭʿimūna ṭ-ṭaʿāma ʿalā ḥubbihī miskīnan wa-yatīman wa-ʾasīran
They give food, for the love of Him,to the needy, the orphan and the prisoner,
9
إِنَّما نُطعِمُكُم لِوَجهِ اللَّهِ لا نُريدُ مِنكُم جَزاءً وَلا شُكورًا
ʾinnamā nuṭʿimukum li-wajhi llāhi lā nurīdu minkum jazāʾan wa-lā shukūran
[saying,] ‘We feed you only for the sake of Allah.We do not want any reward from younor any thanks.
10
إِنّا نَخافُ مِن رَبِّنا يَومًا عَبوسًا قَمطَريرًا
ʾinnā nakhāfu min rabbinā yawman ʿabūsan qamṭarīran
Indeed we fear from our Lord a day,frowning and fateful.’
11
فَوَقاهُمُ اللَّهُ شَرَّ ذٰلِكَ اليَومِ وَلَقّاهُم نَضرَةً وَسُرورًا
fa-waqāhumu llāhu sharra dhālika l-yawmi wa-laqqāhum naḍratan wa-surūran
So Allah saved them from the ills of that day,and granted them freshness and joy.
12
وَجَزاهُم بِما صَبَروا جَنَّةً وَحَريرًا
wa-jazāhum bi-mā ṣabarū jannatan wa-ḥarīran
And He rewarded them for their patiencewith a garden and [garments of] silk,
13
مُتَّكِئينَ فيها عَلَى الأَرائِكِ ۖ لا يَرَونَ فيها شَمسًا وَلا زَمهَريرًا
muttakiʾīna fīhā ʿalā l-ʾarāʾiki lā yarawna fīhā shamsan wa-lā zamharīran
reclining therein on couches.They will find in it neither any [scorching] sun,nor any [biting] cold.
14
وَدانِيَةً عَلَيهِم ظِلالُها وَذُلِّلَت قُطوفُها تَذليلًا
wa-dāniyatan ʿalayhim ẓilāluhā wa-dhullilat quṭūfuhā tadhlīlan
Its shades will be close over themand its clusters [of fruits] will be hanging low.
15
وَيُطافُ عَلَيهِم بِآنِيَةٍ مِن فِضَّةٍ وَأَكوابٍ كانَت قَواريرا
wa-yuṭāfu ʿalayhim bi-ʾāniyatin min fiḍḍatin wa-ʾakwābin kānat qawārīra
They will be served around with vessels of silverand goblets of crystal
16
قَواريرَ مِن فِضَّةٍ قَدَّروها تَقديرًا
qawārīra min fiḍḍatin qaddarūhā taqdīran
—crystal of silver—1[from] which they dispense in a precise measure.According to Tafsīr al-Qummī, vol. 2, p. 399, the silver will be transparent.
17
وَيُسقَونَ فيها كَأسًا كانَ مِزاجُها زَنجَبيلًا
wa-yusqawna fīhā kaʾsan kāna mizājuhā zanjabīlan
They will be served therein with a cup of a drinkseasoned with Zanjabīl,1Lit., ginger.
18
عَينًا فيها تُسَمّىٰ سَلسَبيلًا
ʿaynan fīhā tusammā salsabīlan
a spring in it, named Salsabīl.
19
۞ وَيَطوفُ عَلَيهِم وِلدانٌ مُخَلَّدونَ إِذا رَأَيتَهُم حَسِبتَهُم لُؤلُؤًا مَنثورًا
wa-yaṭūfu ʿalayhim wildānun mukhalladūna ʾidhā raʾaytahum ḥasibtahum luʾluʾan manthūran
They will be waited upon by immortal youths,whom, when you see them,you will suppose them to be scattered pearls.
20
وَإِذا رَأَيتَ ثَمَّ رَأَيتَ نَعيمًا وَمُلكًا كَبيرًا
wa-ʾidhā raʾayta thamma raʾayta naʿīman wa-mulkan kabīran
As you look,you will see there bliss and a great kingdom.
21
عالِيَهُم ثِيابُ سُندُسٍ خُضرٌ وَإِستَبرَقٌ ۖ وَحُلّوا أَساوِرَ مِن فِضَّةٍ وَسَقاهُم رَبُّهُم شَرابًا طَهورًا
ʿāliyahum thiyābu sundusin khuḍrun wa-ʾistabraqun wa-ḥullū ʾasāwira min fiḍḍatin wa-saqāhum rabbuhum sharāban ṭahūran
Upon them will be cloaks of green silkand brocadeand they will be adorned with bracelets of silver.Their Lord will give them to drink a pure drink.
22
إِنَّ هٰذا كانَ لَكُم جَزاءً وَكانَ سَعيُكُم مَشكورًا
ʾinna hādhā kāna lakum jazāʾan wa-kāna saʿyukum mashkūran
[They will be told]: ‘This is indeed your reward,and your endeavour has been well-appreciated.’
23
إِنّا نَحنُ نَزَّلنا عَلَيكَ القُرآنَ تَنزيلًا
ʾinnā naḥnu nazzalnā ʿalayka l-qurʾāna tanzīlan
Indeed We have sent down to you the Qurʾānin a gradual descent.
24
فَاصبِر لِحُكمِ رَبِّكَ وَلا تُطِع مِنهُم آثِمًا أَو كَفورًا
fa-ṣbir li-ḥukmi rabbika wa-lā tuṭiʿ minhum ʾāthiman ʾaw kafūran
So submit patiently to the judgement of your Lord,and do not obey any sinner or ingrate among them,
25
وَاذكُرِ اسمَ رَبِّكَ بُكرَةً وَأَصيلًا
wa-dhkuri sma rabbika bukratan wa-ʾaṣīlan
and celebrate the Name of your Lordmorning and evening,
26
وَمِنَ اللَّيلِ فَاسجُد لَهُ وَسَبِّحهُ لَيلًا طَويلًا
wa-mina l-layli fa-sjud lahū wa-sabbiḥhu laylan ṭawīlan
and worship Him for a watch of the nightand glorify Him the night long.
27
إِنَّ هٰؤُلاءِ يُحِبّونَ العاجِلَةَ وَيَذَرونَ وَراءَهُم يَومًا ثَقيلًا
ʾinna hāʾulāʾi yuḥibbūna l-ʿājilata wa-yadharūna warāʾahum yawman thaqīlan
Indeed they love this transitory life,and disregard a weighty day ahead of them.
28
نَحنُ خَلَقناهُم وَشَدَدنا أَسرَهُم ۖ وَإِذا شِئنا بَدَّلنا أَمثالَهُم تَبديلًا
naḥnu khalaqnāhum wa-shadadnā ʾasrahum wa-ʾidhā shiʾnā baddalnā ʾamthālahum tabdīlan
We created them and made their joints firm,and whenever We likeWe will replace them with others like them.
29
إِنَّ هٰذِهِ تَذكِرَةٌ ۖ فَمَن شاءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلىٰ رَبِّهِ سَبيلًا
ʾinna hādhihī tadhkiratun fa-man shāʾa ttakhadha ʾilā rabbihī sabīlan
This is indeed a reminder.So let anyone who wishes take the way toward his Lord.
30
وَما تَشاءونَ إِلّا أَن يَشاءَ اللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ عَليمًا حَكيمًا
wa-mā tashāʾūna ʾillā ʾan yashāʾa llāhu ʾinna llāha kāna ʿalīman ḥakīman
But you do not wishunless it is wished by Allah.Indeed Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.
31
يُدخِلُ مَن يَشاءُ في رَحمَتِهِ ۚ وَالظّالِمينَ أَعَدَّ لَهُم عَذابًا أَليمًا
yudkhilu man yashāʾu fī raḥmatihī wa-ẓ-ẓālimīna ʾaʿadda lahum ʿadhāban ʾalīman
He admits whomever He wishes into His mercy,and as for the wrongdoers,He has prepared for them a painful punishment.