The surah that opens with the command to highly exalt God, the Divine One who is The Most Exalted, far above all that is unworthy that people wrongly attribute to Him. It is named after “the Most Exalted” (al-aʿlā), mentioned in verse 1. The surah reassures the Prophet Muhammad that God will help him and urging him to continue with his mission. The temporary nature of this world is highlighted through mention of the short life of green pasture (cf. verse 10:24 and verse 18: 45).The surah is also known as: Glory to Lord in the Highest, The Highest, The Most High.
1
سَبِّحِ اسمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعلَى
sabbiḥi sma rabbika l-ʾaʿlā
Celebrate the Name of your Lord, the Most Exalted,
2
الَّذي خَلَقَ فَسَوّىٰ
alladhī khalaqa fa-sawwā
who created and proportioned,
3
وَالَّذي قَدَّرَ فَهَدىٰ
wa-lladhī qaddara fa-hadā
who determined and guided,
4
وَالَّذي أَخرَجَ المَرعىٰ
wa-lladhī ʾakhraja l-marʿā
who brought forth the pasture,
5
فَجَعَلَهُ غُثاءً أَحوىٰ
fa-jaʿalahū ghuthāʾan ʾaḥwā
then turned it into a black scum.
6
سَنُقرِئُكَ فَلا تَنسىٰ
sa-nuqriʾuka fa-lā tansā
We shall have you recite [the Qurʾān],then you will not forget [any of it]
7
إِلّا ما شاءَ اللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ يَعلَمُ الجَهرَ وَما يَخفىٰ
ʾillā mā shāʾa llāhu ʾinnahū yaʿlamu l-jahra wa-mā yakhfā
except what Allah may wish.Indeed He knows the overt and what is hidden.
8
وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِليُسرىٰ
wa-nuyassiruka li-l-yusrā
We shall smooth your way to [preach] the easiest [canon].
9
فَذَكِّر إِن نَفَعَتِ الذِّكرىٰ
fa-dhakkir ʾin nafaʿati dh-dhikrā
So admonish, for admonition is indeed beneficial:
10
سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخشىٰ
sa-yadhdhakkaru man yakhshā
he who fears will take admonition,
11
وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الأَشقَى
wa-yatajannabuhā l-ʾashqā
and the most wretched will shun it
12
الَّذي يَصلَى النّارَ الكُبرىٰ
alladhī yaṣlā n-nāra l-kubrā
—he who will enter the Great Fire,
13
ثُمَّ لا يَموتُ فيها وَلا يَحيىٰ
thumma lā yamūtu fīhā wa-lā yaḥyā
then neither live in it, nor die.
14
قَد أَفلَحَ مَن تَزَكّىٰ
qad ʾaflaḥa man tazakkā
Felicitous is he who purifies himself,
15
وَذَكَرَ اسمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلّىٰ
wa-dhakara sma rabbihī fa-ṣallā
celebrates the Name of his Lord, and prays.
16
بَل تُؤثِرونَ الحَياةَ الدُّنيا
bal tuʾthirūna l-ḥayāta d-dunyā
Rather you prefer the life of this world,
17
وَالآخِرَةُ خَيرٌ وَأَبقىٰ
wa-l-ʾākhiratu khayrun wa-ʾabqā
while the Hereafter is better and more lasting.
18
إِنَّ هٰذا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الأولىٰ
ʾinna hādhā la-fī ṣ-ṣuḥufi l-ʾūlā
This is indeed in the former scriptures,
19
صُحُفِ إِبراهيمَ وَموسىٰ
ṣuḥufi ʾibrāhīma wa-mūsā
the scriptures of Abraham and Moses.