النور
The Light
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
alam tara anna l-laha yusabbiḥu lahu man fī l-samāwāti wal-arḍi wal-ṭayru ṣāffātin kullun qad ʿalima ṣalātahu watasbīḥahu wal-lahu ʿalīmun bimā yafʿalūna
Do you not see that Allāh is exalted by whomever is within the heavens and the earth and [by] the birds with wings spread [in flight]? Each [of them] has known his [means of] prayer and exalting [Him], and Allāh is Knowing of what they do.
walillahi mul'ku l-samāwāti wal-arḍi wa-ilā l-lahi l-maṣīru
And to Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and to Allāh is the destination.
alam tara anna l-laha yuz'jī saḥāban thumma yu-allifu baynahu thumma yajʿaluhu rukāman fatarā l-wadqa yakhruju min khilālihi wayunazzilu mina l-samāi min jibālin fīhā min baradin fayuṣību bihi man yashāu wayaṣrifuhu ʿan man yashāu yakādu sanā barqihi yadhhabu bil-abṣāri
Do you not see that Allāh drives clouds? Then He brings them together; then He makes them into a mass, and you see the rain emerge from within it. And He sends down from the sky, mountains [of clouds] within which is hail, and He strikes with it whom He wills and averts it from whom He wills. The flash of its lightning almost takes away the eyesight.
yuqallibu l-lahu al-layla wal-nahāra inna fī dhālika laʿib'ratan li-ulī l-abṣāri
Allāh alternates the night and the day. Indeed in that is a lesson for those who have vision.
wal-lahu khalaqa kulla dābbatin min māin famin'hum man yamshī ʿalā baṭnihi wamin'hum man yamshī ʿalā rij'layni wamin'hum man yamshī ʿalā arbaʿin yakhluqu l-lahu mā yashāu inna l-laha ʿalā kulli shayin qadīrun
Allāh has created every [living] creature from water. And of them are those that move on their bellies, and of them are those that walk on two legs, and of them are those that walk on four. Allāh creates what He wills. Indeed, Allāh is over all things competent.
laqad anzalnā āyātin mubayyinātin wal-lahu yahdī man yashāu ilā ṣirāṭin mus'taqīmin
We have certainly sent down distinct verses. And Allāh guides whom He wills to a straight path.
wayaqūlūna āmannā bil-lahi wabil-rasūli wa-aṭaʿnā thumma yatawallā farīqun min'hum min baʿdi dhālika wamā ulāika bil-mu'minīna
But they [i.e., the hypocrites] say, "We have believed in Allāh and in the Messenger, and we obey"; then a party of them turns away after that. And those are not believers.
wa-idhā duʿū ilā l-lahi warasūlihi liyaḥkuma baynahum idhā farīqun min'hum muʿ'riḍūna
And when they are called to [the words of] Allāh and His Messenger to judge between them, at once a party of them turns aside [in refusal].
wa-in yakun lahumu l-ḥaqu yatū ilayhi mudh'ʿinīna
But if the right is theirs, they come to him in prompt obedience.
afī qulūbihim maraḍun ami ir'tābū am yakhāfūna an yaḥīfa l-lahu ʿalayhim warasūluhu bal ulāika humu l-ẓālimūna
Is there disease in their hearts? Or have they doubted? Or do they fear that Allāh will be unjust to them, or His Messenger? Rather, it is they who are the wrongdoers [i.e., the unjust].
innamā kāna qawla l-mu'minīna idhā duʿū ilā l-lahi warasūlihi liyaḥkuma baynahum an yaqūlū samiʿ'nā wa-aṭaʿnā wa-ulāika humu l-muf'liḥūna
The only statement of the [true] believers when they are called to Allāh and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, "We hear and we obey." And those are the successful.
waman yuṭiʿi l-laha warasūlahu wayakhsha l-laha wayattaqhi fa-ulāika humu l-fāizūna
And whoever obeys Allāh and His Messenger and fears Allāh and is conscious of Him - it is those who are the attainers.
wa-aqsamū bil-lahi jahda aymānihim la-in amartahum layakhrujunna qul lā tuq'simū ṭāʿatun maʿrūfatun inna l-laha khabīrun bimā taʿmalūna
And they swear by Allāh their strongest oaths that if you ordered them, they would go forth [in Allāh's cause]. Say, "Do not swear. [Such] obedience is known. Indeed, Allāh is [fully] Aware of that which you do."
qul aṭīʿū l-laha wa-aṭīʿū l-rasūla fa-in tawallaw fa-innamā ʿalayhi mā ḥummila waʿalaykum mā ḥummil'tum wa-in tuṭīʿūhu tahtadū wamā ʿalā l-rasūli illā l-balāghu l-mubīnu
Say, "Obey Allāh and obey the Messenger; but if you turn away - then upon him is only that [duty] with which he has been charged, and upon you is that with which you have been charged. And if you obey him, you will be [rightly] guided. And there is not upon the Messenger except the [responsibility for] clear notification."
waʿada l-lahu alladhīna āmanū minkum waʿamilū l-ṣāliḥāti layastakhlifannahum fī l-arḍi kamā is'takhlafa alladhīna min qablihim walayumakkinanna lahum dīnahumu alladhī ir'taḍā lahum walayubaddilannahum min baʿdi khawfihim amnan yaʿbudūnanī lā yush'rikūna bī shayan waman kafara baʿda dhālika fa-ulāika humu l-fāsiqūna
Allāh has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that - then those are the defiantly disobedient.
wa-aqīmū l-ṣalata waātū l-zakata wa-aṭīʿū l-rasūla laʿallakum tur'ḥamūna
And establish prayer and give zakāh and obey the Messenger - that you may receive mercy.
lā taḥsabanna alladhīna kafarū muʿ'jizīna fī l-arḍi wamawāhumu l-nāru walabi'sa l-maṣīru
Never think that the disbelievers are causing failure [to Allāh] upon the earth. Their refuge will be the Fire - and how wretched the destination.
yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū liyastadhinkumu alladhīna malakat aymānukum wa-alladhīna lam yablughū l-ḥuluma minkum thalātha marrātin min qabli ṣalati l-fajri waḥīna taḍaʿūna thiyābakum mina l-ẓahīrati wamin baʿdi ṣalati l-ʿishāi thalāthu ʿawrātin lakum laysa ʿalaykum walā ʿalayhim junāḥun baʿdahunna ṭawwāfūna ʿalaykum baʿḍukum ʿalā baʿḍin kadhālika yubayyinu l-lahu lakumu l-āyāti wal-lahu ʿalīmun ḥakīmun
O you who have believed, let those whom your right hands possess and those who have not [yet] reached puberty among you ask permission of you [before entering] at three times: before the dawn prayer and when you put aside your clothing [for rest] at noon and after the night prayer. [These are] three times of privacy for you. There is no blame upon you nor upon them beyond these [periods], for they continually circulate among you - some of you, among others. Thus does Allāh make clear to you the verses [i.e., His ordinances]; and Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
wa-idhā balagha l-aṭfālu minkumu l-ḥuluma falyastadhinū kamā is'tadhana alladhīna min qablihim kadhālika yubayyinu l-lahu lakum āyātihi wal-lahu ʿalīmun ḥakīmun
And when the children among you reach puberty, let them ask permission [at all times] as those before them have done. Thus does Allāh make clear to you His verses; and Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
wal-qawāʿidu mina l-nisāi allātī lā yarjūna nikāḥan falaysa ʿalayhinna junāḥun an yaḍaʿna thiyābahunna ghayra mutabarrijātin bizīnatin wa-an yastaʿfif'na khayrun lahunna wal-lahu samīʿun ʿalīmun
And women of post-menstrual age who have no desire for marriage - there is no blame upon them for putting aside their outer garments [but] not displaying adornment. But to modestly refrain [from that] is better for them. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.