الفجر
The Dawn
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
wal-fajri
By the dawn
walayālin ʿashrin
And [by] ten nights
wal-shafʿi wal-watri
And [by] the even [number] and the odd
wa-al-layli idhā yasri
And [by] the night when it passes,
hal fī dhālika qasamun lidhī ḥij'rin
Is there [not] in [all] that an oath [sufficient] for one of perception?
alam tara kayfa faʿala rabbuka biʿādin
Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with ʿAad -
irama dhāti l-ʿimādi
[With] Iram - who had lofty pillars,
allatī lam yukh'laq mith'luhā fī l-bilādi
The likes of whom had never been created in the land?
wathamūda alladhīna jābū l-ṣakhra bil-wādi
And [with] Thamūd, who carved out the rocks in the valley?
wafir'ʿawna dhī l-awtādi
And [with] Pharaoh, owner of the stakes?
alladhīna ṭaghaw fī l-bilādi
[All of] whom oppressed within the lands
fa-aktharū fīhā l-fasāda
And increased therein the corruption.
faṣabba ʿalayhim rabbuka sawṭa ʿadhābin
So your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment.
inna rabbaka labil-mir'ṣādi
Indeed, your Lord is in observation.
fa-ammā l-insānu idhā mā ib'talāhu rabbuhu fa-akramahu wanaʿʿamahu fayaqūlu rabbī akramani
And as for man, when his Lord tries him and [thus] is generous to him and favors him, he says, "My Lord has honored me."
wa-ammā idhā mā ib'talāhu faqadara ʿalayhi riz'qahu fayaqūlu rabbī ahānani
But when He tries him and restricts his provision, he says, "My Lord has humiliated me."
kallā bal lā tuk'rimūna l-yatīma
No! But you do not honor the orphan
walā taḥāḍḍūna ʿalā ṭaʿāmi l-mis'kīni
And you do not encourage one another to feed the poor.
watakulūna l-turātha aklan lamman
And you consume inheritance, devouring [it] altogether,
watuḥibbūna l-māla ḥubban jamman
And you love wealth with immense love.
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وَٱلْفَجْرِ
By the dawn
Allah opens this surah by swearing by the dawn -- that moment when light breaks through the darkness. In the Quran, when Allah swears by something, it's to highlight how significant it is. The dawn represents hope, renewal, and Allah's power to transform the world every single day. Some scholars say this specifically refers to the dawn of the Day of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha), making it even more special.
وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ
And [by] ten nights1
The "ten nights" most likely refers to the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, which are some of the most blessed days of the entire year. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that good deeds done during these days are more beloved to Allah than almost anything else. So this oath is basically Allah drawing our attention to a seriously powerful spiritual window that most people sleep on.
وَٱلشَّفْعِ وَٱلْوَتْرِ
And [by] the even [number] and the odd
"The even and the odd" is beautifully open-ended. One interpretation is that "the even" refers to the Day of Sacrifice (10th of Dhul Hijjah) and "the odd" to the Day of Arafah (9th of Dhul Hijjah). Another view is even deeper: everything in creation comes in pairs (light/dark, male/female, joy/sadness), but Allah alone is the One with no pair. Both readings point to Allah's incredible design.
وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ
And [by] the night when it passes,
Allah swears by the night as it moves along and eventually gives way to dawn. There's something deeply reflective about the night quietly passing -- it reminds us that difficult times don't last forever, and that there's always a transition happening, even when we can't see it. The night is a sign for anyone who pays attention.
هَلْ فِى ذَٰلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِّذِى حِجْرٍ
Is there [not] in [all] that an oath [sufficient] for one of perception?1
After those powerful oaths, Allah asks: isn't this enough proof for someone who actually thinks? The word "hijr" here means intellect -- literally the thing that holds you back from doing dumb stuff. Allah is saying: if you reflect on the dawn, the sacred nights, creation's design, and the cycle of time, the truth of accountability should be obvious to anyone using their brain.
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ
Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with ʿAad -
Now the surah shifts to a history lesson. Allah asks: haven't you seen what happened to the people of Ad? They were one of the most powerful civilizations ever, descended from Iram. Allah sent them the Prophet Hud, but they rejected him. This is the beginning of a pattern Allah is about to lay out -- powerful nations who thought they were untouchable.
إِرَمَ ذَاتِ ٱلْعِمَادِ
[With] Iram1 - who had lofty pillars,2
"Iram of the lofty pillars" -- the people of Ad were known for their massive structures and incredible physical strength. They built grand buildings with towering pillars that were unmatched in their time. Think of them as the ancient world's superpower. But all that strength and engineering meant nothing when they turned away from Allah.
ٱلَّتِى لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِى ٱلْبِلَـٰدِ
The likes of whom had never been created in the land?
Allah says nothing like the people of Ad had ever been created in the land. They were literally built different -- the tallest, strongest, most powerful civilization of their era. But here's the thing: their uniqueness didn't save them. Physical power and worldly dominance don't protect you from the consequences of arrogance and disbelief.
وَثَمُودَ ٱلَّذِينَ جَابُوا۟ ٱلصَّخْرَ بِٱلْوَادِ
And [with] Thamūd, who carved out the rocks in the valley?
Next up: the people of Thamud, who carved entire homes out of mountains and rock in the valley. Their engineering skills were next level -- literally sculpting houses from stone. Allah sent them the Prophet Salih, but they too rejected the message. All that skill and craftsmanship couldn't shield them from the consequences of their choices.
وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِى ٱلْأَوْتَادِ
And [with] Pharaoh, owner of the stakes?1
And then there's Pharaoh, described as the "owner of stakes." This either refers to his massive armies that were like stakes anchoring his power, or to the brutal way he tortured people by nailing them to stakes. Either way, it paints a picture of someone drunk on power who used it to oppress rather than uplift.
ٱلَّذِينَ طَغَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْبِلَـٰدِ
[All of] whom oppressed within the lands
What did all three of these groups have in common? They went way beyond the limits in their lands. They weren't just casually sinning -- they were actively transgressing, crossing every boundary, and oppressing people left and right. Power without moral boundaries always leads to corruption.
فَأَكْثَرُوا۟ فِيهَا ٱلْفَسَادَ
And increased therein the corruption.
They spread corruption everywhere they went. This wasn't just personal sin -- it was systemic. They built societies on injustice, exploitation, and arrogance. When your whole system is built on harming others and defying Allah, the fall is inevitable.
فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ
So your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment.
So Allah poured on them a "whip of punishment." The word "whip" is vivid -- just like a whip strikes from different angles, these nations received various types of devastating punishment. Ad was destroyed by a violent wind, Thamud by a thunderous blast, and Pharaoh by drowning. Different punishments, same cause: defying Allah.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِٱلْمِرْصَادِ
Indeed, your Lord is in observation.
"Your Lord is ever on the watch." This is the punchline of the entire first section. Allah sees everything. No empire is too big, no ruler too powerful, no person too clever to escape His observation. He watches, He records, and He responds. This should be both comforting and sobering.
فَأَمَّا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ إِذَا مَا ٱبْتَلَىٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَأَكْرَمَهُۥ وَنَعَّمَهُۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّىٓ أَكْرَمَنِ
And as for man, when his Lord tries him and [thus] is generous to him and favors him, he says, "My Lord has honored me."1
Now the surah gets personal. When Allah blesses a person with wealth and comfort, they say "My Lord has honored me!" They assume that getting nice things means Allah is pleased with them. But that's not how it works -- wealth isn't a report card from Allah. It's a test. Can you handle blessings with gratitude, or will they make you arrogant?
وَأَمَّآ إِذَا مَا ٱبْتَلَىٰهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّىٓ أَهَـٰنَنِ
But when He tries him and restricts his provision, he says, "My Lord has humiliated me."
And when Allah tests someone by tightening their provision, they say "My Lord has humiliated me!" Same flawed logic, just flipped. People assume poverty means Allah is mad at them. But no -- hardship is also a test. Allah gives wealth to people He loves AND people He doesn't, and He withholds it from both groups too. It's never about the money.
كَلَّا ۖ بَل لَّا تُكْرِمُونَ ٱلْيَتِيمَ
No!1 But you do not honor the orphan
Allah corrects both assumptions with a firm "No!" and then reveals the real problem: you don't honor the orphan. It's not just about giving orphans money -- it's about treating them with dignity, kindness, and respect. The fact that this is the first thing Allah calls out tells you how seriously He takes the treatment of vulnerable people.
وَلَا تَحَـٰٓضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ
And you do not encourage one another to feed the poor.
On top of that, you don't even encourage each other to feed the poor. Notice it doesn't just say "you don't feed them" -- it says you don't even push others to do it. Even if you're broke yourself, you should still be advocating for those in need. Staying silent about poverty when you could speak up is itself a failure.
وَتَأْكُلُونَ ٱلتُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَّمًّا
And you consume inheritance, devouring [it] altogether,1
And you consume inheritance with a greedy, sweeping appetite -- mixing up what's rightfully yours with what belongs to others, especially orphans and widows. The greed is so intense that people don't even care if the money is lawful or not. They just want more, no matter who gets hurt in the process.
وَتُحِبُّونَ ٱلْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا
And you love wealth with immense love.
And you love wealth with an excessive, insatiable love. Notice Allah doesn't say loving wealth is inherently bad -- having resources is natural and even useful. What's condemned is the obsessive, all-consuming attachment to money that makes it your entire purpose in life. When wealth owns you instead of you owning it, that's the problem.
كَلَّآ إِذَا دُكَّتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ دَكًّا دَكًّا
No! When the earth has been leveled - pounded and crushed
Another firm "No!" -- then the scene shifts to the Day of Judgment. The earth will be crushed and leveled, pounded flat again and again. Everything we know -- mountains, buildings, landmarks -- all flattened. This is Allah resetting creation itself. The world as we know it is temporary, no matter how permanent it feels right now.
وَجَآءَ رَبُّكَ وَٱلْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا
And your Lord has come1 and the angels, rank upon rank,
And your Lord will come, along with the angels lined up row upon row. This is the ultimate courtroom scene. Allah arrives for the final judgment, and the angels stand in perfect formation. The sheer scale of this moment is beyond anything we can fully imagine, but it's real and it's coming.
وَجِا۟ىٓءَ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بِجَهَنَّمَ ۚ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ
And brought [within view], that Day, is Hell - that Day, man will remember, but how [i.e., what good] to him will be the remembrance?
On that Day, Hell will be brought forward, and that's when it finally clicks for people. They'll remember everything -- every choice, every sin, every missed opportunity. But the painful part? That realization will be completely useless at that point. The time to act was in this life, not after the test is over.
يَقُولُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِى
He will say, "Oh, I wish I had sent ahead [some good] for my life."1
The person will cry out: "I wish I had sent something ahead for my real life!" This is the ultimate regret. They finally understand that the real life isn't this temporary world -- it's the eternal one. And they wasted their chance to invest in it. Even good people will wish they had done more. That's how serious this moment is.
فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
So on that Day, none will punish [as severely] as His punishment,
On that Day, no one will punish like Allah punishes. All the power structures of this world -- governments, armies, tyrants -- are nothing compared to the consequences Allah has prepared. Every oppressor who thought they were untouchable will understand true powerlessness.
وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
And none will bind [as severely] as His binding [of the evildoers].
And no one will bind like Allah binds. The chains and shackles of the Hereafter are unlike anything in this world. This is for those who spent their lives chaining others -- through oppression, injustice, or corruption. The tables turn completely.
يَـٰٓأَيَّتُهَا ٱلنَّفْسُ ٱلْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ
[To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul,
But then the tone shifts beautifully. "O tranquil soul!" -- this is one of the most tender, intimate addresses in the entire Quran. The "nafs al-mutma'innah" (contented soul) is the one that found peace through remembering Allah, stayed patient through hardship, and remained grateful through blessings. This is the soul that passed the test.
ٱرْجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً
Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him],
"Return to your Lord, well-pleased and well-pleasing." You're happy with Allah, and Allah is happy with you. That's the ultimate relationship goal. This soul isn't just tolerated by Allah -- it's genuinely beloved. The contentment goes both ways, and there's nothing more beautiful than that mutual satisfaction.
فَٱدْخُلِى فِى عِبَـٰدِى
And enter among My [righteous] servants
"Enter among My servants" -- notice the honor of being counted among Allah's special people. Before even entering Paradise, you're first welcomed into the company of the righteous. Your squad in the afterlife matters, and this is Allah personally assigning you to the best crew imaginable.
وَٱدْخُلِى جَنَّتِى
And enter My Paradise."
"And enter My Paradise." The surah ends with the most beautiful invitation ever extended. Notice Allah says "MY Paradise" -- a personal touch that shows this isn't just any reward, it's something Allah Himself takes ownership of and pride in. After all the warnings about destroyed nations, misplaced values, and the horrors of Judgment Day, it all comes down to this: an open door to eternal peace for those who lived with purpose, gratitude, and faith.