Knowledge & Learning
العلمAyahs about the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.
25 ayahs
iq'ra bi-is'mi rabbika alladhī khalaqa
Recite in the name of your Lord who created
khalaqa l-insāna min ʿalaqin
Created man from a clinging substance.
iq'ra warabbuka l-akramu
Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous -
alladhī ʿallama bil-qalami
Who taught by the pen
ʿallama l-insāna mā lam yaʿlam
Taught man that which he knew not.
fataʿālā l-lahu l-maliku l-ḥaqu walā taʿjal bil-qur'āni min qabli an yuq'ḍā ilayka waḥyuhu waqul rabbi zid'nī ʿil'man
So high [above all] is Allāh, the Sovereign, the Truth. And, [O Muḥammad], do not hasten with [recitation of] the Qur’ān before its revelation is completed to you, and say, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge."
amman huwa qānitun ānāa al-layli sājidan waqāiman yaḥdharu l-ākhirata wayarjū raḥmata rabbihi qul hal yastawī alladhīna yaʿlamūna wa-alladhīna lā yaʿlamūna innamā yatadhakkaru ulū l-albābi
Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding.
wamina l-nāsi wal-dawābi wal-anʿāmi mukh'talifun alwānuhu kadhālika innamā yakhshā l-laha min ʿibādihi l-ʿulamāu inna l-laha ʿazīzun ghafūrun
And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear Allāh, from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Forgiving.
yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū idhā qīla lakum tafassaḥū fī l-majālisi fa-if'saḥū yafsaḥi l-lahu lakum wa-idhā qīla unshuzū fa-unshuzū yarfaʿi l-lahu alladhīna āmanū minkum wa-alladhīna ūtū l-ʿil'ma darajātin wal-lahu bimā taʿmalūna khabīrun
O you who have believed, when you are told, "Space yourselves" in assemblies, then make space; Allāh will make space for you. And when you are told, "Arise," then arise; Allāh will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allāh is Aware of what you do.
yu'tī l-ḥik'mata man yashāu waman yu'ta l-ḥik'mata faqad ūtiya khayran kathīran wamā yadhakkaru illā ulū l-albābi
He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good. And none will remember except those of understanding.
shahida l-lahu annahu lā ilāha illā huwa wal-malāikatu wa-ulū l-ʿil'mi qāiman bil-qis'ṭi lā ilāha illā huwa l-ʿazīzu l-ḥakīmu
Allāh witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge - [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
wamā arsalnā min qablika illā rijālan nūḥī ilayhim fasalū ahla l-dhik'ri in kuntum lā taʿlamūna
And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed [Our message]. So ask the people of the message [i.e., former scriptures] if you do not know.
watil'ka l-amthālu naḍribuhā lilnnāsi wamā yaʿqiluhā illā l-ʿālimūna
And these examples We present to the people, but none will understand them except those of knowledge.
fabada-a bi-awʿiyatihim qabla wiʿāi akhīhi thumma is'takhrajahā min wiʿāi akhīhi kadhālika kid'nā liyūsufa mā kāna liyakhudha akhāhu fī dīni l-maliki illā an yashāa l-lahu narfaʿu darajātin man nashāu wafawqa kulli dhī ʿil'min ʿalīmun
So he began [the search] with their bags before the bag of his brother; then he extracted it from the bag of his brother. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother within the religion [i.e., law] of the king except that Allāh willed. We raise in degrees whom We will, but over every possessor of knowledge is one [more] knowing.
inna fī khalqi l-samāwāti wal-arḍi wa-ikh'tilāfi al-layli wal-nahāri laāyātin li-ulī l-albābi
Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding -
alladhīna yadhkurūna l-laha qiyāman waquʿūdan waʿalā junūbihim wayatafakkarūna fī khalqi l-samāwāti wal-arḍi rabbanā mā khalaqta hādhā bāṭilan sub'ḥānaka faqinā ʿadhāba l-nāri
Who remember Allāh while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
waʿallama ādama l-asmāa kullahā thumma ʿaraḍahum ʿalā l-malāikati faqāla anbiūnī bi-asmāi hāulāi in kuntum ṣādiqīna
And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."
qālū sub'ḥānaka lā ʿil'ma lanā illā mā ʿallamtanā innaka anta l-ʿalīmu l-ḥakīmu
They said, "Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise."
qāla yāādamu anbi'hum bi-asmāihim falammā anba-ahum bi-asmāihim qāla alam aqul lakum innī aʿlamu ghayba l-samāwāti wal-arḍi wa-aʿlamu mā tub'dūna wamā kuntum taktumūna
He said, "O Adam, inform them of their names." And when he had informed them of their names, He said, "Did I not tell you that I know the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth? And I know what you reveal and what you have concealed."
al-raḥmānu
The Most Merciful
ʿallama l-qur'āna
Taught the Qur’ān,
khalaqa l-insāna
Created man,
ʿallamahu l-bayāna
[And] taught him eloquence.
waqālū law kunnā nasmaʿu aw naʿqilu mā kunnā fī aṣḥābi l-saʿīri
And they will say, "If only we had been listening or reasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze."
lākini l-rāsikhūna fī l-ʿil'mi min'hum wal-mu'minūna yu'minūna bimā unzila ilayka wamā unzila min qablika wal-muqīmīna l-ṣalata wal-mu'tūna l-zakata wal-mu'minūna bil-lahi wal-yawmi l-ākhiri ulāika sanu'tīhim ajran ʿaẓīman
But those firm in knowledge among them and the believers believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], and what was revealed before you. And the establishers of prayer [especially] and the givers of zakāh and the believers in Allāh and the Last Day - those We will give a great reward.