Surah Al-Ala - English Translation by Shabbir Ahmed
سَبِّحِ ٱسۡمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡأَعۡلَى
Strive to raise the Name of your Lord, the Most High. (Establish His Glory on earth)
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 1
ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ
Who creates and proportions. (So that all things might become what they are meant to be)
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 2
وَٱلَّذِي قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ
And Who appoints due measure and then shows the way (to all things as to their functions)
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 3
وَٱلَّذِيٓ أَخۡرَجَ ٱلۡمَرۡعَىٰ
And Who brings forth the lush pasture
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 4
فَجَعَلَهُۥ غُثَآءً أَحۡوَىٰ
And then turns it into rust-brown residue
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 5
سَنُقۡرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَىٰٓ
(O Messenger) We shall teach you thus that you will never forget. (Mankind need Guidance like all things in the Universe do)
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 6
إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡجَهۡرَ وَمَا يَخۡفَىٰ
Allah never Wills you to forget (17:86). Behold, He knows the manifest and what is hidden
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 7
وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلۡيُسۡرَىٰ
And thus We shall ease your way to the ultimate ease. (To the end that you will establish the Qur'an in the society)
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 8
فَذَكِّرۡ إِن نَّفَعَتِ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ
Therefore, keep reminding, for, the Reminder does benefit
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 9
سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخۡشَىٰ
(Behold), he will heed who fears (the consequences of pre-emptive rejection)
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 10
وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا ٱلۡأَشۡقَى
And only the unfortunate will stay on the side-lines
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 11
ٱلَّذِي يَصۡلَى ٱلنَّارَ ٱلۡكُبۡرَىٰ
He who will be cast into the great Fire
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 12
ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحۡيَىٰ
Wherein he neither dies nor lives. Mere survival
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 13
قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ
Successful, indeed, is he who primes his 'Self' for development. (Living upright, helping others)
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 14
وَذَكَرَ ٱسۡمَ رَبِّهِۦ فَصَلَّىٰ
And keeps foremost in mind the Name and the Attributes of his Lord and then follows through
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 15
بَلۡ تُؤۡثِرُونَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا
But nay, you prefer the life of this world. (Given to instant gains instead of living upright that ensures success in both lives (2:201), (3:147), (4:134), (7:156), (10:64), (17:72), (28)
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 16
وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ خَيۡرٞ وَأَبۡقَىٰٓ
Although the Hereafter is better and more enduring
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 17
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَفِي ٱلصُّحُفِ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ
Behold, this has been said in the former Revelations as well. ('Suhuf' = Scrolls = Revelations)
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 18
صُحُفِ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ
The Revelations of Abraham and Moses
Surah Al-Ala, Verse 19