1. Alif-Laaam-Raa; tilka Aayaatul Kitaabi wa Qur-aa-nim Mubeen
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ الٓر ۚ تِلْكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَقُرْءَانٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ
Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the Book and a clear Qur'an.
The Rock
1. Alif-Laaam-Raa; tilka Aayaatul Kitaabi wa Qur-aa-nim Mubeen
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ الٓر ۚ تِلْكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَقُرْءَانٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ
Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the Book and a clear Qur'an.
2. Rubamaa yawaddul lazeena kafaroo law kaanoo muslimeen
رُّبَمَا يَوَدُّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ مُسْلِمِينَ
Perhaps those who disbelieve will wish that they had been Muslims.
3. Zarhum yaakuloo wa tatamatta'oo wa yulhihimul amalu fasawfa ya'lamoon
ذَرْهُمْ يَأْكُلُوا۟ وَيَتَمَتَّعُوا۟ وَيُلْهِهِمُ ٱلْأَمَلُ ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ
Let them eat and enjoy themselves and be diverted by [false] hope, for they are going to know.
4. Wa maaa ahlaknaa min qaryatin illaa wa lahaa kitaabum ma'loom
وَمَآ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ إِلَّا وَلَهَا كِتَابٌۭ مَّعْلُومٌۭ
And We did not destroy any city but that for it was a known decree.
5. Maa tasbiqu min ummatin ajalahaa wa maa yastaakhiroon
مَّا تَسْبِقُ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلَهَا وَمَا يَسْتَـْٔخِرُونَ
No nation will precede its term, nor will they remain thereafter.
6. Wa qaaloo yaaa aiyuhal lazee nuzzila 'alaihiz Zikru innaka lamajnoon
وَقَالُوا۟ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِى نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلذِّكْرُ إِنَّكَ لَمَجْنُونٌۭ
And they say, "O you upon whom the message has been sent down, indeed you are mad.
7. Law maa taateenaa bil malaaa'ikati in kunta minas saadiqeen
لَّوْ مَا تَأْتِينَا بِٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ
Why do you not bring us the angels, if you should be among the truthful?"
8. Maa nunazzilul malaaa'i kata illaa bilhaqqi wa maa kaanooo izam munzareen
مَا نُنَزِّلُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةَ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَمَا كَانُوٓا۟ إِذًۭا مُّنظَرِينَ
We do not send down the angels except with truth; and the disbelievers would not then be reprieved.
9. Innaa Nahnu nazalnaz Zikra wa Innaa lahoo lahaa fizoon
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا ٱلذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَٰفِظُونَ
Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian.
10. Wa laqad arsalnaa min qablika fee shiya'il awwaleen
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ فِى شِيَعِ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
And We had certainly sent [messengers] before you, [O Muhammad], among the sects of the former peoples.
One of the many practices taught by Islam is that its followers should begin their activities in the name of God.
The character of this surah is that of a prayer. The prayer begins with praise of the One to whom our prayer is addressed.