Ar-Rahmaan
سُورَةُ الرَّحۡمَٰن
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
About Surah Ar-Rahmaan
Medinan · 78 verses
Main Themes
Divine mercy, the creation of humans and jinn, the blessings of the universe, paradise and its rewards, divine majesty
Significance
Ar-Rahman is the only surah addressed jointly to humans and jinn, and its refrain "So which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?" repeated thirty-one times gives it a unique rhythmic and theological power. The surah catalogues divine blessings — from the teaching of the Quran and the creation of the human being to the stars and the sea — and uses the refrain to make denial of these gifts seem both ungrateful and logically impossible.
Key Verse Explained
Ayah 26–27 ("Everyone upon the earth will perish, and there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honour") are among the Quran's most powerful affirmations of divine eternity and the transience of all creation. Classical scholars explain that "the Face of Allah" (wajh Allah) is an attribute of divine selfhood expressing that only Allah is permanently, unconditionally real — everything else exists only by His sustaining will.
Related Practices
Ar-Rahman is one of the most frequently recited surahs in Islamic gatherings, beautiful recitations being particularly sought for this surah given its rhythmic structure. The refrain "Fabi-ayyi ala'i Rabbikuma tukaththiban" is memorised by virtually all Muslim children. Reciting it on Friday evenings is a practice maintained in many Muslim communities, and it is a common choice for Islamic nasheed and devotional recitation.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ الرَّحْمَٰنُ 1
The Most Merciful
عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ 2
Taught the Qur'an,
خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ 3
Created man,
عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ 4
[And] taught him eloquence.
الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍ 5
The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation,
وَالنَّجْمُ وَالشَّجَرُ يَسْجُدَانِ 6
And the stars and trees prostrate.
وَالسَّمَاءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ الْمِيزَانَ 7
And the heaven He raised and imposed the balance
أَلَّا تَطْغَوْا فِي الْمِيزَانِ 8
That you not transgress within the balance.
وَأَقِيمُوا الْوَزْنَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا الْمِيزَانَ 9
And establish weight in justice and do not make deficient the balance.
وَالْأَرْضَ وَضَعَهَا لِلْأَنَامِ 10
And the earth He laid [out] for the creatures.
فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَالنَّخْلُ ذَاتُ الْأَكْمَامِ 11
Therein is fruit and palm trees having sheaths [of dates]
وَالْحَبُّ ذُو الْعَصْفِ وَالرَّيْحَانُ 12
And grain having husks and scented plants.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 13
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ صَلْصَالٍ كَالْفَخَّارِ 14
He created man from clay like [that of] pottery.
وَخَلَقَ الْجَانَّ مِنْ مَارِجٍ مِنْ نَارٍ 15
And He created the jinn from a smokeless flame of fire.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 16
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ الْمَغْرِبَيْنِ 17
[He is] Lord of the two sunrises and Lord of the two sunsets.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 18
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ 19
He released the two seas, meeting [side by side];
بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخٌ لَا يَبْغِيَانِ 20
Between them is a barrier [so] neither of them transgresses.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 21
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا اللُّؤْلُؤُ وَالْمَرْجَانُ 22
From both of them emerge pearl and coral.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 23
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
وَلَهُ الْجَوَارِ الْمُنْشَآتُ فِي الْبَحْرِ كَالْأَعْلَامِ 24
And to Him belong the ships [with sails] elevated in the sea like mountains.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 25
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ 26
Everyone upon the earth will perish,
وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ 27
And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 28
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
يَسْأَلُهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ 29
Whoever is within the heavens and earth asks Him; every day He is bringing about a matter.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 30
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
سَنَفْرُغُ لَكُمْ أَيُّهَ الثَّقَلَانِ 31
We will attend to you, O prominent beings.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 32
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
يَا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَنْ تَنْفُذُوا مِنْ أَقْطَارِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَانْفُذُوا ۚ لَا تَنْفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَانٍ 33
O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allah].
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 34
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
يُرْسَلُ عَلَيْكُمَا شُوَاظٌ مِنْ نَارٍ وَنُحَاسٌ فَلَا تَنْتَصِرَانِ 35
There will be sent upon you a flame of fire and smoke, and you will not defend yourselves.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 36
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فَإِذَا انْشَقَّتِ السَّمَاءُ فَكَانَتْ وَرْدَةً كَالدِّهَانِ 37
And when the heaven is split open and becomes rose-colored like oil -
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 38
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَا يُسْأَلُ عَنْ ذَنْبِهِ إِنْسٌ وَلَا جَانٌّ 39
Then on that Day none will be asked about his sin among men or jinn.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 40
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
يُعْرَفُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ بِسِيمَاهُمْ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِالنَّوَاصِي وَالْأَقْدَامِ 41
The criminals will be known by their marks, and they will be seized by the forelocks and the feet.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 42
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
هَٰذِهِ جَهَنَّمُ الَّتِي يُكَذِّبُ بِهَا الْمُجْرِمُونَ 43
This is Hell, which the criminals deny.
يَطُوفُونَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ حَمِيمٍ آنٍ 44
They will go around between it and scalding water, heated [to the utmost degree].
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 45
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ 46
But for he who has feared the position of his Lord are two gardens -
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 47
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
ذَوَاتَا أَفْنَانٍ 48
Having [spreading] branches.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 49
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فِيهِمَا عَيْنَانِ تَجْرِيَانِ 50
In both of them are two springs, flowing.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 51
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فِيهِمَا مِنْ كُلِّ فَاكِهَةٍ زَوْجَانِ 52
In both of them are of every fruit, two kinds.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 53
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
مُتَّكِئِينَ عَلَىٰ فُرُشٍ بَطَائِنُهَا مِنْ إِسْتَبْرَقٍ ۚ وَجَنَى الْجَنَّتَيْنِ دَانٍ 54
[They are] reclining on beds whose linings are of silk brocade, and the fruit of the two gardens is hanging low.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 55
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فِيهِنَّ قَاصِرَاتُ الطَّرْفِ لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنْسٌ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلَا جَانٌّ 56
In them are women limiting [their] glances, untouched before them by man or jinni -
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 57
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
كَأَنَّهُنَّ الْيَاقُوتُ وَالْمَرْجَانُ 58
As if they were rubies and coral.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 59
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ 60
Is the reward for good [anything] but good?
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 61
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
وَمِنْ دُونِهِمَا جَنَّتَانِ 62
And below them both [in excellence] are two [other] gardens -
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 63
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
مُدْهَامَّتَانِ 64
Dark green [in color].
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 65
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فِيهِمَا عَيْنَانِ نَضَّاخَتَانِ 66
In both of them are two springs, spouting.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 67
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فِيهِمَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَنَخْلٌ وَرُمَّانٌ 68
In both of them are fruit and palm trees and pomegranates.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 69
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فِيهِنَّ خَيْرَاتٌ حِسَانٌ 70
In them are good and beautiful women -
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 71
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
حُورٌ مَقْصُورَاتٌ فِي الْخِيَامِ 72
Fair ones reserved in pavilions -
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 73
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنْسٌ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلَا جَانٌّ 74
Untouched before them by man or jinni -
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 75
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
مُتَّكِئِينَ عَلَىٰ رَفْرَفٍ خُضْرٍ وَعَبْقَرِيٍّ حِسَانٍ 76
Reclining on green cushions and beautiful fine carpets.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 77
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
تَبَارَكَ اسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِي الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ 78
Blessed is the name of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.