سُورَةُ البَيِّنَةِ
Surah 98 - Al-Bayyina
The Evidence
- 8 verses
- Juz 30
- Pages 598 to 599 of the Mushaf
Al-Bayyina has eight verses and moves in stages. The first names those who refuse - among those given the Scripture and among those who associate - and says they stay as they are until clear evidence reaches them. The next two say what that evidence is: a messenger sent by Allah, reciting purified pages that hold upright writings. The fourth notes that the split came after it, not before. The fifth states what had been asked, and nothing more: to worship Allah with sincere devotion, to keep up prayer, to give the zakat. The last three verses set two outcomes facing each other.
The main parts
The text of the surah
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ لَمْ يَكُنِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّىٰ تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَةُ
Those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists were not to be parted [from misbelief] until there came to them clear evidence -
رَسُولٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ يَتْلُوا۟ صُحُفًۭا مُّطَهَّرَةًۭ
A Messenger from Allah, reciting purified scriptures
فِيهَا كُتُبٌۭ قَيِّمَةٌۭ
Within which are correct writings.
وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَةُ
Nor did those who were given the Scripture become divided until after there had come to them clear evidence.
وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلْقَيِّمَةِ
And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ ٱلْبَرِيَّةِ
Indeed, they who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ ٱلْبَرِيَّةِ
Indeed, they who have believed and done righteous deeds - those are the best of creatures.
جَزَآؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّٰتُ عَدْنٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًۭا ۖ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ رَبَّهُۥ
Their reward with Allah will be gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them and they with Him. That is for whoever has feared his Lord.
Key verses of the surah
The verse stating what had been asked: worship given to Allah alone, prayer, the zakat.
وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلْقَيِّمَةِ
And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.
The last verse: gardens, a dwelling without end, and a pleasure that goes both ways.
جَزَآؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّٰتُ عَدْنٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًۭا ۖ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ رَبَّهُۥ
Their reward with Allah will be gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them and they with Him. That is for whoever has feared his Lord.
What is surah Al-Bayyina about?
Of a clear evidence and of what surrounds it. The text says what it is, notes that the parting came only after it, recalls what had been asked, then sets two outcomes against each other. Eight verses, with no account.
What does surah Al-Bayyina say about what is asked?
Verse 5 puts it in one sentence: to worship Allah alone, giving him undivided devotion, to keep prayer and to hand over the zakat. The text calls this the upright religion and adds no further duty.
How does surah Al-Bayyina end?
With verse 8: gardens with streams running beneath, a dwelling that does not end, and a pleasure that goes both ways, from Allah towards them and from them towards Allah. The surah closes on a promise.
How is surah Al-Bayyina built?
In three movements across eight verses: what was missing and then comes, what happened afterwards, then two outcomes stated one after the other. Those named in verse 1 are named again in verse 6, after a different opening word.
Why is surah Al-Bayyina called that?
“Al-Bayyina” means “the clear evidence”. The name comes from the last word of the first verse (98:1), where that evidence is announced, and it returns in verse 4, where it is said to have come. The surah is named after the word standing at those two points.
How many verses does surah Al-Bayyina have?
Surah Al-Bayyina has 8 verses. It stands at number 98 in the order of the Mushaf, which holds 114.
The Arabic text is that of the Mushaf. The summary, the outline and the answers on this page describe the text and how it is built: they are not religious commentary.