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سُورَةُ الرَّحۡمَٰن

Surah 55 - Ar-Rahmaan

The Beneficent

  • 78 verses
  • Juz 27
  • Pages 531 to 534 of the Mushaf

Ar-Rahmaan is built on a refrain. A question about the Lord's bounties appears at verse 13, then returns every two or three verses until verse 77: thirty-one times, always in the same words. The first twelve verses carry none of it; they state the teaching of the Quran, the making of man, the measured course of the sun and the moon, and the balance set so that weighing stays fair. The text then lists clay and flame, the two seas and the barrier between them, the vessels, then what passes and what stays. Come the day of reckoning, two gardens, two further gardens, and a last verse blessing the Lord's Name.

The main parts

  1. The teaching, the creation and the balance set down1-13
  2. Clay and flame, the two seas, and what remains14-30
  3. The judgment announced to humans and jinn31-45
  4. The two gardens for whoever feared his Lord46-61
  5. Two further gardens, and the close on the Name62-78

The text of the surah

  1. بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ

    The Most Merciful

  2. عَلَّمَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ

    Taught the Qur'an,

  3. خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ

    Created man,

  4. عَلَّمَهُ ٱلْبَيَانَ

    [And] taught him eloquence.

  5. ٱلشَّمْسُ وَٱلْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍۢ

    The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation,

  6. وَٱلنَّجْمُ وَٱلشَّجَرُ يَسْجُدَانِ

    And the stars and trees prostrate.

  7. وَٱلسَّمَآءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ ٱلْمِيزَانَ

    And the heaven He raised and imposed the balance

  8. أَلَّا تَطْغَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْمِيزَانِ

    That you not transgress within the balance.

  9. وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلْوَزْنَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا۟ ٱلْمِيزَانَ

    And establish weight in justice and do not make deficient the balance.

  10. وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَضَعَهَا لِلْأَنَامِ

    And the earth He laid [out] for the creatures.

  11. فِيهَا فَٰكِهَةٌۭ وَٱلنَّخْلُ ذَاتُ ٱلْأَكْمَامِ

    Therein is fruit and palm trees having sheaths [of dates]

  12. وَٱلْحَبُّ ذُو ٱلْعَصْفِ وَٱلرَّيْحَانُ

    And grain having husks and scented plants.

  13. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  14. خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مِن صَلْصَٰلٍۢ كَٱلْفَخَّارِ

    He created man from clay like [that of] pottery.

  15. وَخَلَقَ ٱلْجَآنَّ مِن مَّارِجٍۢ مِّن نَّارٍۢ

    And He created the jinn from a smokeless flame of fire.

  16. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  17. رَبُّ ٱلْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ ٱلْمَغْرِبَيْنِ

    [He is] Lord of the two sunrises and Lord of the two sunsets.

  18. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  19. مَرَجَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ

    He released the two seas, meeting [side by side];

  20. بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخٌۭ لَّا يَبْغِيَانِ

    Between them is a barrier [so] neither of them transgresses.

  21. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  22. يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا ٱللُّؤْلُؤُ وَٱلْمَرْجَانُ

    From both of them emerge pearl and coral.

  23. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  24. وَلَهُ ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْمُنشَـَٔاتُ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ كَٱلْأَعْلَٰمِ

    And to Him belong the ships [with sails] elevated in the sea like mountains.

  25. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  26. كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍۢ

    Everyone upon the earth will perish,

  27. وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو ٱلْجَلَٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ

    And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.

  28. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  29. يَسْـَٔلُهُۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِى شَأْنٍۢ

    Whoever is within the heavens and earth asks Him; every day He is bringing about a matter.

  30. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  31. سَنَفْرُغُ لَكُمْ أَيُّهَ ٱلثَّقَلَانِ

    We will attend to you, O prominent beings.

  32. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  33. يَٰمَعْشَرَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ إِنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا۟ مِنْ أَقْطَارِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنفُذُوا۟ ۚ لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَٰنٍۢ

    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].

  34. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  35. يُرْسَلُ عَلَيْكُمَا شُوَاظٌۭ مِّن نَّارٍۢ وَنُحَاسٌۭ فَلَا تَنتَصِرَانِ

    There will be sent upon you a flame of fire and smoke, and you will not defend yourselves.

  36. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  37. فَإِذَا ٱنشَقَّتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ وَرْدَةًۭ كَٱلدِّهَانِ

    And when the heaven is split open and becomes rose-colored like oil -

  38. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -

  39. فَيَوْمَئِذٍۢ لَّا يُسْـَٔلُ عَن ذَنۢبِهِۦٓ إِنسٌۭ وَلَا جَآنٌّۭ

    Then on that Day none will be asked about his sin among men or jinn.

  40. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  41. يُعْرَفُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ بِسِيمَٰهُمْ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِٱلنَّوَٰصِى وَٱلْأَقْدَامِ

    The criminals will be known by their marks, and they will be seized by the forelocks and the feet.

  42. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  43. هَٰذِهِۦ جَهَنَّمُ ٱلَّتِى يُكَذِّبُ بِهَا ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ

    This is Hell, which the criminals deny.

  44. يَطُوفُونَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ حَمِيمٍ ءَانٍۢ

    They will go around between it and scalding water, heated [to the utmost degree].

  45. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  46. وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ جَنَّتَانِ

    But for he who has feared the position of his Lord are two gardens -

  47. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -

  48. ذَوَاتَآ أَفْنَانٍۢ

    Having [spreading] branches.

  49. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  50. فِيهِمَا عَيْنَانِ تَجْرِيَانِ

    In both of them are two springs, flowing.

  51. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  52. فِيهِمَا مِن كُلِّ فَٰكِهَةٍۢ زَوْجَانِ

    In both of them are of every fruit, two kinds.

  53. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  54. مُتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَىٰ فُرُشٍۭ بَطَآئِنُهَا مِنْ إِسْتَبْرَقٍۢ ۚ وَجَنَى ٱلْجَنَّتَيْنِ دَانٍۢ

    [They are] reclining on beds whose linings are of silk brocade, and the fruit of the two gardens is hanging low.

  55. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  56. فِيهِنَّ قَٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنسٌۭ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلَا جَآنٌّۭ

    In them are women limiting [their] glances, untouched before them by man or jinni -

  57. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -

  58. كَأَنَّهُنَّ ٱلْيَاقُوتُ وَٱلْمَرْجَانُ

    As if they were rubies and coral.

  59. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  60. هَلْ جَزَآءُ ٱلْإِحْسَٰنِ إِلَّا ٱلْإِحْسَٰنُ

    Is the reward for good [anything] but good?

  61. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  62. وَمِن دُونِهِمَا جَنَّتَانِ

    And below them both [in excellence] are two [other] gardens -

  63. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -

  64. مُدْهَآمَّتَانِ

    Dark green [in color].

  65. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  66. فِيهِمَا عَيْنَانِ نَضَّاخَتَانِ

    In both of them are two springs, spouting.

  67. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  68. فِيهِمَا فَٰكِهَةٌۭ وَنَخْلٌۭ وَرُمَّانٌۭ

    In both of them are fruit and palm trees and pomegranates.

  69. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  70. فِيهِنَّ خَيْرَٰتٌ حِسَانٌۭ

    In them are good and beautiful women -

  71. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -

  72. حُورٌۭ مَّقْصُورَٰتٌۭ فِى ٱلْخِيَامِ

    Fair ones reserved in pavilions -

  73. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -

  74. لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنسٌۭ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلَا جَآنٌّۭ

    Untouched before them by man or jinni -

  75. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -

  76. مُتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَىٰ رَفْرَفٍ خُضْرٍۢ وَعَبْقَرِىٍّ حِسَانٍۢ

    Reclining on green cushions and beautiful fine carpets.

  77. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  78. تَبَٰرَكَ ٱسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِى ٱلْجَلَٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ

    Blessed is the name of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.

Key verses of the surah

  • The first occurrence of the refrain, which will come back thirty more times, up to verse 77.

    فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

    So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

  • The verse on what remains when the rest goes; it ends on the words that close the surah.

    وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو ٱلْجَلَٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ

    And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.

  • A question held in one line, setting what is done against what is received.

    هَلْ جَزَآءُ ٱلْإِحْسَٰنِ إِلَّا ٱلْإِحْسَٰنُ

    Is the reward for good [anything] but good?

  • The last verse: it follows the thirty-first return of the refrain without taking it up.

    تَبَٰرَكَ ٱسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِى ٱلْجَلَٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ

    Blessed is the name of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.

What is surah Ar-Rahmaan about?

Of a run of bounties listed one by one, marked off by a question that keeps returning and reaches two addressees at once, humans and jinn. It moves from created things to the day of reckoning, then to the promised gardens, never leaving that shape.

What is the refrain of surah Ar-Rahmaan?

One same question, put to two rather than one, about what the Lord grants. It marks the text from the thirteenth verse to the next-to-last without a word changing: thirty-one occurrences spread over sixty-five verses.

How is surah Ar-Rahmaan built?

In five blocks separated by the refrain. The first twelve verses form the only long stretch carrying none. After that, each short run is followed by the same question, sometimes after a single verse, and the text closes at verse 78.

What does surah Ar-Rahmaan say about the jinn?

It names them beside humans and addresses both together. Verse 15 states their origin, a smokeless flame; verse 31 announces that both will be called to account; verse 33 challenges them to leave the realm that earth and heaven make up.

How does surah Ar-Rahmaan end?

With verse 78, which calls blessing upon the Lord's Name. It follows the last return of the refrain without taking it up itself, and ends on the same words as verse 27.

Why is surah Ar-Rahmaan called that?

“Ar-Rahmaan” means “the Most Merciful”. The name comes from the first verse, which is this one word alone: the surah opens on a name, with no sentence around it. It is also the only place where that name appears in the surah.

How many verses does surah Ar-Rahmaan have?

Surah Ar-Rahmaan has 78 verses. It stands at number 55 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.

Themes that quote this surah

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