The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary
Seyyed Hossein Nasr (Ed.)
A landmark scholarly edition with verse-by-verse commentary drawn from classical sources — the most comprehensive single-volume study Quran in English.
الصَّفِّ
The Ranks
Striving for Allah in solid, united ranks.
As-Saff, “The Ranks,” urges the believers to match their words with deeds and to strive in the cause of Allah united like a solid structure.
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بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
Sabbaha lillaahi maa fisamaawaati wa maa fil ardi wa huwal 'Azeezul Hakeem
Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth exalts Allah, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ
Yaa ayyuhal lazeena aamanoo lima taqooloona maa laa taf'aloon
O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?
كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ
Kabura maqtan 'indal laahi an taqooloo maa laa taf'aloon
Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ صَفًّۭا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَٰنٌۭ مَّرْصُوصٌۭ
Innal laaha yuhibbul lazeena yuqaatiloona fee sabeelihee saffan kaannahum bunyaanum marsoos
Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ يَٰقَوْمِ لِمَ تُؤْذُونَنِى وَقَد تَّعْلَمُونَ أَنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا زَاغُوٓا۟ أَزَاغَ ٱللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَٰسِقِينَ
Wa iz qaala Moosa liqawmihee yaa qawmi lima tu'zoonanee wa qat ta'lamoona annee Rasoolul laahi ilaikum falammaa zaaghooo azaaghal laahu quloobahum; wallaahu laa yahdil qawmal faasiqeen
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Moses said to his people, "O my people, why do you harm me while you certainly know that I am the messenger of Allah to you?" And when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.
وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُم مُّصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ مِنَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَمُبَشِّرًۢا بِرَسُولٍۢ يَأْتِى مِنۢ بَعْدِى ٱسْمُهُۥٓ أَحْمَدُ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ قَالُوا۟ هَٰذَا سِحْرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ
Wa iz qaala 'Eesab-nu-Mayama yaa Banee Israaa'eela innee Rasoolul laahi ilaikum musaddiqal limaa baina yadayya minat Tawraati wa mubashshiram bi Rasooliny yaatee mim ba'dis muhooo Ahmad; falammaa jaaa'ahum bil baiyinaati qaaloo haazaa sihrum mubeen
And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad." But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, "This is obvious magic."
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ وَهُوَ يُدْعَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلْإِسْلَٰمِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
Wa man azlamu mimma nif taraa 'alal laahil kaziba wa huwa yad'aaa ilal Islaam; wallaahu laa yahdil qawmaz zaalimeen
And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allah untruth while he is being invited to Islam. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِـُٔوا۟ نُورَ ٱللَّهِ بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَٱللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ
Yureedoona liyutfi'oo nooral laahi bi afwaahimim wallaahu mutimmu noorihee wa law karihal kaafiroon
They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُۥ بِٱلْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ كُلِّهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُشْرِكُونَ
Huwal lazee arsala Rasoolahoo bilhudaa wa deenil haqqi liyuzhirahoo 'alad deeni kullihee wa law karihal mushrikoon
It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although those who associate others with Allah dislike it.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ تِجَٰرَةٍۢ تُنجِيكُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ
Yaaa ayyuhal lazeena aammano hal adullukum 'alaa tijaaratin tunjeekum min 'azaabin aleem
O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment?
تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَتُجَٰهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِأَمْوَٰلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
Tu'minoona billaahi wa Rasoolihee wa tujaahidoona fee sabeelil laahi bi amwaalikum wa anfusikum; zaalikum khairul lakum in kuntum ta'lamoon
[It is that] you believe in Allah and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you should know.
يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَيُدْخِلْكُمْ جَنَّٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ وَمَسَٰكِنَ طَيِّبَةًۭ فِى جَنَّٰتِ عَدْنٍۢ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Yaghfir lakum zunoobakum wa yudkhilkum Jannaatin tajree min tahtihal anhaaru wa masaakina taiyibatan fee Jannaati 'Ad; zaalikal fawzul 'Azeem
He will forgive for you your sins and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence. That is the great attainment.
وَأُخْرَىٰ تُحِبُّونَهَا ۖ نَصْرٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَفَتْحٌۭ قَرِيبٌۭ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Wa ukhraa tuhibboonahaa nasrum minal laahi wa fat hun qaree; wa bashshiril mu 'mineen
And [you will obtain] another [favor] that you love - victory from Allah and an imminent conquest; and give good tidings to the believers.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوٓا۟ أَنصَارَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّۦنَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَـَٔامَنَت طَّآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَكَفَرَت طَّآئِفَةٌۭ ۖ فَأَيَّدْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ ظَٰهِرِينَ
Yaaa ayyuhal lazeena aamaanoo koonooo ansaaral laahi kamaa qaala 'Eesab-nu-Maryama lil Hawaariyyeena man ansaareee ilal laah; qaalal Hawaariyyoona nahnu ansaa rul laahi fa aamanat taaa'ifatum mim Bannee Israaa'eela wa kafarat taaa'ifatun fa ayyadnal lazeena aammanoo 'alaa 'aduwwihim fa asbahoo zaahireen
O you who have believed, be supporters of Allah, as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples, "Who are my supporters for Allah?" The disciples said, "We are supporters of Allah." And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved. So We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominant.
“As-Saff” translates to “The Ranks.” It is the 61st surah (chapter) of the Holy Quran.
Surah As-Saff has 14 verses (ayahs).
It is a Madinah (Medinan) surah — revealed after the Prophet’s ﷺ migration (Hijrah) to Madinah.
Yes. You can read Surah As-Saff free on this page in Arabic with a clear English translation and transliteration, so you can both understand the meaning and learn to recite it.
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