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.
الأَعۡلَىٰ
The Most High
Glorifying the Most High and the success of self-purification.
Al-A‘la, “The Most High,” calls to glorify the name of the Lord and teaches that success belongs to the one who purifies the soul and remembers Allah.
Listen to Surah Al-A'laa
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بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ سَبِّحِ ٱسْمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلْأَعْلَى
Sabbihisma Rabbikal A'laa
Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High,
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ
Allazee khalaqa fasawwaa
Who created and proportioned
وَٱلَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ
Wallazee qaddara fahadaa
And who destined and [then] guided
وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَخْرَجَ ٱلْمَرْعَىٰ
Wallazeee akhrajal mar'aa
And who brings out the pasture
فَجَعَلَهُۥ غُثَآءً أَحْوَىٰ
Faja'alahoo ghusaaa'an ahwaa
And [then] makes it black stubble.
سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَىٰٓ
Sanuqri'uka falaa tansaaa
We will make you recite, [O Muhammad], and you will not forget,
إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ
Illaa maa shaaa'al laah; innahoo ya'lamul jahra wa maa yakhfaa
Except what Allah should will. Indeed, He knows what is declared and what is hidden.
وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
Wa nu-yassiruka lilyusraa
And We will ease you toward ease.
فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ
Fazakkir in nafa'atizzikraa
So remind, if the reminder should benefit;
سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰ
Sa yazzakkaru maiyakhshaa
He who fears [Allah] will be reminded.
وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَشْقَى
Wa yatajannabuhal ashqaa
But the wretched one will avoid it -
ٱلَّذِى يَصْلَى ٱلنَّارَ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ
Allazee yaslan Naaral kubraa
[He] who will [enter and] burn in the greatest Fire,
ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ
Summa laa yamootu feehaa wa laa yahyaa
Neither dying therein nor living.
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ
Qad aflaha man tazakkaa
He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself
وَذَكَرَ ٱسْمَ رَبِّهِۦ فَصَلَّىٰ
Wa zakaras ma Rabbihee fasallaa
And mentions the name of his Lord and prays.
بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا
Bal tu'siroonal hayaatad dunyaa
But you prefer the worldly life,
وَٱلْءَاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ
Wal Aakhiratu khairunw wa abqaa
While the Hereafter is better and more enduring.
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَفِى ٱلصُّحُفِ ٱلْأُولَىٰ
Inna haazaa lafis suhu fil oolaa
Indeed, this is in the former scriptures,
صُحُفِ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ
Suhufi Ibraaheema wa Moosaa
The scriptures of Abraham and Moses.
“Al-A'laa” translates to “The Most High.” It is the 87th surah (chapter) of the Holy Quran.
Surah Al-A'laa has 19 verses (ayahs).
It is a Makkah (Meccan) surah — revealed before the Prophet’s ﷺ migration (Hijrah) to Madinah.
Yes. You can read Surah Al-A'laa 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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