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.
البَيِّنَةِ
The Evidence
Clear proof, and the best and worst of creation.
Al-Bayyinah, “The Clear Proof,” speaks of the clear evidence brought by the Messenger ﷺ and contrasts the destiny of the sincere believers with that of the rejecters.
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بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ لَمْ يَكُنِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّىٰ تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَةُ
Lam ya kunil lazeena kafaru min ahlil kitaabi wal mushri keena mun fak keena hattaa ta-tiya humul bayyinah
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
Rasoolum minal laahi yatlu suhufam mutahharah
A Messenger from Allah, reciting purified scriptures
فِيهَا كُتُبٌۭ قَيِّمَةٌۭ
Feeha kutubun qaiyimah
Within which are correct writings.
وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَةُ
Wa maa tafarraqal lazeena ootul kitaaba il-la mim b'adi ma jaa-at humul baiyyinah
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
Wa maa umiroo il-la liy'abu dul laaha mukhliseena lahud-deena huna faa-a wa yuqeemus salaahta wa yu-tuz zakaata; wa zaalika deenul qaiyimah
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
Innal lazeena kafaru min ahlil kitaabi wal mushri keena fee nari jahan nama khaali deena feeha; ulaa-ika hum shar rul ba reeyah
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
Innal lazeena aamanu wa 'amilus saalihaati ula-ika hum khairul bareey yah
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
Jazaa-uhum inda rabbihim jan naatu 'adnin tajree min tahtihal an haaru khalideena feeha abada; radiy-yallaahu 'anhum wa ra du 'an zaalika liman khashiya rabbah.
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.
“Al-Bayyina” translates to “The Evidence.” It is the 98th surah (chapter) of the Holy Quran.
Surah Al-Bayyina has 8 verses (ayahs).
It is a Madinah (Medinan) surah — revealed after the Prophet’s ﷺ migration (Hijrah) to Madinah.
Yes. You can read Surah Al-Bayyina 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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