Sūra XCVI. Iqraa, or Read! or Proclaim! Or ’Alaq, or The Clot of Congealed Blood

The Holy Quran, tr. by Yusuf Ali, [1934], at sacred-texts.com

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Sūra XCVI.

Iqraa, or Read! or Proclaim!

Or ’Alaq, or The Clot of Congealed Blood.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
Most Merciful.

1. Proclaim! (or Read!)
In the name
Of thy Lord and Cherisher,
Who created—

2. Created man, out of
A (mere) clot
Of congealed blood:

3. Proclaim! And thy Lord
Is Most Bountiful,—

4. He Who taught
(The use of) the Pen,—

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5. Taught man that
Which he knew not.

6. Nay, but man doth
Transgress all bounds,

7. In that he looketh
Upon himself as self-sufficient.

8. Verily, to thy Lord
Is the return (of all).

9. Seest thou one
Who forbids—

10. A votary when he
(Turns) to pray?

11. Seest thou if
He is on (the road
Of) Guidance?—

12. Or enjoins Righteousness?

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13. Seest thou if he
Denies (Truth) and turns away?

14. Knoweth he not
That God doth see?

15. Let him beware! If he
Desist not, We will
Drag him by the forelock,—

16. A lying, sinful forelock!

17. Then, let him call
(For help) to his council
(Of comrades):

18. We will call
On the angels of punishment
(To deal with him)!

19. Nay, heed him not:
But bow down in adoration,
And bring thyself
The closer (to God)!

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