Sūrah Al-‘Alaq (سورة العلق)
Meaning: The Clinging Clot or Embryo
Chapter: 96
Verses: 19
Place of Revelation: Meccan
First Five Verses: The first revelation in Islam
🌟 Historical Context
📍Location: Cave of Ḥirā’
📅 Time: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was 40 years old
🕊️ Event: Angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) came to him for the first time and said:
"Read!" (Iqra’)
This marked the birth of revelation, of prophethood, and of the Qur’anic message to all humanity.
📖 Verse-by-Verse Explanation
1–5: The First Revelation
ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ
خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ
ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ
ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ
عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ
“Read in the name of your Lord who created —
Created man from a clinging clot.
Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous —
Who taught by the pen —
Taught man what he did not know.”
🔹 "Read" (Iqra’): The first command — not to rule, not to pray, but to seek knowledge in the name of Allah.
🔹 "Clinging clot": A reference to the embryo stage — a humble origin for a noble creature.
🔹 "Taught by the pen": Allah honors writing, learning, and human intellect.
🔹 "Taught man what he didn’t know": All human progress — science, morality, civilization — stems from divine gift of knowledge.
🧠 These verses elevate knowledge, learning, and curiosity as sacred acts when done with the right intention.
6–8: Arrogance and Independence
كَلَّا إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لَيَطْغَىٰ
أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسْتَغْنَىٰ
إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجْعَىٰ
“No! But indeed, man transgresses
Because he sees himself self-sufficient.
Indeed, to your Lord is the return.”
⚠️ Humans forget their Creator when they feel powerful or independent — but everything returns to Allah.
This is a warning:
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Wealth, status, or knowledge can cause arrogance — but they’re all temporary.
-
Accountability to Allah is inevitable.
9–14: A Warning Against Oppressing Worship
أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يَنْهَىٰ
عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰ
أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ
أَوْ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقْوَىٰ
أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
“Have you seen the one who forbids
A servant when he prays?
What if he is upon guidance,
Or enjoins righteousness?
Have you seen if he denies and turns away?”
📌 These verses likely refer to Abū Jahl, a Qurayshi leader who threatened to stop the Prophet ﷺ from praying.
Allah responds with:
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A defense of freedom to worship.
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A reminder that those who try to block truth are acting in arrogance and denial.
15–18: A Final Warning
أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ
كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًۭا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ
نَاصِيَةٍۢ كَـٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍۢ
فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُۥ
سَنَدْعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ
“Does he not know that Allah sees?
No! If he does not stop, We will drag him by the forelock —
A lying, sinning forelock.
Then let him call his assembly,
We will call the angels of punishment.”
🔥 This is a direct threat to those who:
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Act in pride,
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Lie about truth,
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Oppose the worship of Allah.
Allah sees all, and when arrogance reaches a peak, divine justice will respond.
19: The Final Command
كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَٱسْجُدْ وَٱقْتَرِب
“No! Do not obey him. But prostrate and draw near [to Allah].”
🕋 This is one of the most beautiful conclusions in the Qur’an.
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Ignore the arrogant.
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Make sujūd (prostration) — the act of utmost humility.
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Get closer to Allah — through worship, through prayer, through sincerity.
💫 Even when the world resists you… sujūd brings you closer to the Creator of the world.
🧠 Key Lessons from Sūrah Al-‘Alaq
| Theme | Message |
|---|---|
| Knowledge is sacred | The first command was “Read” — to seek knowledge in Allah’s name. |
| Arrogance corrupts | Feeling self-sufficient leads to denial of truth. |
| Accountability is certain | Allah sees all, and all return to Him. |
| True nearness comes in sujūd | When facing opposition, turn to Allah in worship. |
🕊️ Reflection
“Prostrate and draw near.”
No matter what you face — doubt, rejection, stress — sujūd is your place of healing and closeness to Allah.
This surah began with:
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A command to read, and ends with
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A command to prostrate.
These are the two foundations of a believer:
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Knowledge (with humility),
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Worship (with closeness).
📌 Surah Summary
| Section | Summary |
|---|---|
| 1–5 | The first revelation: command to read and honor knowledge |
| 6–8 | Warning against arrogance and forgetfulness of Allah |
| 9–14 | Defense of the praying believer; exposure of the denier |
| 15–18 | Threat of divine justice against arrogant oppressors |
| 19 | Command to remain firm in worship and draw near to Allah |
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