Al-A'la 87
The Most HighHow to read the Hangul
الرَّحْمَٰنِ르r라흐마니 بِسْمِ비스밀
- Bold = the stressed syllable of the word; a little stronger.
- Overline = long vowel (madd): hold it about two beats. Length matters most in recitation.
- Tiny = no vowel in the Arabic here — just the consonant, short.
- Small Latin letter = a sound Korean lacks, on the next syllable: f upper teeth on lower lip · θ/ð tongue tip between the teeth · r rolled tongue tip (a bare ㄹ is l).
How to read the Hangul
beginning the Christ salvation
- Bold, larger (ˈ) = say it strong and a little longer — the stressed syllable.
- Faint = weak and short (a reduced vowel). Don't give every syllable equal weight.
- Tiny 으 · 트 · 스 = barely voiced. English has no vowel there — stop on the consonant.
- Whole word faint (the, of, and, to…) = light and quick in a sentence; stress the content words.
- Small f v θ ð r = sounds Korean doesn't have — f: upper teeth on the lower lip; v: the same, voiced; θ/ð: tongue tip between the teeth; r: tongue curled back, touching nothing.
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Surah
About this surah
Classed as a Meccan sura, it opens with a command to glorify the name of the Lord, the Most High, who created and proportioned, determined and guided, and who brings out green pasture only to turn it into dark stubble. The one addressed is then promised, 'We will make you recite, and you will not forget,' along with being eased toward ease, and is told to remind people when reminding benefits. Two responses follow: whoever fears God takes the reminder, while the most wretched avoids it and burns in the greatest Fire, where he neither dies nor lives. Success belongs to the one who purifies himself, remembers his Lord's name and prays. The sura observes that people prefer the life of this world although the Hereafter is better and more lasting, and closes by saying this message is also found in the scriptures of Abraham and Moses.
- Glorifying the Most High
- Recitation and memory
- Purifying the self
- This world and the Hereafter
The name It is named after the divine title 'the Most High' (al-A'la) in verse 1: 'Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High.'
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Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High,
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who created and proportioned,
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and who determined and guided,
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and who brings forth the pasture,
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and then makes it dark stubble.
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We will make you recite, and you will not forget,
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except what God wills. Indeed He knows what is declared and what is hidden.
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And We will ease you toward ease.
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So remind, if the reminder benefits.
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He who fears [God] will be reminded.
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But the most wretched one will avoid it —
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he who will burn in the greatest Fire,
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in which he will neither die nor live.
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He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself,
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and remembers the name of his Lord and prays.
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But you prefer the life of this world,
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while the Hereafter is better and more lasting.
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Indeed this is in the former scriptures,
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the scriptures of Abraham and Moses.