Al-'Alaq 96
The Clinging ClotHow 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 the command 'Read in the name of your Lord who created,' and describes God as the One who created man from a clinging clot, the Most Generous who taught by the pen and taught man what he did not know. The tone then shifts: man transgresses because he sees himself as self-sufficient, yet the return is to the Lord. The second half asks about a person who forbids a servant from praying. Does he not know that God sees? If he does not stop, he will be dragged by his lying, sinful forelock; let him call his council, and God will call the guards of Hell. The final verse instructs the listener not to obey such a person, but to prostrate and draw near to God.
- The command to read
- Teaching by the pen
- Human arrogance
- Hindering prayer
- Prostration and nearness
The name It is named after 'the clinging clot' (al-'Alaq) in verse 2, from which man is said to be created.
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1
Read in the name of your Lord who created —
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2
created man from a clinging clot.
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3
Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous,
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who taught by the pen,
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taught man what he did not know.
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No! Indeed man transgresses,
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because he sees himself self-sufficient.
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Indeed to your Lord is the return.
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Have you seen the one who forbids
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a servant when he prays?
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Have you considered if he is upon guidance,
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or enjoins mindfulness of God?
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Have you considered if he denies and turns away?
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Does he not know that God sees?
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No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock —
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a lying, sinful forelock.
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Then let him call his council;
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We will call the guards of Hell.
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No! Do not obey him. But prostrate and draw near [to God].