Al-Bayyinah البينة
The Clear Proof
Al-Bayyinah opens by describing the disbelievers among the People of the Book and the polytheists as unwilling to depart from their ways until al-bayyinah, a clear proof, came to them — identified as a messenger from God reciting purified scriptures containing correct, established laws, a proof whose arrival, the surah notes pointedly, only produced division among the very people who had earlier awaited scripture, rather than agreement. It defines true worship in compact terms: to worship God alone, sincere in devotion, establishing prayer and giving charity — this, it says, is the correct religion (din al-qayyimah). The surah then delivers one of the Quran's starkest binary closings: the disbelievers among the People of the Book and the polytheists are in the fire of Hell, the worst of creation, while those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of creation, rewarded with gardens beneath which rivers flow, God pleased with them and they with Him — a reward, the surah says, reserved for whoever feared his Lord.
لَمْ يَكُنِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّىٰ تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَةُ
Those who disbelieve among the People of the Book and the idolaters were not about to change their ways until they were sent clear evidence,
رَسُولٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ يَتْلُوا۟ صُحُفًا مُّطَهَّرَةً
a messenger from God, reading out pages [blessed with] purity,
فِيهَا كُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ
containing true scriptures.
وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَةُ
[Yet] those who were given the Scripture became divided only after they were sent [such] clear evi-dence
وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلْقَيِّمَةِ
though all they are ordered to do is worship God alone, sincerely devoting their religion to Him as people of true faith, keep up the prayer, and pay the prescribed alms, for that is the true religion.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ ٱلْبَرِيَّةِ
Those who disbelieve among the People of the Book and the idolaters will have the Fire of Hell, there to remain. They are the worst of creation.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ ٱلْبَرِيَّةِ
Those who believe and do good deeds are the best of creation.
جَزَآؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ۖ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ رَبَّهُۥ
Their reward with their Lord is everlasting Gardens graced with flowing streams, where they will stay forever. God is well pleased with them and they with Him. All this is for those who stand in awe of their Lord.
Arabic text and translation (M.A.S. Abdel Haleem) via the Quran.Foundation API.
Frequently asked
Eight verses.
Medinan, revealed in Madinah.
"The clear proof" or "the clear evidence" — referring to the messenger and purified scripture described in the surah's opening verses.
Worshipping God alone with sincere devotion, establishing prayer, and giving charity — described in verse 5 as din al-qayyimah, the correct and upright religion.