Al-Insan الإنسان
Man
Al-Insan (also known as Ad-Dahr, "Time") opens by asking whether there was a period when man was not even a mentionable thing, before describing his creation from a mixed fluid drop as a test, given hearing and sight, and shown the two ways — grateful or ungrateful — as a matter of his own choice. It describes Paradise's rewards for the righteous in unusually sensory detail: silk garments, silver vessels, a cup mixed with camphor, a spring called Salsabil, and — in verses tradition strongly links to the household of the Prophet ﷺ, particularly Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn — those who feed the poor, orphan, and captive purely for the sake of God, wanting neither reward nor thanks in return, and who are met with silk, ease, and reclining thrones as a result. It closes by returning to human agency: this is a reminder, and whoever wills may take a path to his Lord, though willing itself only happens because God wills.
هَلْ أَتَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْإِنسَـٰنِ حِينٌ مِّنَ ٱلدَّهْرِ لَمْ يَكُن شَيْـًٔا مَّذْكُورًا
Was there not a period of time when man was nothing to speak of ?
إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُ سَمِيعًۢا بَصِيرًا
We created man from a drop of mingled fluid to put him to the test; We gave him hearing and sight;
إِنَّا هَدَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلسَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا
We guided him to the right path, whether he was grateful or not.
إِنَّآ أَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ سَلَـٰسِلَا۟ وَأَغْلَـٰلًا وَسَعِيرًا
We have prepared chains, iron collars, and blazing Fire for the disbelievers, but
إِنَّ ٱلْأَبْرَارَ يَشْرَبُونَ مِن كَأْسٍ كَانَ مِزَاجُهَا كَافُورًا
the righteous will have a drink mixed with kafur,
عَيْنًا يَشْرَبُ بِهَا عِبَادُ ٱللَّهِ يُفَجِّرُونَهَا تَفْجِيرًا
a spring for God’s servants, which flows abundantly at their wish.
يُوفُونَ بِٱلنَّذْرِ وَيَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا كَانَ شَرُّهُۥ مُسْتَطِيرًا
They fulfil their vows; they fear a day of widespread woes;
وَيُطْعِمُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ مِسْكِينًا وَيَتِيمًا وَأَسِيرًا
they give food to the poor, the orphan, and the captive, though they love it themselves,
إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ ٱللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمْ جَزَآءً وَلَا شُكُورًا
saying, ‘We feed you for the sake of God alone: We seek neither recompense nor thanks from you.
إِنَّا نَخَافُ مِن رَّبِّنَا يَوْمًا عَبُوسًا قَمْطَرِيرًا
We fear the Day of our Lord––a woefully grim Day.’
فَوَقَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ شَرَّ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ وَلَقَّىٰهُمْ نَضْرَةً وَسُرُورًا
So God will save them from the woes of that Day, give them radiance and gladness,
وَجَزَىٰهُم بِمَا صَبَرُوا۟ جَنَّةً وَحَرِيرًا
and reward them, for their steadfastness, with a Garden and silken robes.
مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ فِيهَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ ۖ لَا يَرَوْنَ فِيهَا شَمْسًا وَلَا زَمْهَرِيرًا
They will sit on couches, feeling neither scorching heat nor biting cold,
وَدَانِيَةً عَلَيْهِمْ ظِلَـٰلُهَا وَذُلِّلَتْ قُطُوفُهَا تَذْلِيلًا
with shady [branches] spread above them and clusters of fruit hanging close at hand.
وَيُطَافُ عَلَيْهِم بِـَٔانِيَةٍ مِّن فِضَّةٍ وَأَكْوَابٍ كَانَتْ قَوَارِيرَا۠
They will be served with silver plates
قَوَارِيرَا۟ مِن فِضَّةٍ قَدَّرُوهَا تَقْدِيرًا
and gleaming silver goblets according to their fancy,
وَيُسْقَوْنَ فِيهَا كَأْسًا كَانَ مِزَاجُهَا زَنجَبِيلًا
and they will be given a drink infused with ginger
عَيْنًا فِيهَا تُسَمَّىٰ سَلْسَبِيلًا
from a spring called Salsabil.
۞ وَيَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَٰنٌ مُّخَلَّدُونَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَهُمْ حَسِبْتَهُمْ لُؤْلُؤًا مَّنثُورًا
Everlasting youths will attend them––if you could see them, you would think they were scattered pearls––
وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ ثَمَّ رَأَيْتَ نَعِيمًا وَمُلْكًا كَبِيرًا
and if you were to look around, you would see bliss and great wealth:
عَـٰلِيَهُمْ ثِيَابُ سُندُسٍ خُضْرٌ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٌ ۖ وَحُلُّوٓا۟ أَسَاوِرَ مِن فِضَّةٍ وَسَقَىٰهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ شَرَابًا طَهُورًا
they will wear garments of green silk and brocade; they will be adorned with silver bracelets; their Lord will give them a pure drink.
إِنَّ هَـٰذَا كَانَ لَكُمْ جَزَآءً وَكَانَ سَعْيُكُم مَّشْكُورًا
[It will be said], ‘This is your reward. Your endeavours are appreciated.’
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ تَنزِيلًا
We Ourself have sent down this Quran to you [Prophet] in gradual revelation.
فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تُطِعْ مِنْهُمْ ءَاثِمًا أَوْ كَفُورًا
Await your Lord’s Judgement with patience; do not yield to any of these sinners or disbelievers;
وَٱذْكُرِ ٱسْمَ رَبِّكَ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا
remember the name of your Lord at dawn and in the evening;
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَٱسْجُدْ لَهُۥ وَسَبِّحْهُ لَيْلًا طَوِيلًا
bow down before Him, and glorify Him at length by night.
إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ يُحِبُّونَ ٱلْعَاجِلَةَ وَيَذَرُونَ وَرَآءَهُمْ يَوْمًا ثَقِيلًا
These people love the fleeting life. They put aside [all thoughts of] a Heavy Day.
نَّحْنُ خَلَقْنَـٰهُمْ وَشَدَدْنَآ أَسْرَهُمْ ۖ وَإِذَا شِئْنَا بَدَّلْنَآ أَمْثَـٰلَهُمْ تَبْدِيلًا
Yet We created them; We strengthened their constitution; if We please, We can replace such people completely.
إِنَّ هَـٰذِهِۦ تَذْكِرَةٌ ۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ سَبِيلًا
This is a reminder. Let whoever wishes, take the way to his Lord.
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
But you will only wish to do so if God wills- God is all knowing, all wise-
يُدْخِلُ مَن يَشَآءُ فِى رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ وَٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ أَعَدَّ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًۢا
He admits whoever He will into His Mercy and has prepared a painful torment for the disbelievers.
Arabic text and translation (M.A.S. Abdel Haleem) via the Quran.Foundation API.
Frequently asked
Thirty-one verses.
Medinan, revealed in Madinah — one of the few Medinan surahs in this stretch of predominantly Meccan chapters.
Ad-Dahr, "Time" — from the word used in its opening verse asking whether there was a period (dahr) when man was not yet a mentionable thing.
Verses 8–9 are widely linked by commentators to the household of the Prophet ﷺ — Ali, Fatimah, and their sons Hasan and Husayn — who fed a poor person, an orphan, and a captive over three days while fasting themselves.