Surah Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) is a Medinan surah of the Quran with 78 verses. Read, listen and memorize this surah with our interactive tools.
Updated on 07 March 2026 at 4:16 PM
📖 4 min readRepeats 31 times 'Which then of the favors of your Lord will you deny?'
All power and capability come after being notified of the distinction between these mentioned things, although the origin of all is water, as He says: {ذو العصف}, meaning the leaves and herbs which, when the weight of the grain is removed from them, are among those that the winds blow and scatter, and this is the hay that is food for the animals. And since the term الريحان (ar-Riyāḥān) is used to refer to every fragrant plant in particular, and to every plant in general, He follows it with it to make it inclusive and specific to all the mentioned plants and others, in a way that reminds us of His blessings with the food for the spirits, after mentioning the food for the bodies. So, He says: {والريحان}. And since whoever disbelieves in Him, denying or rejecting any of His attributes or lying about any of His messengers, has in fact denied His blessings or some of them, it is inevitable that they would deny all blessings, because the messengers invite to Allah by reminding us of His blessings. The preceding part of this surah, up to this point, consisted of twelve verses, corresponding to the number of the Kufi and the Shami, which is the number of the roots of His blessings, may He be exalted, in a way that clearly indicates that He possesses all perfection. This number is the first excess number, indicating the increase of blessings, as the halves, thirds, quarters, and sixths of the surah exceed the original. Previously, the mention of the two heavy burdens, the jinn and mankind, was made in His saying {الأنام}. Allah says, indicating that they are the ones intended by the admonition, rejecting and rebuking those who deny any of His blessings or say something or do something that implies the denial of some of them, and explaining the reason for the enumeration of these increasing blessings, which it is not permissible to deny, nor to deny any part of them, and thus it is necessary to be grateful for them: {فبأي آلاء}, meaning what blessings and gifts {ربكما}, meaning the One who has been gracious to you both with the distinctions that He has bestowed upon you
And since the meeting of the two bodies, especially with the constant disturbance, results in the mixing of their characteristics, the soul yearns for a barrier to prevent such mixing in the two seas. He says, starting anew: {between them is a barrier}, meaning a great obstacle of divine power that prevents them, despite their meeting, from mixing. Ibn Barjan said: The barrier is what is not explicitly this nor explicitly that. For example, between the plain and the mountain, there is a barrier called a hill; between night and day, there is a barrier called twilight. Similarly, between this world and the hereafter, there is a barrier that is neither from this world nor from the hereafter, nor is it outside of them. The two springs are also barriers between winter and summer, like the twilight of dawn and dusk. A barrier is placed between every two types of existents, which is neither from this nor from that, yet is related to them, such as the inanimate, plant, and animal. And since the result of this is such, He says: {they do not transgress}, meaning they do not exceed their limits and cause the destruction of people, as they did in the past, causing the destruction of those on earth during the time of Noah, peace be upon him, {
They were preoccupied with commands and prohibitions, and most of them would die without avenging their own blood. Wisdom necessitates that there must be a day when they gather and the matter is settled between them on the scale of justice. He specifically mentioned them, saying, coming to the end with a warning, for there is nothing left for the disobedient after blessings and clarification except severe threats to return to the obedience of the King, the Judge. The recitation of the group with the 'nun' is more severe in warning than the recitation of Hamzah and Al-Kisa'i with the 'ta' in the same sequence as what has passed: {سنفرغ} meaning, we will soon be free from all the affairs that have been mentioned {لكم} meaning, we will make it known who will be free for the thing, and none other than it will be their occupation, as our army of angels and others, whom we have commanded to do what our word has preceded and our decree has passed, will be free from the appointed times, provisions, and other things, and all of this will come to an end, and they will have no work except to gather you to judge between you: {أيّه الثقلان} by the two weighty things, and the weighty thing is what gives its owner strength, so it is as if they were named as such to symbolize them, indicating that they are the intended ones among creation, and Ar-Razi said in Al-Lawami': describing them as such to magnify their importance, as if everything else has no weight in comparison to them. This is as the Prophet, may God's peace be upon him, said: 'I am leaving among you the two weighty things: the Book of God and my family,' and Ja'far As-Sadiq said: they were named as such because they are burdened with sins.
Just as they used to gather what God commanded to be dispersed, and disperse what God commanded to be gathered, they would be dragged with a dragging from every drag that God established for that purpose, unable to refrain in any way, and thus they would be thrown into the Fire. And since this was a blessing that could not be acknowledged with gratitude by everyone who heard it, because each person would deny the crime and desire great vengeance for the criminals, the reason for this is stated in His words: {fabiyyi 'alaa'i rabbikuma} - that is, the great blessings from the One who managed your affairs after creating you - {tukadhdhiban} - either the blessing of the sun from the east or something else that must be done in terms of reward in the Hereafter for each person according to their deeds in the world, or other favors. And since their taking in this manner was a sign that they would be put to great shame, He explicitly stated it in His words, following the context that led to something like: a taking that is said when they arrive at the place of punishment in the state mentioned of taking them by their forelocks and feet, {hathihi} - that is, the great, foul-looking pit 'which is close to you', clinging to the proximity to you {jahannamu allati yakdhibu}
And when He had made known what would befall the presumptuous criminal, and had brought him forward to that which the station of pride necessitated in terms of intimidation, and made him seven, as an indication of the seven gates of the Fire, He then turned in mercy to the one who fears, whose fear had led him to obedience, and made him eight, corresponding to the eight gates of Paradise. Thus, He said: {ولمن}, meaning, and for every one who, with the pronoun being singular out of respect for the term {من}, which indicates the scarcity of those who fear. And since mentioning fear in the context of the time appointed for reckoning and planning, and the place prepared for them, is more eloquent than mentioning fear in the context of the King who reckons and plans, and fear, when accompanied by the description of honor, is more eloquent than fear when mentioned alone.
The extraordinary and perfect blessings from the King, the Lord, the Nourisher, with the wonders of nurturing, {tekadzan*} - is it a blessing of touch from the left side or something else that He made an example for what was mentioned of describing them with the likeness of one thing to two, to the extent that nothing can compare to it in beauty. It is as if it was said: white in its purity, yellow in its brightness, like silver mixed with gold. God, the Exalted, made transparent things an example for this, and you see some bodies where the face is almost visible, especially in the blackness of the eye, where the face is most visible, for blackness is the source of darkness. Since the most pleasant thing that a human experiences from blessings is what results from it, He said, moving them with that, along with the pleasure of praise, especially since the one praising is the Highest King, glorifying Him with the questioning that leads to affirmation after negation, indicating exclusivity in a way of strong denial to those who imagine otherwise: {Is the reward of goodness} - that is, the action that exists from humans or jinn or others - {anything but goodness*} - that is, in reward. This is one of the places where knowledge and meaning are repeated, and it is narrated by Al-Baghawi, with his chain of narration, from Anas, may God be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'Do you know what your Lord said?' They said: 'God and His Messenger know best.' He said: 'He says: Is the reward of one whom I blessed with monotheism anything but Paradise?' - and that is the reward for the goodness of the servant in action, in response to the goodness of his Lord to him with nurturing {So which of the favors of your Lord*}
And when he mentioned what indicates their abundance, he clarified it by saying: {فيهما}, meaning in each garden for each of them, {عينان نضاختان}, meaning two springs that gush forth intensely, necessitating a continuous flow of water, such that it does not cease. He did not mention their flow, as if they irrigate their garden without reaching the point of overflowing. The gushing is less than flowing and more than it. Al-Asbahani said: The origin of gushing is with the mu'jamah - ended. And it is as if they are for one whose eyes are filled with tears, so they are filled without flowing. Ibn Barjan said, in essence, that the reason for their not flowing is because they are like a spring garden in autumn here and winter there, due to the distance of their appointment with the descent of water and their stillness in the depths of the earth.
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ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ﴿١﴾
The Most Merciful
عَلَّمَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ ﴿٢﴾
Taught the Qur'an,
خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ ﴿٣﴾
Created man,
عَلَّمَهُ ٱلْبَيَانَ ﴿٤﴾
[And] taught him eloquence.
ٱلشَّمْسُ وَٱلْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍۢ ﴿٥﴾
The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation,
وَٱلنَّجْمُ وَٱلشَّجَرُ يَسْجُدَانِ ﴿٦﴾
And the stars and trees prostrate.
وَٱلسَّمَآءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ ٱلْمِيزَانَ ﴿٧﴾
And the heaven He raised and imposed the balance
أَلَّا تَطْغَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْمِيزَانِ ﴿٨﴾
That you not transgress within the balance.
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلْوَزْنَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا۟ ٱلْمِيزَانَ ﴿٩﴾
And establish weight in justice and do not make deficient the balance.
وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَضَعَهَا لِلْأَنَامِ ﴿١٠﴾
And the earth He laid [out] for the creatures.
فِيهَا فَـٰكِهَةٌۭ وَٱلنَّخْلُ ذَاتُ ٱلْأَكْمَامِ ﴿١١﴾
Therein is fruit and palm trees having sheaths [of dates]
وَٱلْحَبُّ ذُو ٱلْعَصْفِ وَٱلرَّيْحَانُ ﴿١٢﴾
And grain having husks and scented plants.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿١٣﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن صَلْصَـٰلٍۢ كَٱلْفَخَّارِ ﴿١٤﴾
He created man from clay like [that of] pottery.
وَخَلَقَ ٱلْجَآنَّ مِن مَّارِجٍۢ مِّن نَّارٍۢ ﴿١٥﴾
And He created the jinn from a smokeless flame of fire.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿١٦﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
رَبُّ ٱلْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ ٱلْمَغْرِبَيْنِ ﴿١٧﴾
[He is] Lord of the two sunrises and Lord of the two sunsets.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿١٨﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
مَرَجَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ ﴿١٩﴾
He released the two seas, meeting [side by side];
بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخٌۭ لَّا يَبْغِيَانِ ﴿٢٠﴾
Between them is a barrier [so] neither of them transgresses.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٢١﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا ٱللُّؤْلُؤُ وَٱلْمَرْجَانُ ﴿٢٢﴾
From both of them emerge pearl and coral.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٢٣﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
وَلَهُ ٱلْجَوَارِ ٱلْمُنشَـَٔاتُ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ كَٱلْأَعْلَـٰمِ ﴿٢٤﴾
And to Him belong the ships [with sails] elevated in the sea like mountains.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٢٥﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍۢ ﴿٢٦﴾
Everyone upon the earth will perish,
وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ ﴿٢٧﴾
And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٢٨﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
يَسْـَٔلُهُۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِى شَأْنٍۢ ﴿٢٩﴾
Whoever is within the heavens and earth asks Him; every day He is bringing about a matter.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٣٠﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
سَنَفْرُغُ لَكُمْ أَيُّهَ ٱلثَّقَلَانِ ﴿٣١﴾
We will attend to you, O prominent beings.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٣٢﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
يَـٰمَعْشَرَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ إِنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا۟ مِنْ أَقْطَارِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنفُذُوا۟ ۚ لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَـٰنٍۢ ﴿٣٣﴾
O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allah].
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٣٤﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
يُرْسَلُ عَلَيْكُمَا شُوَاظٌۭ مِّن نَّارٍۢ وَنُحَاسٌۭ فَلَا تَنتَصِرَانِ ﴿٣٥﴾
There will be sent upon you a flame of fire and smoke, and you will not defend yourselves.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٣٦﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فَإِذَا ٱنشَقَّتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ وَرْدَةًۭ كَٱلدِّهَانِ ﴿٣٧﴾
And when the heaven is split open and becomes rose-colored like oil -
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٣٨﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
فَيَوْمَئِذٍۢ لَّا يُسْـَٔلُ عَن ذَنۢبِهِۦٓ إِنسٌۭ وَلَا جَآنٌّۭ ﴿٣٩﴾
Then on that Day none will be asked about his sin among men or jinn.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٤٠﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
يُعْرَفُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ بِسِيمَـٰهُمْ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِٱلنَّوَٰصِى وَٱلْأَقْدَامِ ﴿٤١﴾
The criminals will be known by their marks, and they will be seized by the forelocks and the feet.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٤٢﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
هَـٰذِهِۦ جَهَنَّمُ ٱلَّتِى يُكَذِّبُ بِهَا ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾
This is Hell, which the criminals deny.
يَطُوفُونَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ حَمِيمٍ ءَانٍۢ ﴿٤٤﴾
They will go around between it and scalding water, heated [to the utmost degree].
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٤٥﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ جَنَّتَانِ ﴿٤٦﴾
But for he who has feared the position of his Lord are two gardens -
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٤٧﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
ذَوَاتَآ أَفْنَانٍۢ ﴿٤٨﴾
Having [spreading] branches.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٤٩﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فِيهِمَا عَيْنَانِ تَجْرِيَانِ ﴿٥٠﴾
In both of them are two springs, flowing.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٥١﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فِيهِمَا مِن كُلِّ فَـٰكِهَةٍۢ زَوْجَانِ ﴿٥٢﴾
In both of them are of every fruit, two kinds.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٥٣﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
مُتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَىٰ فُرُشٍۭ بَطَآئِنُهَا مِنْ إِسْتَبْرَقٍۢ ۚ وَجَنَى ٱلْجَنَّتَيْنِ دَانٍۢ ﴿٥٤﴾
[They are] reclining on beds whose linings are of silk brocade, and the fruit of the two gardens is hanging low.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٥٥﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فِيهِنَّ قَـٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرْفِ لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنسٌۭ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلَا جَآنٌّۭ ﴿٥٦﴾
In them are women limiting [their] glances, untouched before them by man or jinni -
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٥٧﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
كَأَنَّهُنَّ ٱلْيَاقُوتُ وَٱلْمَرْجَانُ ﴿٥٨﴾
As if they were rubies and coral.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٥٩﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
هَلْ جَزَآءُ ٱلْإِحْسَـٰنِ إِلَّا ٱلْإِحْسَـٰنُ ﴿٦٠﴾
Is the reward for good [anything] but good?
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٦١﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
وَمِن دُونِهِمَا جَنَّتَانِ ﴿٦٢﴾
And below them both [in excellence] are two [other] gardens -
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٦٣﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
مُدْهَآمَّتَانِ ﴿٦٤﴾
Dark green [in color].
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٦٥﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فِيهِمَا عَيْنَانِ نَضَّاخَتَانِ ﴿٦٦﴾
In both of them are two springs, spouting.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٦٧﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فِيهِمَا فَـٰكِهَةٌۭ وَنَخْلٌۭ وَرُمَّانٌۭ ﴿٦٨﴾
In both of them are fruit and palm trees and pomegranates.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٦٩﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فِيهِنَّ خَيْرَٰتٌ حِسَانٌۭ ﴿٧٠﴾
In them are good and beautiful women -
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٧١﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
حُورٌۭ مَّقْصُورَٰتٌۭ فِى ٱلْخِيَامِ ﴿٧٢﴾
Fair ones reserved in pavilions -
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٧٣﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنسٌۭ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلَا جَآنٌّۭ ﴿٧٤﴾
Untouched before them by man or jinni -
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٧٥﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? -
مُتَّكِـِٔينَ عَلَىٰ رَفْرَفٍ خُضْرٍۢ وَعَبْقَرِىٍّ حِسَانٍۢ ﴿٧٦﴾
Reclining on green cushions and beautiful fine carpets.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٧٧﴾
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِى ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ ﴿٧٨﴾
Blessed is the name of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.