Surah As-Saff (الصف) is a Medinan surah of the Quran with 14 verses. Read, listen and memorize this surah with our interactive tools.
Updated on 07 March 2026 at 4:16 PM
📖 2 min readWhoever is described with their characteristics, He says: {ممن افترى}, meaning intentionally {على الله}, the Supreme King, {الكذب}, which is the ugliest of things. And {وهو}, while being in a state where {يدعى} to Islam, which is the best of things, for the call to it is sufficient with the slightest notification, as it is an acknowledgment of the truth for one who is worthy of it. Thus, He replaces the response with the fabrication of lies in that good situation. Since the estimation is that He does not guide him due to his injustice, He explains, saying: {والله}, who has complete authority, so no one has authority with Him, {لا يهدي القوم}, meaning He does not create guidance in the hearts of those who have the strength to attempt difficult matters, {الظالمين}, those who stumble in their minds like one in darkness. Having informed about their rejection of the message, He explains it by saying: {يريدون}, meaning they impose their intention to reject the message through their fabrication, {ليطفئوا}, in order to extinguish {نور الله}, the King who has no equal, {بأفواههم}, with what they say from lies that have no origin other than their mouths, as there is no belief in their hearts, for no rational being can imagine it. They are like those who blow on the sun, intending to erase it with their blowing and diminish its beauty, so their intention to hide the Quran with their lies and all their schemes is like that.
Faith, if you wish to be saved, be deeply rooted in the description of faith, genuinely firm in your resolve, and perpetually strive in jihad, as an indication of this, for jihad, due to its inherent danger, hardship, and harm, is the greatest evidence of the sincerity of faith. This is supported by the context of the story of Hatib, may Allah be pleased with him, which is understood on the surface as a lack of firmness in faith and the desire to engage in jihad, which is an indicator of sincerity in faith. Therefore, Omar, may Allah be pleased with him, said what he said - and Allah is the Guide. Since the combination of one's soul and its equivalent, wealth, in a state of contentment and desire, is a greater indication of the soundness of faith, He said: {with your wealth}. He gave precedence to wealth due to its importance at that time and because it is the sustainer of souls and bodies. Thus, whoever spends all their wealth will not withhold themselves, for wealth is the sustainer of the soul. And since He gave precedence to the sustainer, He then mentioned what sustains it, saying: {and your souls}. And since He commanded this in the form of a statement, out of concern for it and to emphasize its importance, He indicated its greatness by praising it before mentioning its reward, saying: {that} - meaning the great matter of faith and its confirmation through jihad - {is better for you}, meaning specifically what you desire from the polytheists' advice. {If you know}, meaning if you have beneficial knowledge. {know}, meaning if it is possible for knowledge to be renewed for you at any time, then you know that this is better for you. So, if you know, then accept it, and it will be a matter for you.
The types of resorts and the loftiness of the buildings and the family, along with the ease of access to them and the beauty of the views, and the ease of the flow of air with the openness of the buildings, and the pleasantness of the rooms. The flowing water beneath them did not spoil anything of their fragrance or their moderation in anything that is desired from them. And since they are only desirable for permanent residence, He indicated their suitability for that by saying: {in gardens of Eden}, meaning gardens that are suitable for residence, where nothing outside is needed to improve them, and there is no end to that residence. Hamza al-Kirmani said in his book 'Jawami' at-Tafsir': They are the capital of the Gardens and the city of Paradise, the closest to the Throne. And since this is a noble matter that does not exist in anything else, He said: {that}, meaning the great matter, alone, {is the great success}. And since He mentioned what He bestowed upon them in the Hereafter, because it is more important due to its permanence, the estimation is based on what the conjunction indicates: this is for you, a conjunction to what He has given them in this world, so He said: {and another}, meaning and you have another blessing, or you are given, or you are increased with another blessing. And since man is more beloved in the immediate term and more joyful with what is forthcoming, He said: {you will love it}, meaning a great and renewed love.
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سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ﴿١﴾
Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth exalts Allah, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٢﴾
O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?
كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٣﴾
Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ صَفًّۭا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَـٰنٌۭ مَّرْصُوصٌۭ ﴿٤﴾
Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ يَـٰقَوْمِ لِمَ تُؤْذُونَنِى وَقَد تَّعْلَمُونَ أَنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا زَاغُوٓا۟ أَزَاغَ ٱللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ ﴿٥﴾
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Moses said to his people, "O my people, why do you harm me while you certainly know that I am the messenger of Allah to you?" And when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.
وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُم مُّصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ مِنَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَمُبَشِّرًۢا بِرَسُولٍۢ يَأْتِى مِنۢ بَعْدِى ٱسْمُهُۥٓ أَحْمَدُ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ قَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَا سِحْرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ ﴿٦﴾
And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad." But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, "This is obvious magic."
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ وَهُوَ يُدْعَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿٧﴾
And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allah untruth while he is being invited to Islam. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِـُٔوا۟ نُورَ ٱللَّهِ بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَٱللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ ﴿٨﴾
They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُۥ بِٱلْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ كُلِّهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٩﴾
It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although those who associate others with Allah dislike it.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ تِجَـٰرَةٍۢ تُنجِيكُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ ﴿١٠﴾
O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment?
تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَتُجَـٰهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِأَمْوَٰلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١١﴾
[It is that] you believe in Allah and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you should know.
يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَيُدْخِلْكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ وَمَسَـٰكِنَ طَيِّبَةًۭ فِى جَنَّـٰتِ عَدْنٍۢ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ﴿١٢﴾
He will forgive for you your sins and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence. That is the great attainment.
وَأُخْرَىٰ تُحِبُّونَهَا ۖ نَصْرٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَفَتْحٌۭ قَرِيبٌۭ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿١٣﴾
And [you will obtain] another [favor] that you love - victory from Allah and an imminent conquest; and give good tidings to the believers.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوٓا۟ أَنصَارَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّـۧنَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَـَٔامَنَت طَّآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَكَفَرَت طَّآئِفَةٌۭ ۖ فَأَيَّدْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ ظَـٰهِرِينَ ﴿١٤﴾
O you who have believed, be supporters of Allah, as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples, "Who are my supporters for Allah?" The disciples said, "We are supporters of Allah." And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved. So We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominant.