Surah Al-Insan (الانسان) is a Medinan surah of the Quran with 31 verses. Read, listen and memorize this surah with our interactive tools.
Updated on 07 March 2026 at 4:16 PM
📖 2 min readThis is a description of a good life and a blessing that appears on their faces and a happy life. And to the inner bliss, He says: {and joy} meaning always in their hearts, in response to their fear in the world and the frowning of the disbelievers in the Hereafter and their shame - and this indicates that the description of the day as frowning is to emphasize the frowning of its people. And He referred to their dwelling by saying: {And We will reward them for what they patiently endured} meaning because of the patience they exhibited in worship, in adhering to obedience and avoiding disobedience, and in restraining their souls and giving up their beloved things. {A garden} meaning a collective garden from which they eat what they desire, as a reward for what they used to feed. And when He mentioned what covers the inner self, He mentioned what covers the outer self, saying: {and silk} meaning it is of the utmost greatness. And when He mentioned that He sufficed them from what is feared and gifted them the Garden, He followed it with their state in it and its state, saying, indicating their permanent rest: {reclining in it} meaning because everything they wanted was presented to them without any need for movement at all. And He indicated the kingdom by saying: {on thrones} meaning the high couches that are in the chambers, for there can be no couch without the presence of a chamber. And some said: It is the upholstered bed in a dome with its curtains and its furnishings, and it refers to the wives, for the custom is that couches are not devoid of them, but rather they are for them, for the enjoyment of the husbands with them in it. And since the houses of the world and its gardens require moving from them
And since ginger is, in our case, a tree that requires processing for consumption, it is clear that there is a spring where the water does not need ginger to be transformed, but rather the earth transforms it through fermentation, until it becomes a tree, changing from the taste of water to the taste of ginger, thus defying the norms.
Due to their aversion to it, the reason for this revelation and that misguidance is His statement, warning of the diseases of the hearts and guiding to their remedies: {So be patient for the judgment of your Lord}, meaning the One who has done good to you by granting you this blessing, in contrast to the misguidance of those whom He has judged to be misguided, and in contrast to all that befalls you, and obey Him in worship with all that He has commanded you, from gentleness until He commands you with the sword. And seek help in the patience by recalling that the Benevolent Educator educates with what He wills, whether bitter or sweet, according to His knowledge and wisdom. And patience is the restraint of the soul and its control in resisting desires, so that it does not succumb to anything from the repugnant pleasures. And when He commanded him to be patient, and the command implied the existence of an opponent, and the opponents to him, peace be upon him, were the group opposed to the thankful, and they were the disbelievers, and what they called him to was sometimes absolute sin, and other times disbelief, and sometimes other than that, He mentioned the consequence, forbidding the first two categories, so that it may be known that what is not mentioned has no prohibition, so He said: {And do not obey them}, meaning the disbelievers who are opposed to the thankful, {a sinner}, meaning one who calls to sin, whether it is pure or accompanied by disbelief, {or a disbeliever}, meaning one who exceeds in disbelief and calls to it, even if he is great and mighty in this world, for the truth is greater than every great thing.
What a preparation He has made with His greatness, which will neither increase nor decrease forever {a painful punishment}. The verse is an example of antithesis: mentioning entry into Paradise and mercy first, indicating the opposite second, and punishment second, indicating reward first. The reason for this is that what He mentioned first is more likely to encourage people of justice to strive for it, even if their circumstances are bad in this world, and to warn people of injustice against it, even if their circumstances are good in this world. For this detailed explanation ultimately returns to the concept of happiness and misery, which was previously mentioned, indicating that humans are cared for to the utmost degree, and that they were only created for trial. Therefore, a person is either a disbeliever who is subject to God's wrath or a grateful believer who is looked upon with approval - so glorified is the One who created us, gives us death, and gives us life by His power, and God is the Guide.
Read the full surah text
هَلْ أَتَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْإِنسَـٰنِ حِينٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلدَّهْرِ لَمْ يَكُن شَيْـًۭٔا مَّذْكُورًا ﴿١﴾
Has there [not] come upon man a period of time when he was not a thing [even] mentioned?
إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍۢ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُ سَمِيعًۢا بَصِيرًا ﴿٢﴾
Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture that We may try him; and We made him hearing and seeing.
إِنَّا هَدَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلسَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًۭا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا ﴿٣﴾
Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful.
إِنَّآ أَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ سَلَـٰسِلَا۟ وَأَغْلَـٰلًۭا وَسَعِيرًا ﴿٤﴾
Indeed, We have prepared for the disbelievers chains and shackles and a blaze.
إِنَّ ٱلْأَبْرَارَ يَشْرَبُونَ مِن كَأْسٍۢ كَانَ مِزَاجُهَا كَافُورًا ﴿٥﴾
Indeed, the righteous will drink from a cup [of wine] whose mixture is of Kafur,
عَيْنًۭا يَشْرَبُ بِهَا عِبَادُ ٱللَّهِ يُفَجِّرُونَهَا تَفْجِيرًۭا ﴿٦﴾
A spring of which the [righteous] servants of Allah will drink; they will make it gush forth in force [and abundance].
يُوفُونَ بِٱلنَّذْرِ وَيَخَافُونَ يَوْمًۭا كَانَ شَرُّهُۥ مُسْتَطِيرًۭا ﴿٧﴾
They [are those who] fulfill [their] vows and fear a Day whose evil will be widespread.
وَيُطْعِمُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ مِسْكِينًۭا وَيَتِيمًۭا وَأَسِيرًا ﴿٨﴾
And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive,
إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ ٱللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمْ جَزَآءًۭ وَلَا شُكُورًا ﴿٩﴾
[Saying], "We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.
إِنَّا نَخَافُ مِن رَّبِّنَا يَوْمًا عَبُوسًۭا قَمْطَرِيرًۭا ﴿١٠﴾
Indeed, We fear from our Lord a Day austere and distressful."
فَوَقَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ شَرَّ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ وَلَقَّىٰهُمْ نَضْرَةًۭ وَسُرُورًۭا ﴿١١﴾
So Allah will protect them from the evil of that Day and give them radiance and happiness
وَجَزَىٰهُم بِمَا صَبَرُوا۟ جَنَّةًۭ وَحَرِيرًۭا ﴿١٢﴾
And will reward them for what they patiently endured [with] a garden [in Paradise] and silk [garments].
مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ فِيهَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ ۖ لَا يَرَوْنَ فِيهَا شَمْسًۭا وَلَا زَمْهَرِيرًۭا ﴿١٣﴾
[They will be] reclining therein on adorned couches. They will not see therein any [burning] sun or [freezing] cold.
وَدَانِيَةً عَلَيْهِمْ ظِلَـٰلُهَا وَذُلِّلَتْ قُطُوفُهَا تَذْلِيلًۭا ﴿١٤﴾
And near above them are its shades, and its [fruit] to be picked will be lowered in compliance.
وَيُطَافُ عَلَيْهِم بِـَٔانِيَةٍۢ مِّن فِضَّةٍۢ وَأَكْوَابٍۢ كَانَتْ قَوَارِيرَا۠ ﴿١٥﴾
And there will be circulated among them vessels of silver and cups having been [created] clear [as glass],
قَوَارِيرَا۟ مِن فِضَّةٍۢ قَدَّرُوهَا تَقْدِيرًۭا ﴿١٦﴾
Clear glasses [made] from silver of which they have determined the measure.
وَيُسْقَوْنَ فِيهَا كَأْسًۭا كَانَ مِزَاجُهَا زَنجَبِيلًا ﴿١٧﴾
And they will be given to drink a cup [of wine] whose mixture is of ginger
عَيْنًۭا فِيهَا تُسَمَّىٰ سَلْسَبِيلًۭا ﴿١٨﴾
[From] a fountain within Paradise named Salsabeel.
۞ وَيَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَٰنٌۭ مُّخَلَّدُونَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَهُمْ حَسِبْتَهُمْ لُؤْلُؤًۭا مَّنثُورًۭا ﴿١٩﴾
There will circulate among them young boys made eternal. When you see them, you would think them [as beautiful as] scattered pearls.
وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ ثَمَّ رَأَيْتَ نَعِيمًۭا وَمُلْكًۭا كَبِيرًا ﴿٢٠﴾
And when you look there [in Paradise], you will see pleasure and great dominion.
عَـٰلِيَهُمْ ثِيَابُ سُندُسٍ خُضْرٌۭ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٌۭ ۖ وَحُلُّوٓا۟ أَسَاوِرَ مِن فِضَّةٍۢ وَسَقَىٰهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ شَرَابًۭا طَهُورًا ﴿٢١﴾
Upon the inhabitants will be green garments of fine silk and brocade. And they will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will give them a purifying drink.
إِنَّ هَـٰذَا كَانَ لَكُمْ جَزَآءًۭ وَكَانَ سَعْيُكُم مَّشْكُورًا ﴿٢٢﴾
[And it will be said], "Indeed, this is for you a reward, and your effort has been appreciated."
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ تَنزِيلًۭا ﴿٢٣﴾
Indeed, it is We who have sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Qur'an progressively.
فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تُطِعْ مِنْهُمْ ءَاثِمًا أَوْ كَفُورًۭا ﴿٢٤﴾
So be patient for the decision of your Lord and do not obey from among them a sinner or ungrateful [disbeliever].
وَٱذْكُرِ ٱسْمَ رَبِّكَ بُكْرَةًۭ وَأَصِيلًۭا ﴿٢٥﴾
And mention the name of your Lord [in prayer] morning and evening
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَٱسْجُدْ لَهُۥ وَسَبِّحْهُ لَيْلًۭا طَوِيلًا ﴿٢٦﴾
And during the night prostrate to Him and exalt Him a long [part of the] night.
إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ يُحِبُّونَ ٱلْعَاجِلَةَ وَيَذَرُونَ وَرَآءَهُمْ يَوْمًۭا ثَقِيلًۭا ﴿٢٧﴾
Indeed, these [disbelievers] love the immediate and leave behind them a grave Day.
نَّحْنُ خَلَقْنَـٰهُمْ وَشَدَدْنَآ أَسْرَهُمْ ۖ وَإِذَا شِئْنَا بَدَّلْنَآ أَمْثَـٰلَهُمْ تَبْدِيلًا ﴿٢٨﴾
We have created them and strengthened their forms, and when We will, We can change their likenesses with [complete] alteration.
إِنَّ هَـٰذِهِۦ تَذْكِرَةٌۭ ۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ سَبِيلًۭا ﴿٢٩﴾
Indeed, this is a reminder, so he who wills may take to his Lord a way.
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًۭا ﴿٣٠﴾
And you do not will except that Allah wills. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.
يُدْخِلُ مَن يَشَآءُ فِى رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ وَٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ أَعَدَّ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًۢا ﴿٣١﴾
He admits whom He wills into His mercy; but the wrongdoers - He has prepared for them a painful punishment.