Surah 87 · Meccan · 19 Verses
الأعلى
SURAH AL-A'LA
The Most High
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
سَبِّحِ ٱسْمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلْأَعْلَى
Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High,
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ
Who created and proportioned
وَٱلَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ
And who destined and [then] guided
وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَخْرَجَ ٱلْمَرْعَىٰ
And who brings out the pasture
فَجَعَلَهُۥ غُثَآءً أَحْوَىٰ
And [then] makes it black stubble.
سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَىٰٓ
We will make you recite, [O Muḥammad], and you will not forget,
إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ
Except what Allāh should will. Indeed, He knows what is declared and what is hidden.
سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰ
He who fears [Allāh] will be reminded.
وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَشْقَى
But the wretched one will avoid it –
ٱلَّذِى يَصْلَى ٱلنَّارَ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ
[He] who will [enter and] burn in the greatest Fire,
ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ
Neither dying therein nor living.
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ
He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself
وَذَكَرَ ٱسْمَ رَبِّهِۦ فَصَلَّىٰ
And mentions the name of his Lord and prays.
بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا
But you prefer the worldly life,
وَٱلْءَاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ
While the Hereafter is better and more enduring.
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَفِى ٱلصُّحُفِ ٱلْأُولَىٰ
Indeed, this is in the former scriptures,
صُحُفِ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ
The scriptures of Abraham and Moses.
About This Surah
Surah Al-A'la calls the reader to glorify the Most High, who creates, proportions, determines and guides. It promises the Messenger help in retaining and reciting revelation, then defines successful purification through remembrance and prayer. The chapter contrasts lasting life with preference for the immediate world and connects its core message with earlier scriptures.
The opening command to glorify is supported by a sequence of divine acts: creation, proportion, determination, guidance, growth and the fading of pasture. Order and change both point beyond themselves.
The Messenger is told that God will enable him to recite without forgetting, except what God wills, and that God knows what is public and hidden. He will be eased toward ease. Reminder should be given where it benefits, while responses differ between reverence and deep rejection.
The lower section defines success through purification, remembrance of God’s name and prayer. It then identifies the competing attraction: people prefer the immediate life even though the hereafter is better and more lasting.
The closing says this principle is found in earlier pages, the scriptures of Abraham and Moses. It establishes continuity at the level stated by the Quran without inviting invented quotations or claims about manuscripts.
For a first reading, follow the movement from “Glorification, creation and guidance” to “Purification, prayer and enduring life.” On a second pass, pause at 87:6–9 and ask how the theme “Glorification responds to created order” informs “Revelation is preserved by God.” This method keeps the chapter’s sequence visible, connects belief with conduct and prevents a memorable image from being detached from its surrounding argument. It also separates the verses’ direct claims from later explanations that need their own evidence.
Core Themes
- Glorification responds to created order
- Revelation is preserved by God
- Reminder is offered without control over response
- Purification joins remembrance and prayer
- The lasting life outranks the immediate one
Structure
Verses 1-5: glorification, creation and guidance — 1-5
Verses 1-5 focus on glorification, creation and guidance.
Verses 6-13: recitation, ease and different responses — 6-13
Verses 6-13 focus on recitation, ease and different responses.
Verses 14-19: purification, prayer and enduring life — 14-19
Verses 14-19 focus on purification, prayer and enduring life.
Key Passages
The Most High creates and guides — 1-5
Verses 1-5 address the most high creates and guides.
Recitation and reminder — 6-9
Verses 6-9 address recitation and reminder.
Two responses — 10-13
Verses 10-13 address two responses.
Success and earlier scriptures — 14-19
Verses 14-19 address success and earlier scriptures.
Interpretation Limits
- Do not market the passage as a guarantee that all tasks become easy.
- Do not invent the contents of Abraham’s pages.
- Do not use the forgetting exception to support unrelated claims about the Quran.