Surah 25 · Meccan · 77 Verses
الفرقان
SURAH AL-FURQAN
The Criterion
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
تَبَارَكَ ٱلَّذِى نَزَّلَ ٱلْفُرْقَانَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِۦ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَٰلَمِينَ نَذِيرًا
Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His Servant that he may be to the worlds a warner -
ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًۭا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ شَرِيكٌۭ فِى ٱلْمُلْكِ وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۢ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ تَقْدِيرًۭا
He to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and who has not taken a son and has not had a partner in dominion and has created each thing and determined it with [precise] determination.
وَٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ ءَالِهَةًۭ لَّا يَخْلُقُونَ شَيْـًۭٔا وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ وَلَا يَمْلِكُونَ لِأَنفُسِهِمْ ضَرًّۭا وَلَا نَفْعًۭا وَلَا يَمْلِكُونَ مَوْتًۭا وَلَا حَيَوٰةًۭ وَلَا نُشُورًۭا
But they have taken besides Him gods which create nothing, while they are created, and possess not for themselves any harm or benefit and possess not [power to cause] death or life or resurrection.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَٰذَآ إِلَّآ إِفْكٌ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ وَأَعَانَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ قَوْمٌ ءَاخَرُونَ ۖ فَقَدْ جَآءُو ظُلْمًۭا وَزُورًۭا
And those who disbelieve say, "This [Qur’ān] is not except a falsehood he invented, and another people assisted him in it." But they have committed an injustice and a lie.
وَقَالُوٓا۟ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ ٱكْتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةًۭ وَأَصِيلًۭا
And they say, "Legends of the former peoples which he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon."
قُلْ أَنزَلَهُ ٱلَّذِى يَعْلَمُ ٱلسِّرَّ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا
Say, [O Muḥammad], "It has been revealed by He who knows [every] secret within the heavens and the earth. Indeed, He is ever Forgiving and Merciful."
وَقَالُوا۟ مَالِ هَٰذَا ٱلرَّسُولِ يَأْكُلُ ٱلطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشِى فِى ٱلْأَسْوَاقِ ۙ لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكٌۭ فَيَكُونَ مَعَهُۥ نَذِيرًا
And they say, "What is this messenger that eats food and walks in the markets? Why was there not sent down to him an angel so he would be with him a warner?
أَوْ يُلْقَىٰٓ إِلَيْهِ كَنزٌ أَوْ تَكُونُ لَهُۥ جَنَّةٌۭ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهَا ۚ وَقَالَ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا رَجُلًۭا مَّسْحُورًا
Or [why is not] a treasure presented to him [from heaven], or does he [not] have a garden from which he eats?" And the wrongdoers say, "You follow not but a man affected by magic."
تَبَارَكَ ٱلَّذِىٓ إِن شَآءَ جَعَلَ لَكَ خَيْرًۭا مِّن ذَٰلِكَ جَنَّٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ وَيَجْعَل لَّكَ قُصُورًۢا
Blessed is He who, if He willed, could have made for you [something] better than that - gardens beneath which rivers flow - and could make for you palaces.
بَلْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِٱلسَّاعَةِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِمَن كَذَّبَ بِٱلسَّاعَةِ سَعِيرًا
But they have denied the Hour, and We have prepared for those who deny the Hour a Blaze.
إِذَا رَأَتْهُم مِّن مَّكَانٍۭ بَعِيدٍۢ سَمِعُوا۟ لَهَا تَغَيُّظًۭا وَزَفِيرًۭا
When it [i.e., the Hellfire] sees them from a distant place, they will hear its fury and roaring.
وَإِذَآ أُلْقُوا۟ مِنْهَا مَكَانًۭا ضَيِّقًۭا مُّقَرَّنِينَ دَعَوْا۟ هُنَالِكَ ثُبُورًۭا
And when they are thrown into a narrow place therein bound in chains, they will cry out thereupon for destruction.
لَّا تَدْعُوا۟ ٱلْيَوْمَ ثُبُورًۭا وَٰحِدًۭا وَٱدْعُوا۟ ثُبُورًۭا كَثِيرًۭا
[They will be told], "Do not cry this Day for one destruction but cry for much destruction."
قُلْ أَذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ أَمْ جَنَّةُ ٱلْخُلْدِ ٱلَّتِى وُعِدَ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ ۚ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَزَآءًۭ وَمَصِيرًۭا
Say, "Is that better or the Garden of Eternity which is promised to the righteous? It will be for them a reward and destination.
وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَيَقُولُ ءَأَنتُمْ أَضْلَلْتُمْ عِبَادِى هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ أَمْ هُمْ ضَلُّوا۟ ٱلسَّبِيلَ
And [mention] the Day He will gather them and that which they worship besides Allāh and will say, "Did you mislead these, My servants, or did they [themselves] stray from the way?"
قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَٰنَكَ مَا كَانَ يَنۢبَغِى لَنَآ أَن نَّتَّخِذَ مِن دُونِكَ مِنْ أَوْلِيَآءَ وَلَٰكِن مَّتَّعْتَهُمْ وَءَابَآءَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ نَسُوا۟ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَكَانُوا۟ قَوْمًۢا بُورًۭا
They will say, "Exalted are You! It was not for us to take besides You any allies [i.e., protectors]. But You provided comforts for them and their fathers until they forgot the message and became a people ruined."
فَقَدْ كَذَّبُوكُم بِمَا تَقُولُونَ فَمَا تَسْتَطِيعُونَ صَرْفًۭا وَلَا نَصْرًۭا ۚ وَمَن يَظْلِم مِّنكُمْ نُذِقْهُ عَذَابًۭا كَبِيرًۭا
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّآ إِنَّهُمْ لَيَأْكُلُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشُونَ فِى ٱلْأَسْوَاقِ ۗ وَجَعَلْنَا بَعْضَكُمْ لِبَعْضٍۢ فِتْنَةً أَتَصْبِرُونَ ۗ وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ بَصِيرًۭا
And We did not send before you, [O Muḥammad], any of the messengers except that they ate food and walked in the markets. And We have made some of you [people] as trial for others - will you have patience? And ever is your Lord, Seeing.
۞ وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ أَوْ نَرَىٰ رَبَّنَا ۗ لَقَدِ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَعَتَوْ عُتُوًّۭا كَبِيرًۭا
And those who do not expect the meeting with Us say, "Why were not angels sent down to us, or [why] do we [not] see our Lord?" They have certainly become arrogant within themselves1013 and [become] insolent with great insolence.
يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةَ لَا بُشْرَىٰ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ وَيَقُولُونَ حِجْرًۭا مَّحْجُورًۭا
أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَيْرٌۭ مُّسْتَقَرًّۭا وَأَحْسَنُ مَقِيلًۭا
The companions of Paradise, that Day, are [in] a better settlement and better resting place.
ٱلْمُلْكُ يَوْمَئِذٍ ٱلْحَقُّ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ ۚ وَكَانَ يَوْمًا عَلَى ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَسِيرًۭا
True sovereignty, that Day, is for the Most Merciful. And it will be upon the disbelievers a difficult Day.
لَّقَدْ أَضَلَّنِى عَنِ ٱلذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَآءَنِى ۗ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ لِلْإِنسَٰنِ خَذُولًۭا
وَقَالَ ٱلرَّسُولُ يَٰرَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِى ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ مَهْجُورًۭا
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِىٍّ عَدُوًّۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِرَبِّكَ هَادِيًۭا وَنَصِيرًۭا
And thus have We made for every prophet an enemy from among the criminals. But sufficient is your Lord as a guide and a helper.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ جُمْلَةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَ ۖ وَرَتَّلْنَٰهُ تَرْتِيلًۭا
وَلَا يَأْتُونَكَ بِمَثَلٍ إِلَّا جِئْنَٰكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَأَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيرًا
And they do not come to you with an example [i.e., argument] except that We bring you the truth and the best explanation.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُحْشَرُونَ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ شَرٌّۭ مَّكَانًۭا وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلًۭا
The ones who are gathered on their faces to Hell - those are the worst in position and farthest astray in [their] way.
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَجَعَلْنَا مَعَهُۥٓ أَخَاهُ هَٰرُونَ وَزِيرًۭا
And We had certainly given Moses the Scripture and appointed with him his brother Aaron as an assistant.
فَقُلْنَا ٱذْهَبَآ إِلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا فَدَمَّرْنَٰهُمْ تَدْمِيرًۭا
And We said, "Go both of you to the people who have denied Our signs." Then We destroyed them with [complete] destruction.
وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍۢ لَّمَّا كَذَّبُوا۟ ٱلرُّسُلَ أَغْرَقْنَٰهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَٰهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ ءَايَةًۭ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًۭا
وَكُلًّۭا ضَرَبْنَا لَهُ ٱلْأَمْثَٰلَ ۖ وَكُلًّۭا تَبَّرْنَا تَتْبِيرًۭا
And for each We presented examples [as warnings], and each We destroyed with [total] destruction.
وَلَقَدْ أَتَوْا۟ عَلَى ٱلْقَرْيَةِ ٱلَّتِىٓ أُمْطِرَتْ مَطَرَ ٱلسَّوْءِ ۚ أَفَلَمْ يَكُونُوا۟ يَرَوْنَهَا ۚ بَلْ كَانُوا۟ لَا يَرْجُونَ نُشُورًۭا
وَإِذَا رَأَوْكَ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا أَهَٰذَا ٱلَّذِى بَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ رَسُولًا
And when they see you, [O Muḥammad], they take you not except in ridicule, [saying], "Is this the one whom Allāh has sent as a messenger?
إِن كَادَ لَيُضِلُّنَا عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا لَوْلَآ أَن صَبَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ حِينَ يَرَوْنَ ٱلْعَذَابَ مَنْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا
He almost would have misled us from our gods had we not been steadfast in [worship of] them." But they are going to know, when they see the punishment, who is farthest astray in [his] way.
أَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيلًا
Have you seen the one who takes as his god his own desire? Then would you be responsible for him?
أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ ۚ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَٱلْأَنْعَٰمِ ۖ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ ٱلظِّلَّ وَلَوْ شَآءَ لَجَعَلَهُۥ سَاكِنًۭا ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا ٱلشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلًۭا
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيْلَ لِبَاسًۭا وَٱلنَّوْمَ سُبَاتًۭا وَجَعَلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ نُشُورًۭا
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرْسَلَ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ بُشْرًۢا بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۭ طَهُورًۭا
And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy [i.e., rainfall], and We send down from the sky pure water
لِّنُحْۦِىَ بِهِۦ بَلْدَةًۭ مَّيْتًۭا وَنُسْقِيَهُۥ مِمَّا خَلَقْنَآ أَنْعَٰمًۭا وَأَنَاسِىَّ كَثِيرًۭا
That We may bring to life thereby a dead land and give it as drink to those We created of numerous livestock and men.
About This Surah
Surah Al-Furqan presents revelation as the criterion separating truth from falsehood. It answers objections to a human messenger, exposes powerless objects of worship, points to shadow, night, wind, rain, seas, and human creation, and ends with the servants of the Most Merciful. Their humility, restraint, worship, sexual ethics, repentance, truthful witness, and family prayer define mature faith without promising guaranteed worldly outcomes.
Al-Furqan begins by describing the revelation as a criterion and the Messenger as a warner. Opponents call the Quran fabricated tales and object that the Messenger eats food and walks in markets. The answer preserves prophetic humanity rather than making spectacle the basis of trust.
Scenes of judgment expose the failure of objects and leaders treated as independent sources of rescue. The chapter asks whether people who follow desire without reflection can truly hear and understand. This criticism addresses moral response; it must not be used to dehumanize people with whom Muslims disagree.
Shadow, sun, night, sleep, day, winds, rain, revived land, livestock, two bodies of water, and human kinship form a sequence of signs. They invite gratitude and recognition without serving as a complete scientific account. The refusal to worship the Most Merciful is contrasted with confidence in idols that neither benefit nor harm.
The final portrait of the servants of the Most Merciful moves from public conduct to private worship. They walk humbly, answer ignorance with peace, pray at night, fear judgment, spend between waste and stinginess, reject unlawful killing and sexual wrongdoing, repent sincerely, avoid false witness, receive revelation attentively, and pray for family integrity and moral leadership.
The family prayer is not a guarantee of marriage, fertility, obedient children, or a fixed timetable. The repentance passage does not erase the need to repair harm, respect victims, or face lawful consequences. The surah’s criterion therefore works through revelation, moral evidence, humility, and accountable transformation.
Core Themes
- Revelation as criterion and warning
- Prophetic humanity against demands for spectacle
- Created signs inviting gratitude
- Desire and false worship unable to guide
- The servants of the Most Merciful
- Repentance joined to real transformation
Structure
Verses 1–20: the criterion and objections to the Messenger — 1-20
Revelation, divine sovereignty, powerless objects of worship, accusations of fabrication, judgment, and objections to a market-going human messenger establish the opening dispute.
Verses 21–34: demands for angels and scenes of judgment — 21-34
Demands for direct spectacle, regret on the Day, abandoned revelation, prophetic opposition, and gradual strengthening through recitation answer impatience and arrogance.
Verses 35–44: earlier peoples and desire as authority — 35-44
Moses, Noah, Ad, Thamud, the people of the town, ruined settlements, and people governed by desire show recurring refusal without licensing contempt toward modern groups.
Verses 45–62: shadow, rain, seas, and created life — 45-62
Natural signs and daily cycles establish dependence, while false worship and refusal of the Most Merciful reveal the moral contradiction of receiving gifts without gratitude.
Verses 63–77: servants of the Most Merciful — 63-77
Humility, peaceful response, night worship, balanced spending, protection of life and sexuality, repentance, truthful witness, attentive listening, and family prayer define the closing portrait.
Reading Guide
Do not make spectacle the standard of truth
Follow the objections to the human Messenger and the demand for angels. The surah directs readers toward revelation and moral evidence rather than entertainment or manufactured supernatural proof.
Read “peace” as disciplined public conduct
The servants’ response to ignorance does not erase self-protection or justice. It rejects matching foolish provocation with degrading speech and uncontrolled escalation.
Keep repentance and repair together
Verses 68–71 promise transformed standing for sincere repentance and righteous action. They do not cancel victims’ rights, material repair, public safety, or lawful accountability.
Do not market the family prayer as a guarantee
The closing petition expresses moral hope for spouses, descendants, and leadership. It is not a fertility treatment, marriage timetable, or assurance that another person’s choices can be controlled.
Key Passages
The criterion and the human Messenger — 1-7
The Quran is sent as a criterion and warning, while opponents object that the Messenger eats and walks in markets. Prophetic humanity is part of the message rather than evidence against it. Read the cited verses as a unit; their immediate argument does not become a stand-alone ruling, diagnosis, prediction, or guaranteed result.
Regret and abandoned revelation — 27-30
The wrongdoer regrets destructive companionship and the Messenger laments that his people treated the Quran as abandoned. The passage calls for responsible engagement, not shaming people through superficial reading metrics. Read the cited verses as a unit; their immediate argument does not become a stand-alone ruling, diagnosis, prediction, or guaranteed result.
Shadow, rain, water, and kinship — 45-54
Daily and natural signs lead from shadow and sleep to winds, rain, revived land, seas, and human family bonds. They invite reflection without functioning as a complete scientific theory. Read the cited verses as a unit; their immediate argument does not become a stand-alone ruling, diagnosis, prediction, or guaranteed result.
Humility, peaceful response, and balance — 63-67
The servants of the Most Merciful walk without arrogance, answer ignorance with peace, worship at night, fear judgment, and spend between extravagance and stinginess. Their public and private ethics remain connected. Read the cited verses as a unit; their immediate argument does not become a stand-alone ruling, diagnosis, prediction, or guaranteed result.
Grave wrongdoing, repentance, and family prayer — 68-76
Unlawful killing and sexual wrongdoing are condemned, while repentance, faith, and righteous action open a path to transformation. The closing family prayer seeks moral joy rather than guaranteed control over others. Read the cited verses as a unit; their immediate argument does not become a stand-alone ruling, diagnosis, prediction, or guaranteed result.
Recitation Note
No exclusive time, fixed repetition count, or guaranteed worldly outcome is asserted here for reciting Surah Al-Furqan. It may be read as Quran for worship, reflection, and study. Any separate claim about protection, healing, provision, marriage, pregnancy, or a prescribed number requires its own verified evidence and carefully limited wording.
Interpretation Limits
- Criticism of desire and false worship must not become dehumanization or harassment.
- Repentance language does not erase victims’ rights, restitution, safety duties, or lawful accountability.
- The family prayer does not guarantee marriage, fertility, children’s choices, or a fixed result.
- No exclusive recitation time, count, or worldly promise is established here.