Surah 45 · Meccan · 37 Verses
الجاثية
SURAH AL-JATHIYAH
The Crouching
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
تَنزِيلُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ
The revelation of the Book is from Allāh, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
إِنَّ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Indeed, within the heavens and earth are signs for the believers.
وَفِى خَلْقِكُمْ وَمَا يَبُثُّ مِن دَآبَّةٍ ءَايَٰتٌۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُوقِنُونَ
And in the creation of yourselves and what He disperses of moving creatures are signs for people who are certain [in faith].
وَٱخْتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن رِّزْقٍۢ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَتَصْرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَٰحِ ءَايَٰتٌۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَعْقِلُونَ
And [in] the alternation of night and day and [in] what Allāh sends down from the sky of provision [i.e., rain] and gives life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and [in His] directing of the winds are signs for a people who reason.
تِلْكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ فَبِأَىِّ حَدِيثٍۭ بَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ وَءَايَٰتِهِۦ يُؤْمِنُونَ
These are the verses of Allāh which We recite to you in truth. Then in what statement after Allāh and His verses will they believe?
وَيْلٌۭ لِّكُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمٍۢ
Woe to every sinful liar
يَسْمَعُ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يُصِرُّ مُسْتَكْبِرًۭا كَأَن لَّمْ يَسْمَعْهَا ۖ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ
Who hears the verses of Allāh recited to him, then persists arrogantly as if he had not heard them. So give him tidings of a painful punishment.
وَإِذَا عَلِمَ مِنْ ءَايَٰتِنَا شَيْـًٔا ٱتَّخَذَهَا هُزُوًا ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌۭ مُّهِينٌۭ
And when he knows anything of Our verses, he takes them in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment.
مِّن وَرَآئِهِمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَلَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُم مَّا كَسَبُوا۟ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا مَا ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
هَٰذَا هُدًۭى ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌۭ مِّن رِّجْزٍ أَلِيمٌ
This [Qur’ān] is guidance. And those who have disbelieved in the verses of their Lord will have a painful punishment of foul nature.
۞ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلْبَحْرَ لِتَجْرِىَ ٱلْفُلْكُ فِيهِ بِأَمْرِهِۦ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
It is Allāh who subjected to you the sea so that ships may sail upon it by His command and that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.
وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًۭا مِّنْهُ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth - all from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
قُل لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يَغْفِرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ أَيَّامَ ٱللَّهِ لِيَجْزِىَ قَوْمًۢا بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
Say, [O Muḥammad], to those who have believed that they [should] forgive those who expect not the days of Allāh [i.e., of His retribution] so that He may recompense a people1470 for what they used to earn.
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَٰلِحًۭا فَلِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَنْ أَسَآءَ فَعَلَيْهَا ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ
Whoever does a good deed - it is for himself; and whoever does evil - it is against it [i.e., the self or soul]. Then to your Lord you will be returned.
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقْنَٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ وَفَضَّلْنَٰهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
وَءَاتَيْنَٰهُم بَيِّنَٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ فَمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوٓا۟ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعِلْمُ بَغْيًۢا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِى بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
And We gave them clear proofs of the matter [of religion]. And they did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.
ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَٰكَ عَلَىٰ شَرِيعَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ فَٱتَّبِعْهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Then We put you, [O Muḥammad], on an ordained way concerning the matter [of religion]; so follow it and do not follow the inclinations of those who do not know.
إِنَّهُمْ لَن يُغْنُوا۟ عَنكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًۭٔا ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍۢ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
Indeed, they will never avail you against Allāh at all. And indeed, the wrongdoers are allies of one another; but Allāh is the protector of the righteous.
هَٰذَا بَصَٰٓئِرُ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًۭى وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُوقِنُونَ
This [Qur’ān] is enlightenment for mankind and guidance and mercy for a people who are certain [in faith].
أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱجْتَرَحُوا۟ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن نَّجْعَلَهُمْ كَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ سَوَآءًۭ مَّحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتُهُمْ ۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ
Or do those who commit evils think We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds - [make them] equal in their life and their death?1472 Evil is that which they judge [i.e., assume].
وَخَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
And Allāh created the heavens and earth in truth and so that every soul may be recompensed for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.
أَفَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍۢ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِۦ وَقَلْبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَٰوَةًۭ فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allāh has sent him astray due to knowledge1473 and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allāh? Then will you not be reminded?
وَقَالُوا۟ مَا هِىَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَآ إِلَّا ٱلدَّهْرُ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتُنَا بَيِّنَٰتٍۢ مَّا كَانَ حُجَّتَهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ ٱئْتُوا۟ بِـَٔابَآئِنَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their argument is only that they say, "Bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful."
قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يَجْمَعُكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Say, "Allāh causes you to live, then causes you to die; then He will assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt, but most of the people do not know."
وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ يَخْسَرُ ٱلْمُبْطِلُونَ
And to Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. And the Day the Hour appears - that Day the falsifiers will lose.
وَتَرَىٰ كُلَّ أُمَّةٍۢ جَاثِيَةًۭ ۚ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍۢ تُدْعَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ كِتَٰبِهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
And you will see every nation kneeling [from fear]. Every nation will be called to its record [and told], "Today you will be recompensed for what you used to do.
فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ فَيُدْخِلُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ فِى رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
So as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them into His mercy. That is what is the clear attainment.
وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَفَلَمْ تَكُنْ ءَايَٰتِى تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَٱسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ وَكُنتُمْ قَوْمًۭا مُّجْرِمِينَ
But as for those who disbelieved, [it will be said], "Were not Our verses recited to you, but you were arrogant and became a criminal people?
وَإِذَا قِيلَ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّۭ وَٱلسَّاعَةُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا قُلْتُم مَّا نَدْرِى مَا ٱلسَّاعَةُ إِن نَّظُنُّ إِلَّا ظَنًّۭا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ
And when it was said, 'Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth and the Hour [is coming] - no doubt about it,' you said, 'We know not what is the Hour. We assume only assumption, and we are not convinced.'"
وَبَدَا لَهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتُ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ
And the evil consequences of what they did will appear to them, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
وَقِيلَ ٱلْيَوْمَ نَنسَىٰكُمْ كَمَا نَسِيتُمْ لِقَآءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَٰذَا وَمَأْوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ
And it will be said, "Today We will forget you as you forgot the meeting of this Day of yours, and your refuge is the Fire, and for you there are no helpers.
ذَٰلِكُم بِأَنَّكُمُ ٱتَّخَذْتُمْ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ هُزُوًۭا وَغَرَّتْكُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۚ فَٱلْيَوْمَ لَا يُخْرَجُونَ مِنْهَا وَلَا هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ
That is because you took the verses of Allāh in ridicule, and worldly life deluded you." So that Day they will not be removed from it, nor will they be asked to appease [Allāh].
فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْحَمْدُ رَبِّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَرَبِّ ٱلْأَرْضِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Then, to Allāh belongs [all] praise - Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth, Lord of the worlds.
وَلَهُ ٱلْكِبْرِيَآءُ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
And to Him belongs [all] grandeur within the heavens and the earth, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
About This Surah
Surah Al-Jathiyah calls attention to signs in the heavens, earth, living creatures, night, day, rain and wind. It criticizes people who hear revelation yet persist in arrogance, warns against treating desire as ultimate authority and presents every community kneeling before its record at judgment. Its central movements connect revelation and accountability with disciplined worship, ethical action, and limits on human authority.
The chapter begins with a sequence of signs addressed to people with faith, certainty and reason. Different audiences are described through different capacities, suggesting that observation alone does not guarantee moral response.
Those who hear the verses and continue arrogantly are warned. The surah also asks people to reflect on the sea, provision and the ordering of creation for human benefit. “Subjected” creation should not become a license for environmental exploitation without responsibility.
The Children of Israel are described as receiving scripture, judgment and prophethood, then differing after knowledge through rivalry. This historical criticism should not become hostility toward Jewish people.
The messenger is instructed to follow a revealed way or path and not the desires of people who lack knowledge. The word translated as law/path has legal significance; no single verse fully defines Islamic jurisprudence.
A major passage describes a person who takes desire as a god and becomes closed to guidance despite knowledge. It addresses moral submission to desire, not a medical diagnosis.
Denial of resurrection is connected with the claim that only time destroys people. The chapter rejects this unsupported certainty. At judgment, every community kneels and is called to its record.
Signs in animals, human creation, night, day, rain, winds, and seas invite reflection but do not form a complete scientific textbook.
The warning about taking desire as a god concerns moral surrender, not a license to diagnose or insult people experiencing addiction or mental illness.
The word describing a divinely given way or law requires linguistic and legal context; a website overview cannot derive personalized rulings or political systems from one translation.
Core Themes
- Creation offers multiple layers of signs.
- Hearing does not guarantee response.
- Knowledge can be followed by rivalry.
- Desire can become an ultimate authority.
- History and resurrection challenge materialist certainty.
- Every community and individual faces a record.
Structure
Verses 1-11: Signs and arrogant refusal — 1-11
Verses 12-20: Provision, forgiveness and revealed guidance — 12-20
Verses 21-26: Moral equality, desire and denial of resurrection — 21-26
Verses 27-37: Sovereignty, kneeling communities and final praise — 27-37
Reading Guide
Reading step 1
Follow the increasing sequence of signs.
Reading step 2
Avoid using “desire as god” as an insult toward people with addiction or illness.
Reading step 3
Treat legal terminology with qualified interpretation.
Reading step 4
Do not generalize historical criticism to all Jews.
Key Passages
Signs in creation — 3-6
The sequence moves from the heavens and earth to living creatures, human creation, rain and changing winds. Its recurring references to belief, certainty and reasoning describe ways of receiving these signs. The final question connects attention to creation with listening to the recited message.
Sea and created benefit — 12-13
The sea makes travel and livelihood possible, but the passage directs that benefit toward gratitude and reflection. What is made available to human beings is repeatedly described as coming from God. Human use is therefore presented within dependence, rather than as proof of independent mastery over creation.
Scripture and division after knowledge — 16-17
Scripture, judgment, prophethood and provision are remembered as gifts before the account turns to disagreement. The stated cause is rivalry after knowledge, not simply the absence of information. The section distinguishes receiving guidance from responding faithfully to it and leaves final judgment of the disputes with God.
Revealed path and guidance — 18-20
The messenger is directed to follow a revealed way rather than competing inclinations. The Quran is then described through insight, guidance and mercy. These descriptions explain why the path is followed: dependence on revelation is contrasted with reliance on alliances that cannot remove accountability before God.
Desire as authority — 23
Desire is portrayed as an authority a person can effectively worship, while hearing, heart and sight become closed to guidance. The closing question turns the image toward the listener's own reflection. The danger is not the existence of ordinary wishes but allowing preference to govern what one accepts as true.
Time and resurrection — 24-26
The claim that time alone destroys life is presented as assumption, followed by a demand to bring back ancestors. The reply places life, death and future gathering under God's authority. Its scope is larger than the opponents' proposed demonstration: resurrection concerns everyone's eventual reckoning, not an immediate display on demand.
Communities and records — 28-29
Communities appear kneeling and are called to their records, giving the chapter its familiar title image. The record speaks truth about what they did. Collective identity remains visible, but it does not replace examination of actions or make belonging to a group an answer to accountability.
Final praise — 36-37
The final praise names the Lord of heaven and earth together, returning to the reach of the opening signs. Grandeur belongs to God rather than to the desires and competing authorities challenged earlier. The chapter closes by joining sovereignty with might and wisdom.
Recitation Note
No exclusive time, fixed repetition count, or guaranteed worldly outcome is asserted here for reciting Surah Al-Jathiyah. Reading it is worship and study; any claim about protection, healing, provision, marriage, political success, or a prescribed number requires separate exact evidence and carefully limited wording.
Interpretation Limits
- Environmental use should not be interpreted as unlimited exploitation.
- “Desire” language should not stigmatize health conditions.
- Legal claims require qualified sources.
- Judgment scenes should not be used to declare modern groups condemned.
- Criticism of earlier communities must not fuel antisemitism.
- Creation signs must not be advertised as complete modern scientific proofs.
- Taking desire as a god must not become mental-health stigma or casual diagnosis of individuals.
- Legal-way language requires qualified interpretation and does not supply a stand-alone political program.