A journaling course through every ayah of Sūrat al-ʿAlaq. Watch the video for the whole sūrah, then work through the lessons: read each one's ayāt and write about them in your journal. When you have finished, take the quiz.
Lesson 1: Read!
In the name of your Lord who created. (ayāt 1–2)
ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ
96:1 Read, ˹O Prophet,˺ in the Name of your Lord Who created—
Word study اِقْرَاْ — Iqra' — 'Read / recite'.
Reflect The first word revealed was 'Read.' What could I learn — of my faith, of good — that I keep putting off?
Write about 96:1 in your journal →
خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِنۡ عَلَقٍ
96:2 created humans from a clinging clot
Word study عَلَق — ʿAlaq — a clinging clot.
Reflect From something so small Allah made me. How does remembering my humble origin soften my pride?
Write about 96:2 in your journal →
Next: lesson 2 →
Lesson 2: Taught by the pen
Knowledge itself is Allah's gift. (ayāt 3–5)
ٱقۡرَأۡ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡأَكۡرَمُ
96:3 Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous
Word study الْاَكْرَم — Al-Akram — the Most Generous.
Reflect Where has Allah been generous with me beyond what I deserved?
Write about 96:3 in your journal →
ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ
96:4 Who taught by the pen—
Word study الْقَلَم — Al-Qalam — the pen.
Reflect The pen preserves knowledge. What beneficial thing could I write, record or learn this week?
Write about 96:4 in your journal →
عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ
96:5 taught humanity what they knew not
Word study عَلَّم — ʿAllama — He taught.
Reflect Every bit of my knowledge is a gift. How can I use what I know to serve, not to boast?
Write about 96:5 in your journal →
Next: lesson 3 →
Lesson 3: Man transgresses
When he imagines he needs no one. (ayāt 6–7)
كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لَيَطۡغَىٰٓ
96:6 Most certainly, one exceeds all bounds
Word study یَطْغٰی — Yaṭghā — he transgresses.
Reflect Where does comfort make me overstep — less humble, less grateful, less careful?
Write about 96:6 in your journal →
أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰٓ
96:7 once they think they are self-sufficient
Word study اسْتَغْنٰی — Istaghnā — feels self-sufficient.
Reflect When have I felt I 'don't need' Allah or others? What corrected me?
Write about 96:7 in your journal →
Next: lesson 4 →
Lesson 4: To Him is the return
Everything comes back to Allah. (ayāt 8)
إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلرُّجۡعَىٰٓ
96:8 ˹But˺ surely to your Lord is the return ˹of all˺
Word study الرُّجْعٰی — Ar-Rujʿā — the return.
Reflect If everything returns to Allah, what am I sending ahead for that return?
Write about 96:8 in your journal →
Next: lesson 5 →
Lesson 5: Prostrate & draw near
Don't obey the one who blocks worship. (ayāt 9–19)
أَرَءَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِي يَنۡهَىٰ
96:9 Have you seen the man who prevents
Word study نَهٰی — Nahā — he forbids.
Reflect Who or what tries to keep me from worship or good — and how do I answer it?
Write about 96:9 in your journal →
عَبۡدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰٓ
96:10 a servant ˹of Ours˺ from praying
Word study صَلَّی — Ṣallā — he prays.
Reflect How do I protect my prayer from those who would mock or interrupt it?
Write about 96:10 in your journal →
أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ
96:11 What if this ˹servant˺ is ˹rightly˺ guided
Word study الْهُدٰی — Al-Hudā — guidance.
Reflect Do I make it easy or hard for others to do good around me?
Write about 96:11 in your journal →
أَوۡ أَمَرَ بِٱلتَّقۡوَىٰٓ
96:12 or encourages righteousness
Word study التَّقْوٰی — At-Taqwā — mindful piety.
Reflect Whom do I encourage toward taqwā — and who does that for me?
Write about 96:12 in your journal →
أَرَءَيۡتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
96:13 What if that ˹man˺ persists in denial and turns away
Word study تَوَلّٰی — Tawallā — he turns away.
Reflect Where am I tempted to deny or turn away from a truth I already know?
Write about 96:13 in your journal →
أَلَمۡ يَعۡلَم بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَرَىٰ
96:14 Does he not know that Allah sees ˹all˺
Word study یَرٰی — Yarā — He sees.
Reflect Would I act differently in my private moments if I truly felt Allah watching with mercy?
Write about 96:14 in your journal →
كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمۡ يَنتَهِ لَنَسۡفَعَۢا بِٱلنَّاصِيَةِ
96:15 But no! If he does not desist, We will certainly drag him by the forelock—
Word study النَّاصِیَة — An-Nāṣiyah — the forelock.
Reflect What behaviour do I need to 'desist' from before it defines me?
Write about 96:15 in your journal →
نَاصِيَةࣲ كَٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةࣲ
96:16 a lying, sinful forelock
Word study كَاذِبَة — Kādhibah — lying.
Reflect Where does dishonesty creep into my words — even small ones?
Write about 96:16 in your journal →
فَلۡيَدۡعُ نَادِيَهُۥ
96:17 So let him call his associates
Word study نَادِی — Nādī — one's circle/associates.
Reflect When I do wrong, do I lean on the wrong crowd for backing? Who calls me higher?
Write about 96:17 in your journal →
سَنَدۡعُ ٱلزَّبَانِيَةَ
96:18 We will call the wardens of Hell
Word study الزَّبَانِیَة — Az-Zabāniyah — the angels of Hell.
Reflect No worldly ally outranks Allah. Where am I trusting the wrong protection?
Write about 96:18 in your journal →
كَلَّا لَا تُطِعۡهُ وَٱسۡجُدۡۤ وَٱقۡتَرِب۩
96:19 Again, no! Never obey him ˹O Prophet˺! Rather, ˹continue to˺ prostrate and draw near ˹to Allah˺
Word study اقْتَرِب — Iqtarib — 'draw near'.
Reflect Prostration draws me closest to Allah. When did I last feel truly near Him in sujūd?
Write about 96:19 in your journal →
Next: the quiz →
Quiz: Al-ʿAlaq — the whole sūrah
Ten questions on Sūrat al-ʿAlaq, from its first ayah to its last. Each question first shows the ayāt it is about, in The Clear Quran's English. Sign in to take it; your teacher sees your score.
Quizzes are for students on the course: sign in to your learning space, ask to join this course, and once your teacher has approved you, the quizzes assigned to you are there with your results.
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