سُورَةُ الأَعۡلَىٰ
Surah Al-A'la (The Most High) – Arabic, Translation & Audio
Surah Al-A'la is the 87th surah (chapter) of the Quran. Its name means “The Most High”. It has 19 ayahs (verses), is a Meccan surah (revealed in Makkah) and is found in Juz 30 of the Quran. Below you can read the full Arabic text with English translation and transliteration, and listen to each ayah.
| Surah number | 87 of 114 |
|---|---|
| Arabic name | الأعلى |
| English meaning | The Most High |
| Number of ayahs | 19 |
| Revelation | Meccan (Makkah) |
| Order of revelation | 8 (traditional chronology) |
| Juz (part) | 30 |
| Mushaf pages | 591–592 (604-page Madinah mushaf) |
| Verses of prostration | None |
| Begins with Bismillah | Yes – recited before ayah 1 (not numbered) |
About Surah Al-A'la
Al-A‘la, "The Most High", begins with the command to glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High. It speaks of Allah’s creation and guidance, promises the Prophet ﷺ that he will not forget what he is taught, and says that the one who purifies himself has succeeded, while people prefer this life although the Hereafter is better and more lasting.
In the hadith
- The Prophet ﷺ used to recite Al-A‘la and Al-Ghashiyah in the two Eid prayers and in the Friday prayer. (Sahih Muslim 878)
Read Surah Al-A'la in Arabic with English translation
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
سَبِّحِ ٱسْمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلْأَعْلَى ﴿١﴾
Sabbihisma Rabbikal A'laa
Praise the name of thy Lord the Most High,
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ ﴿٢﴾
Allazee khalaqa fasawwaa
Who createth, then disposeth;
وَٱلَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ ﴿٣﴾
Wallazee qaddara fahadaa
Who measureth, then guideth;
وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَخْرَجَ ٱلْمَرْعَىٰ ﴿٤﴾
Wallazeee akhrajal mar'aa
Who bringeth forth the pasturage,
فَجَعَلَهُۥ غُثَآءً أَحْوَىٰ ﴿٥﴾
Faja'alahoo ghusaaa'an ahwaa
Then turneth it to russet stubble.
سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَىٰٓ ﴿٦﴾
Sanuqri'uka falaa tansaaa
We shall make thee read (O Muhammad) so that thou shalt not forget
إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ ﴿٧﴾
Illaa maa shaaa'al laah; innahoo ya'lamul jahra wa maa yakhfaa
Save that which Allah willeth. Lo! He knoweth the disclosed and that which still is hidden;
وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ ﴿٨﴾
Wa nu-yassiruka lilyusraa
And We shall ease thy way unto the state of ease.
فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ ﴿٩﴾
Fazakkir in nafa'atizzikraa
Therefor remind (men), for of use is the reminder.
سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰ ﴿١٠﴾
Sa yazzakkaru maiyakhshaa
He will heed who feareth,
وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَشْقَى ﴿١١﴾
Wa yatajannabuhal ashqaa
But the most hapless will flout it,
ٱلَّذِى يَصْلَى ٱلنَّارَ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ ﴿١٢﴾
Allazee yaslan Naaral kubraa
He who will be flung to the great Fire
ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ ﴿١٣﴾
Summa laa yamootu feehaa wa laa yahyaa
Wherein he will neither die nor live.
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ ﴿١٤﴾
Qad aflaha man tazakkaa
He is successful who groweth,
وَذَكَرَ ٱسْمَ رَبِّهِۦ فَصَلَّىٰ ﴿١٥﴾
Wa zakaras ma Rabbihee fasallaa
And remembereth the name of his Lord, so prayeth,
بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا ﴿١٦﴾
Bal tu'siroonal hayaatad dunyaa
But ye prefer the life of the world
وَٱلْءَاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ ﴿١٧﴾
Wal Aakhiratu khairunw wa abqaa
Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting.
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَفِى ٱلصُّحُفِ ٱلْأُولَىٰ ﴿١٨﴾
Inna haazaa lafis suhu fil oolaa
Lo! This is in the former scrolls.
صُحُفِ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ ﴿١٩﴾
Suhufi Ibraaheema wa Moosaa
The Books of Abraham and Moses.
Arabic text: Uthmani script (Tanzil). English translation: Marmaduke Pickthall (1930, public domain). Transliteration: English transliteration from the Al Quran Cloud API, in a simple English spelling (it writes the Arabic letter dhal as “z”, while the duas on this site write it as “dh”). Audio: Mishary Rashid Alafasy. A translation conveys the meaning of the Quran; it is not the Quran itself.
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