Surah 'Abasa
عبس
Surah 'Abasa is a Meccan surah of 42 verses that begins with a gentle correction of the Prophet over a blind man seeking guidance, then reflects on human creation, food and the Day of Judgment.
- Meaning
- He Frowned
- Surah
- 80 of 114
- Verses
- 42
- Revealed in
- Mecca
- Found in
- Juz 30
What Surah 'Abasa is about
'Abasa is the 80th surah of the Quran, revealed in Mecca, with 42 verses. Its name means He Frowned, from its first verse. Sunan at-Tirmidhi reports from Aisha that it was revealed about Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum, a blind companion who came to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asking to be taught while the Prophet was busy speaking with one of the leading men of Quraysh, hoping he would accept Islam. The Prophet ﷺ turned away from him, and these verses corrected him.
Verses 1 to 10 describe the moment without naming anyone. Someone frowned and turned away because the blind man came. The surah asks how he could know that the man might be purified or reminded and benefit, while he gave his attention to one who considered himself self-sufficient, though he would not be blamed if that man did not purify himself. Verse 11 says this is a reminder, and verses 13 to 16 describe the Quran as kept in honored pages, exalted and pure, in the hands of noble and righteous scribes.
Verses 17 to 23 turn to human ingratitude. A person was created from a drop, proportioned, had the way made easy for him, and will be made to die, buried and raised again, yet he has not done what he was commanded. Verses 24 to 32 then ask people to look at their food: rain poured down, the earth split open, and grain, grapes, herbs, olives, dates, thick gardens, fruit and fodder brought out for them and their animals.
The surah closes in verses 33 to 42 with the Deafening Blast, the Day when a person runs from their brother, mother, father, spouse and children, each preoccupied with their own concern. Some faces that Day will be bright and laughing, and others covered with dust and darkness.
Main themes
The blind man who came seeking
The surah opens with a frown and a turned back toward a blind man who had come eager to learn. It asks the Prophet ﷺ to recognize that this sincere seeker deserved attention more than the self-satisfied listener he was trying to win over.
Verses 1–10A reminder in honored pages
Verses 11 to 16 describe the Quran as a reminder, open to whoever wills, written in honored and purified pages by noble, righteous scribes.
Verses 11–16Ungrateful humanity
Verses 17 to 23 trace a person's life from a drop to the grave and resurrection, and observe that he has still not fulfilled what Allah commanded.
Verses 17–23Look at your food
Verse 24 asks each person to consider their food. The following verses trace it from rain and split soil to grain, grapes, olives, dates, gardens and fruit.
Verses 24–32Fleeing one's own family
On the Day of the Deafening Blast, a person runs from brother, mother, father, spouse and children, each too absorbed in their own fate. The surah ends with bright faces and darkened ones.
Verses 33–42
Verses to know
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ﴿١﴾ أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ ﴿٢﴾ وَمَا يُدۡرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ ﴿٣﴾ أَوۡ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰٓ ﴿٤﴾
1He frowned and turned away. 2When the blind man approached him. 3But how do you know? Perhaps he was seeking to purify himself. 4Or be reminded, and the message would benefit him.
A rare passage in which the Prophet ﷺ is gently corrected in the Quran itself, for turning away from a blind man who came sincerely wanting to learn.
فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦٓ ﴿٢٤﴾ أَنَّا صَبَبۡنَا ٱلۡمَآءَ صَبّٗا ﴿٢٥﴾ ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ شَقّٗا ﴿٢٦﴾ فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا حَبّٗا ﴿٢٧﴾
24Let man consider his food. 25We pour down water in abundance. 26Then crack the soil open. 27And grow in it grains.
A simple invitation to reflect: look at your food, and how rain, soil and seed come together to produce it.
يَوۡمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِيهِ ﴿٣٤﴾ وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ ﴿٣٥﴾ وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ ﴿٣٦﴾ لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ شَأۡنࣱ يُغۡنِيهِ ﴿٣٧﴾
34The Day when a person will flee from his brother. 35And his mother and his father. 36And his consort and his children. 37Every one of them, on that Day, will have enough to preoccupy him.
A powerful picture of the Day of Judgment, when people flee even their own parents, spouse and children because each has enough to worry about.
Surah 'Abasa in Arabic and English
All 42 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 1
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
AAabasa watawalla
He frowned and turned away.
- 2
أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ
An jaahu alaAAma
When the blind man approached him.
- 3
وَمَا يُدۡرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ
Wama yudreeka laAAallahu yazzakka
But how do you know? Perhaps he was seeking to purify himself.
- 4
أَوۡ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰٓ
Aw yaththakkaru fatanfaAAahu alththikra
Or be reminded, and the message would benefit him.
- 5
أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ
Amma mani istaghna
But as for him who was indifferent.
- 6
فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ
Faanta lahu tasadda
You gave him your attention.
- 7
وَمَا عَلَيۡكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ
Wama AAalayka alla yazzakka
Though you are not liable if he does not purify himself.
- 8
وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسۡعَىٰ
Waamma man jaaka yasAAa
But as for him who came to you seeking.
- 9
وَهُوَ يَخۡشَىٰ
Wahuwa yakhsha
In awe.
- 10
فَأَنتَ عَنۡهُ تَلَهَّىٰ
Faanta AAanhu talahha
To him you were inattentive.
- 11
كَلَّآ إِنَّهَا تَذۡكِرَةࣱ
Kalla innaha tathkiratun
Do not. This is a lesson.
- 12
فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ
Faman shaa thakarahu
Whoever wills, shall remember it.
- 13
فِي صُحُفٖ مُّكَرَّمَةٖ
Fee suhufin mukarramatin
On honorable pages.
- 14
مَّرۡفُوعَةٖ مُّطَهَّرَةِۭ
MarfooAAatin mutahharatin
Exalted and purified.
- 15
بِأَيۡدِي سَفَرَةٖ
Biaydee safaratin
By the hands of scribes.
- 16
كِرَامِۭ بَرَرَةٖ
Kiramin bararatin
Noble and devoted.
- 17
قُتِلَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مَآ أَكۡفَرَهُۥ
Qutila alinsanu ma akfarahu
Perish man! How thankless he is!
- 18
مِنۡ أَيِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ
Min ayyi shayin khalaqahu
From what did He create him?
- 19
مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ
Min nutfatin khalaqahu faqaddarahu
From a sperm drop He created him, and enabled him.
- 20
ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُۥ
Thumma alssabeela yassarahu
Then He eased the way for him.
- 21
ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُۥ فَأَقۡبَرَهُۥ
Thumma amatahu faaqbarahu
Then He puts him to death, and buries him.
- 22
ثُمَّ إِذَا شَآءَ أَنشَرَهُۥ
Thumma itha shaa ansharahu
Then, when He wills, He will resurrect him.
- 23
كَلَّا لَمَّا يَقۡضِ مَآ أَمَرَهُۥ
Kalla lamma yaqdi ma amarahu
But no, he did not fulfill what He has commanded him.
- 24
فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦٓ
Falyanthuri alinsanu ila taAAamihi
Let man consider his food.
- 25
أَنَّا صَبَبۡنَا ٱلۡمَآءَ صَبّٗا
Anna sababna almaa sabban
We pour down water in abundance.
- 26
ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ شَقّٗا
Thumma shaqaqna alarda shaqqan
Then crack the soil open.
- 27
فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا حَبّٗا
Faanbatna feeha habban
And grow in it grains.
- 28
وَعِنَبٗا وَقَضۡبٗا
WaAAinaban waqadban
And grapes and herbs.
- 29
وَزَيۡتُونٗا وَنَخۡلٗا
Wazaytoonan wanakhlan
And olives and dates.
- 30
وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلۡبٗا
Wahadaiqa ghulban
And luscious gardens.
- 31
وَفَٰكِهَةٗ وَأَبّٗا
Wafakihatan waabban
And fruits and vegetables.
- 32
مَّتَٰعٗا لَّكُمۡ وَلِأَنۡعَٰمِكُمۡ
MataAAan lakum walianAAamikum
Enjoyment for you, and for your livestock.
- 33
فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلصَّآخَّةُ
Faitha jaati alssakhkhatu
But when the Deafening Noise comes to pass.
- 34
يَوۡمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِيهِ
Yawma yafirru almaro min akheehi
The Day when a person will flee from his brother.
- 35
وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ
Waommihi waabeehi
And his mother and his father.
- 36
وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ
Wasahibatihi wabaneehi
And his consort and his children.
- 37
لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ شَأۡنࣱ يُغۡنِيهِ
Likulli imriin minhum yawmaithin shanun yughneehi
Every one of them, on that Day, will have enough to preoccupy him.
- 38
وُجُوهࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ مُّسۡفِرَةࣱ
Wujoohun yawmaithin musfiratun
Faces on that Day will be radiant.
- 39
ضَاحِكَةࣱ مُّسۡتَبۡشِرَةࣱ
Dahikatun mustabshiratun
Laughing and rejoicing.
- 40
وَوُجُوهࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَلَيۡهَا غَبَرَةࣱ
Wawujoohun yawmaithin AAalayha ghabaratun
And faces on that Day will be covered with misery.
- 41
تَرۡهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ
Tarhaquha qataratun
Overwhelmed by remorse.
- 42
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَفَرَةُ ٱلۡفَجَرَةُ
Olaika humu alkafaratu alfajaratu
These are the faithless, the vicious.
Surah 'Abasa PDF
The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.
Questions about Surah 'Abasa
Who is the blind man in Surah Abasa?
Sunan at-Tirmidhi reports from Aisha that he was Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum, a blind companion who came to the Prophet ﷺ asking to be taught. The surah itself does not name him.
Why was Surah Abasa revealed?
It was revealed after the Prophet ﷺ, busy speaking with a leader of Quraysh, turned away from a blind man who came to learn. The opening verses correct him for doing so.
How many verses are in Surah Abasa?
Surah 'Abasa has 42 verses. It is a Meccan surah and the 80th in the Quran.
What does Surah Abasa say about food?
Verses 24 to 32 ask people to look at their food and describe Allah sending rain, splitting the earth and bringing out grain, grapes, olives, dates, fruit and pasture.