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Surah Al-Haqqah

الحاقة

Surah Al-Haqqah is a Meccan surah of 52 verses about the inevitable Day of Judgment, the nations destroyed before, the handing out of each person's record, and the truth of the Quran.

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Meaning
The Reality
Surah
69 of 114
Verses
52
Revealed in
Mecca
Found in
Juz 29

What Surah Al-Haqqah is about

Al-Haqqah is the 69th surah of the Quran, revealed in Mecca, with 52 verses. Its name means The Reality or The Inevitable, the word it opens with and repeats in its first three verses, which ask what the Reality is and what could make anyone understand it.

Verses 4 to 12 answer by pointing to the past. The tribes of Thamud and Ad denied the coming calamity. Thamud was destroyed by an overwhelming blast, and Ad by a roaring wind that blew for seven nights and eight days, leaving people like the hollow trunks of palm trees. Pharaoh, earlier nations and the overturned cities met the same end, while the people of Noah's time were saved on the ship as a reminder.

Verses 13 to 18 describe the Day itself: a single blast of the trumpet, the earth and mountains crushed in one blow, the sky split, and eight angels carrying the Throne. Nothing about anyone will stay hidden. Verses 19 to 37 then show two people. One receives his record in his right hand and joyfully invites others to read it, saying he always expected this reckoning, and he is given a high garden with fruit within reach. The other receives his record in his left hand and wishes he had never seen it, lamenting that his wealth and power are gone. Among the reasons given for his fate, in verse 34, is that he did not encourage feeding the poor.

The final section, verses 38 to 52, swears by what people see and what they do not see that the Quran is the word of a noble messenger, not of a poet or a fortune teller, but a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. The surah closes by telling the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to glorify the name of his Lord, the Magnificent.

Main themes

  1. What the Reality is

    The opening three verses repeat the word al-haqqah and ask what it is, building attention before any answer is given. The answer unfolds across the surah: the Day of Judgment is a reality that cannot be avoided.

    Verses 1–3

  2. Nations who denied it

    Thamud, Ad, Pharaoh and the overturned cities each rejected their messenger and were seized. The surah describes the wind against Ad in unusual detail and reminds listeners that their ancestors were carried safely in the ship.

    Verses 4–12

  3. The right hand and the left

    On the Day, each person is handed a record. The one who receives it in the right hand celebrates, and the one who receives it in the left wishes death had been the end. Neglecting the poor is named among the causes of loss.

    Verses 19–37

  4. Not the words of a poet

    The last part insists that the Quran is not poetry or soothsaying but revelation, and that if the Messenger had invented anything, Allah would have seized him. It ends with a command to glorify the Lord, the Magnificent.

    Verses 38–52

Verses to know

ٱلۡحَآقَّةُ ﴿١﴾ مَا ٱلۡحَآقَّةُ ﴿٢﴾ وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡحَآقَّةُ ﴿٣﴾

1The Reality. 2What is the Reality? 3What will make you understand what the Reality is?
Al-Haqqah 69:1–3

The surah opens by repeating its own name and asking what it means, a powerful way of drawing attention to the Day of Judgment.

فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ هَآؤُمُ ٱقۡرَءُواْ كِتَٰبِيَهۡ ﴿١٩﴾ إِنِّي ظَنَنتُ أَنِّي مُلَٰقٍ حِسَابِيَهۡ ﴿٢٠﴾

19As for him who is given his book in his right hand, he will say, “Here, take my book and read it. 20I knew I would be held accountable.”
Al-Haqqah 69:19–20

The joy of the person given his book in his right hand, who tells others to read it and says he always knew he would face his account.

إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ ﴿٣٣﴾ وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينِ ﴿٣٤﴾

33For he would not believe in Allah the Great. 34Nor would he advocate the feeding of the destitute.
Al-Haqqah 69:33–34

Two reasons given for the loss of the one who receives his book in his left hand: he did not believe in Allah, the Great, and he did not urge others to feed the poor.

فَسَبِّحۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ ﴿٥٢﴾

So glorify the name of your Lord, the Magnificent.
Al-Haqqah 69:52

After insisting on the truth of the Quran, the surah ends quietly with a call to glorify the name of the Lord, the Magnificent. Surah Al-Waqi'ah ends with the same words at 56:96.

Surah Al-Haqqah in Arabic and English

All 52 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

  1. 1

    ٱلۡحَآقَّةُ

    Alhaqqatu

    The Reality.

  2. 2

    مَا ٱلۡحَآقَّةُ

    Ma alhaqqatu

    What is the Reality?

  3. 3

    وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡحَآقَّةُ

    Wama adraka ma alhaqqatu

    What will make you understand what the Reality is?

  4. 4

    كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ وَعَادُۢ بِٱلۡقَارِعَةِ

    Kaththabat thamoodu waAAadun bialqariAAati

    Thamood and Aad denied the Catastrophe.

  5. 5

    فَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَأُهۡلِكُواْ بِٱلطَّاغِيَةِ

    Faamma thamoodu faohlikoo bialttaghiyati

    As for Thamood, they were annihilated by the Overwhelming.

  6. 6

    وَأَمَّا عَادࣱ فَأُهۡلِكُواْ بِرِيحٖ صَرۡصَرٍ عَاتِيَةٖ

    Waamma AAadun faohlikoo bireehin sarsarin AAatiyatin

    And as for Aad; they were annihilated by a furious, roaring wind.

  7. 7

    سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ سَبۡعَ لَيَالٖ وَثَمَٰنِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ حُسُومٗاۖ فَتَرَى ٱلۡقَوۡمَ فِيهَا صَرۡعَىٰ كَأَنَّهُمۡ أَعۡجَازُ نَخۡلٍ خَاوِيَةٖ

    Sakhkharaha AAalayhim sabAAa layalin wathamaniyata ayyamin husooman fatara alqawma feeha sarAAa kaannahum aAAjazu nakhlin khawiyatun

    He unleashed it upon them for seven nights and eight days, in succession. You could see the people tossed around, as though they were stumps of hollow palm-trees.

  8. 8

    فَهَلۡ تَرَىٰ لَهُم مِّنۢ بَاقِيَةٖ

    Fahal tara lahum min baqiyatin

    Can you see any remnant of them?

  9. 9

    وَجَآءَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ وَمَن قَبۡلَهُۥ وَٱلۡمُؤۡتَفِكَٰتُ بِٱلۡخَاطِئَةِ

    Wajaa firAAawnu waman qablahu waalmutafikatu bialkhatiati

    Then Pharaoh came, and those before him, and the Overturned Cities steeped in sin.

  10. 10

    فَعَصَوۡاْ رَسُولَ رَبِّهِمۡ فَأَخَذَهُمۡ أَخۡذَةٗ رَّابِيَةً

    FaAAasaw rasoola rabbihim faakhathahum akhthatan rabiyatan

    But they disobeyed the messenger of their Lord, so He seized them with an overpowering grip.

  11. 11

    إِنَّا لَمَّا طَغَا ٱلۡمَآءُ حَمَلۡنَٰكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡجَارِيَةِ

    Inna lamma tagha almao hamalnakum fee aljariyati

    When the waters overflowed, We carried you in the cruising ship.

  12. 12

    لِنَجۡعَلَهَا لَكُمۡ تَذۡكِرَةٗ وَتَعِيَهَآ أُذُنࣱ وَٰعِيَةࣱ

    LinajAAalaha lakum tathkiratan wataAAiyaha othunun waAAiyatun

    To make it a lesson for you—so that retaining ears may retain it.

  13. 13

    فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِي ٱلصُّورِ نَفۡخَةࣱ وَٰحِدَةࣱ

    Faitha nufikha fee alssoori nafkhatun wahidatun

    Then, when the Trumpet is sounded a single time.

  14. 14

    وَحُمِلَتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَٱلۡجِبَالُ فَدُكَّتَا دَكَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ

    Wahumilati alardu waaljibalu fadukkata dakkatan wahidatan

    And the earth and the mountains are lifted up, and crushed, with a single crush.

  15. 15

    فَيَوۡمَئِذٖ وَقَعَتِ ٱلۡوَاقِعَةُ

    Fayawmaithin waqaAAati alwaqiAAatu

    On that Day, the Event will come to pass.

  16. 16

    وَٱنشَقَّتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَهِيَ يَوۡمَئِذٖ وَاهِيَةࣱ

    Wainshaqqati alssamao fahiya yawmaithin wahiyatun

    And the heaven will crack; so on that Day it will be frail.

  17. 17

    وَٱلۡمَلَكُ عَلَىٰٓ أَرۡجَآئِهَاۚ وَيَحۡمِلُ عَرۡشَ رَبِّكَ فَوۡقَهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ ثَمَٰنِيَةࣱ

    Waalmalaku AAala arjaiha wayahmilu AAarsha rabbika fawqahum yawmaithin thamaniyatun

    And the angels will be ranged around its borders, while eight will be carrying the Throne of your Lord above them that Day.

  18. 18

    يَوۡمَئِذٖ تُعۡرَضُونَ لَا تَخۡفَىٰ مِنكُمۡ خَافِيَةࣱ

    Yawmaithin tuAAradoona la takhfa minkum khafiyatun

    On that Day you will be exposed, and no secret of yours will remain hidden.

  19. 19

    فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ هَآؤُمُ ٱقۡرَءُواْ كِتَٰبِيَهۡ

    Faamma man ootiya kitabahu biyameenihi fayaqoolu haomu iqraoo kitabiyah

    As for him who is given his book in his right hand, he will say, “Here, take my book and read it.

  20. 20

    إِنِّي ظَنَنتُ أَنِّي مُلَٰقٍ حِسَابِيَهۡ

    Innee thanantu annee mulaqin hisabiyah

    I knew I would be held accountable.”

  21. 21

    فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٖ رَّاضِيَةٖ

    Fahuwa fee AAeeshatin radiyatin

    So he will be in pleasant living.

  22. 22

    فِي جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٖ

    Fee jannatin AAaliyatin

    In a lofty Garden.

  23. 23

    قُطُوفُهَا دَانِيَةࣱ

    Qutoofuha daniyatun

    Its pickings are within reach.

  24. 24

    كُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ هَنِيٓـَٔۢا بِمَآ أَسۡلَفۡتُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَيَّامِ ٱلۡخَالِيَةِ

    Kuloo waishraboo haneean bima aslaftum fee alayyami alkhaliyati

    “Eat and drink merrily for what you did in the days gone by.”

  25. 25

    وَأَمَّا مَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِشِمَالِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي لَمۡ أُوتَ كِتَٰبِيَهۡ

    Waamma man ootiya kitabahu bishimalihi fayaqoolu ya laytanee lam oota kitabiyah

    But as for him who is given his book in his left hand, he will say, “I wish I was never given my book.

  26. 26

    وَلَمۡ أَدۡرِ مَا حِسَابِيَهۡ

    Walam adri ma hisabiyah

    And never knew what my account was.

  27. 27

    يَٰلَيۡتَهَا كَانَتِ ٱلۡقَاضِيَةَ

    Ya laytaha kanati alqadiyatu

    If only it was the end.

  28. 28

    مَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنِّي مَالِيَهۡۜ

    Ma aghna AAannee maliyah

    My money cannot avail me.

  29. 29

    هَلَكَ عَنِّي سُلۡطَٰنِيَهۡ

    Halaka AAannee sultaniyah

    My power has vanished from me.”

  30. 30

    خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ

    Khuthoohu faghulloohu

    “Take him and shackle him.

  31. 31

    ثُمَّ ٱلۡجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُ

    Thumma aljaheema salloohu

    Then scorch him in the Blaze.

  32. 32

    ثُمَّ فِي سِلۡسِلَةٖ ذَرۡعُهَا سَبۡعُونَ ذِرَاعٗا فَٱسۡلُكُوهُ

    Thumma fee silsilatin tharAAuha sabAAoona thiraAAan faoslukoohu

    Then in a chain whose length is seventy cubits tie him up.

  33. 33

    إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ

    Innahu kana la yuminu biAllahi alAAatheemi

    For he would not believe in Allah the Great.

  34. 34

    وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينِ

    Wala yahuddu AAala taAAami almiskeeni

    Nor would he advocate the feeding of the destitute.

  35. 35

    فَلَيۡسَ لَهُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ هَٰهُنَا حَمِيمࣱ

    Falaysa lahu alyawma hahuna hameemun

    So he has no friend here today.

  36. 36

    وَلَا طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِنۡ غِسۡلِينٖ

    Wala taAAamun illa min ghisleenin

    And no food except scum.

  37. 37

    لَّا يَأۡكُلُهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلۡخَٰطِـُٔونَ

    La yakuluhu illa alkhatioona

    Which only the sinners eat.”

  38. 38

    فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِمَا تُبۡصِرُونَ

    Fala oqsimu bima tubsiroona

    Indeed, I swear by what you see.

  39. 39

    وَمَا لَا تُبۡصِرُونَ

    Wama la tubsiroona

    And by what you do not see.

  40. 40

    إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُولٖ كَرِيمٖ

    Innahu laqawlu rasoolin kareemin

    It is the speech of a noble messenger.

  41. 41

    وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَاعِرٖۚ قَلِيلٗا مَّا تُؤۡمِنُونَ

    Wama huwa biqawli shaAAirin qaleelan ma tuminoona

    And it is not the speech of a poet—little do you believe.

  42. 42

    وَلَا بِقَوۡلِ كَاهِنٖۚ قَلِيلٗا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ

    Wala biqawli kahinin qaleelan ma tathakkaroona

    Nor is it the speech of a soothsayer—little do you take heed.

  43. 43

    تَنزِيلࣱ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

    Tanzeelun min rabbi alAAalameena

    It is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds.

  44. 44

    وَلَوۡ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيۡنَا بَعۡضَ ٱلۡأَقَاوِيلِ

    Walaw taqawwala AAalayna baAAda alaqaweeli

    Had he falsely attributed some statements to Us.

  45. 45

    لَأَخَذۡنَا مِنۡهُ بِٱلۡيَمِينِ

    Laakhathna minhu bialyameeni

    We would have seized him by the right arm.

  46. 46

    ثُمَّ لَقَطَعۡنَا مِنۡهُ ٱلۡوَتِينَ

    Thumma laqataAAna minhu alwateena

    Then slashed his lifeline.

  47. 47

    فَمَا مِنكُم مِّنۡ أَحَدٍ عَنۡهُ حَٰجِزِينَ

    Fama minkum min ahadin AAanhu hajizeena

    And none of you could have restrained Us from him.

  48. 48

    وَإِنَّهُۥ لَتَذۡكِرَةࣱ لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ

    Wainnahu latathkiratun lilmuttaqeena

    Surely, it is a message for the righteous.

  49. 49

    وَإِنَّا لَنَعۡلَمُ أَنَّ مِنكُم مُّكَذِّبِينَ

    Wainna lanaAAlamu anna minkum mukaththibeena

    And We know that some of you will reject it.

  50. 50

    وَإِنَّهُۥ لَحَسۡرَةٌ عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ

    Wainnahu lahasratun AAala alkafireena

    And it is surely a source of grief for the unbelievers.

  51. 51

    وَإِنَّهُۥ لَحَقُّ ٱلۡيَقِينِ

    Wainnahu lahaqqu alyaqeeni

    Yet it is the absolute truth.

  52. 52

    فَسَبِّحۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ

    Fasabbih biismi rabbika alAAatheemi

    So glorify the name of your Lord, the Magnificent.

Surah Al-Haqqah PDF

The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.

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Questions about Surah Al-Haqqah

How many verses are in Surah Al-Haqqah?

Surah Al-Haqqah has 52 verses. It is a Meccan surah and the 69th in the Quran.

What does Al-Haqqah mean?

Al-Haqqah means the Reality or the Inevitable. It is a name for the Day of Judgment, the event that must come to pass.

Which nations are mentioned in Surah Al-Haqqah?

Verses 4 to 12 mention Thamud, Ad, Pharaoh, those before him and the overturned cities, and recall that people were carried in the ship in Noah's time.

What does Surah Haqqah say about the book of deeds?

Verses 19 to 37 describe one person receiving the record of their deeds in the right hand and rejoicing, and another receiving it in the left hand with deep regret.