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Surah Al-Muddaththir

المدثر

Surah Al-Muddaththir is a Meccan surah of 56 verses that opens with the command to the Prophet to arise and warn, and describes one of his chief opponents and the fate of those who turn away.

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Meaning
The Cloaked One
Surah
74 of 114
Verses
56
Revealed in
Mecca
Found in
Juz 29

What Surah Al-Muddaththir is about

Al-Muddaththir is the 74th surah of the Quran, revealed in Mecca, with 56 verses. Its name means the one wrapped in a cloak, the way its first verse addresses the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report from Jabir ibn Abdullah that its opening verses came after a pause in revelation, when the Prophet ﷺ saw the angel again, went home shaken, and asked to be covered. They are counted among the very first verses revealed after Surah Al-Alaq.

Verses 1 to 7 give the commands that begin his public mission: arise and warn, magnify your Lord, purify your clothes, avoid uncleanness, do not give in order to receive more, and be patient for your Lord. Verses 8 to 10 describe the day the trumpet is sounded as a hard day for the disbelievers.

Verses 11 to 25 describe a man Allah created alone and then gave abundant wealth and sons beside him, who still wanted more. He thought and calculated, frowned and scowled, then turned away in pride and declared the Quran to be magic and the words of a mortal. Classical commentators identify him as al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah, a leader of Quraysh. Verses 26 to 31 describe Saqar, one of the names of Hell, with nineteen keepers over it, and explain that their number was mentioned as a test: to strengthen believers, give certainty to the People of the Book, and expose doubt.

Verses 32 to 48 swear by the moon, the departing night and the brightening dawn, and say each soul is held in pledge for what it earned. The people of the right ask the guilty what brought them to Saqar, and they answer that they did not pray, did not feed the poor, joined in idle talk and denied the Day of Judgment. The surah closes with an image of people fleeing the reminder like startled donkeys running from a lion.

Main themes

  1. Arise and warn

    The opening seven verses are a set of brief commands that start the Prophet's public call: warn, glorify your Lord, keep your clothes and life pure, and be patient. Each is a single line.

    Verses 1–7

  2. The man who called it magic

    Verses 11 to 25 portray a wealthy man who was given everything and still asked for more. The surah follows his thinking step by step until he dismisses the Quran as magic and human speech.

    Verses 11–25

  3. The nineteen

    Verse 30 says nineteen are set over Saqar, and verse 31 explains that they are angels and that their number was given as a test, which would strengthen some and unsettle others. It adds that no one knows the hosts of the Lord except Him.

    Verses 26–31

  4. What brought them to Saqar

    In verses 38 to 47 the people of the right ask the guilty about their fate. Their answer lists neglecting prayer, not feeding the poor, idle talk and denying the Day of Judgment.

    Verses 38–48

  5. Running from the reminder

    The closing verses compare those who turn away from the reminder to wild donkeys fleeing a lion, and end by noting that no one takes heed unless Allah wills.

    Verses 49–56

Verses to know

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُدَّثِّرُ ﴿١﴾ قُمۡ فَأَنذِرۡ ﴿٢﴾ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرۡ ﴿٣﴾ وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرۡ ﴿٤﴾ وَٱلرُّجۡزَ فَٱهۡجُرۡ ﴿٥﴾

1O you Enrobed one. 2Arise and warn. 3And magnify your Lord. 4And purify your clothes. 5And abandon abominations.
Al-Muddaththir 74:1–5

Among the very first verses revealed after Surah Al-Alaq, they launched the Prophet's public mission with short, direct commands.

ثُمَّ نَظَرَ ﴿٢١﴾ ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ ﴿٢٢﴾ ثُمَّ أَدۡبَرَ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ ﴿٢٣﴾ فَقَالَ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحۡرࣱ يُؤۡثَرُ ﴿٢٤﴾ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا قَوۡلُ ٱلۡبَشَرِ ﴿٢٥﴾

21Then he looked. 22Then he frowned and whined. 23Then he turned back and was proud. 24And said, “This is nothing but magic from the past. 25This is nothing but the word of a mortal.”
Al-Muddaththir 74:21–25

The end of a detailed portrait of rejection: after thinking and calculating, the man looks, frowns, turns away in pride, and finally calls the Quran magic.

كُلُّ نَفۡسِۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ رَهِينَةٌ ﴿٣٨﴾

Every soul is hostage to what it has earned.
Al-Muddaththir 74:38

A short, weighty principle: every soul is held in pledge for what it has earned.

مَا سَلَكَكُمۡ فِي سَقَرَ ﴿٤٢﴾ قَالُواْ لَمۡ نَكُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ ﴿٤٣﴾ وَلَمۡ نَكُ نُطۡعِمُ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ ﴿٤٤﴾

42“What drove you into Saqar?” 43They will say, “We were not of those who prayed. 44Nor did we feed the destitute.
Al-Muddaththir 74:42–44

When the guilty are asked what brought them to Saqar, the first things they name are not praying and not feeding the poor.

Surah Al-Muddaththir in Arabic and English

All 56 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

    يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُدَّثِّرُ

    Ya ayyuha almuddaththiru

    O you Enrobed one.

  2. 2

    قُمۡ فَأَنذِرۡ

    Qum faanthir

    Arise and warn.

  3. 3

    وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرۡ

    Warabbaka fakabbir

    And magnify your Lord.

  4. 4

    وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرۡ

    Wathiyabaka fatahhir

    And purify your clothes.

  5. 5

    وَٱلرُّجۡزَ فَٱهۡجُرۡ

    Waalrrujza faohjur

    And abandon abominations.

  6. 6

    وَلَا تَمۡنُن تَسۡتَكۡثِرُ

    Wala tamnun tastakthiru

    And show no favor seeking gain.

  7. 7

    وَلِرَبِّكَ فَٱصۡبِرۡ

    Walirabbika faisbir

    And be constant for your Lord.

  8. 8

    فَإِذَا نُقِرَ فِي ٱلنَّاقُورِ

    Faitha nuqira fee alnnaqoori

    When the Trumpet is blown.

  9. 9

    فَذَٰلِكَ يَوۡمَئِذٖ يَوۡمٌ عَسِيرٌ

    Fathalika yawmaithin yawmun AAaseerun

    That Day will be a difficult day.

  10. 10

    عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ غَيۡرُ يَسِيرٖ

    AAala alkafireena ghayru yaseerin

    For the disbelievers—not easy.

  11. 11

    ذَرۡنِي وَمَنۡ خَلَقۡتُ وَحِيدٗا

    Tharnee waman khalaqtu waheedan

    Leave Me to him whom I created alone.

  12. 12

    وَجَعَلۡتُ لَهُۥ مَالٗا مَّمۡدُودٗا

    WajaAAaltu lahu malan mamdoodan

    And gave him vast wealth.

  13. 13

    وَبَنِينَ شُهُودٗا

    Wabaneena shuhoodan

    And children as witnesses.

  14. 14

    وَمَهَّدتُّ لَهُۥ تَمۡهِيدٗا

    Wamahhadtu lahu tamheedan

    And smoothed things for him.

  15. 15

    ثُمَّ يَطۡمَعُ أَنۡ أَزِيدَ

    Thumma yatmaAAu an azeeda

    Then he wants Me to add yet more!

  16. 16

    كَلَّآۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ لِأٓيَٰتِنَا عَنِيدٗا

    Kalla innahu kana liayatina AAaneedan

    By no means! He was stubborn towards Our revelations.

  17. 17

    سَأُرۡهِقُهُۥ صَعُودًا

    Saorhiquhu saAAoodan

    I will exhaust him increasingly.

  18. 18

    إِنَّهُۥ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ

    Innahu fakkara waqaddara

    He thought and analyzed.

  19. 19

    فَقُتِلَ كَيۡفَ قَدَّرَ

    Faqutila kayfa qaddara

    May he perish, how he analyzed.

  20. 20

    ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيۡفَ قَدَّرَ

    Thumma qutila kayfa qaddara

    Again: may he perish, how he analyzed.

  21. 21

    ثُمَّ نَظَرَ

    Thumma nathara

    Then he looked.

  22. 22

    ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ

    Thumma AAabasa wabasara

    Then he frowned and whined.

  23. 23

    ثُمَّ أَدۡبَرَ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ

    Thumma adbara waistakbara

    Then he turned back and was proud.

  24. 24

    فَقَالَ إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحۡرࣱ يُؤۡثَرُ

    Faqala in hatha illa sihrun yutharu

    And said, “This is nothing but magic from the past.

  25. 25

    إِنۡ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا قَوۡلُ ٱلۡبَشَرِ

    In hatha illa qawlu albashari

    This is nothing but the word of a mortal.”

  26. 26

    سَأُصۡلِيهِ سَقَرَ

    Saosleehi saqara

    I will roast him in Saqar.

  27. 27

    وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا سَقَرُ

    Wama adraka ma saqaru

    But what will explain to you what Saqar is?

  28. 28

    لَا تُبۡقِي وَلَا تَذَرُ

    La tubqee wala tatharu

    It neither leaves, nor spares.

  29. 29

    لَوَّاحَةࣱ لِّلۡبَشَرِ

    Lawwahatun lilbashari

    It scorches the flesh.

  30. 30

    عَلَيۡهَا تِسۡعَةَ عَشَرَ

    AAalayha tisAAata AAashara

    Over it are nineteen.

  31. 31

    وَمَا جَعَلۡنَآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلنَّارِ إِلَّا مَلَـٰٓئِكَةٗۖ وَمَا جَعَلۡنَا عِدَّتَهُمۡ إِلَّا فِتۡنَةٗ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيَسۡتَيۡقِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَيَزۡدَادَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِيمَٰنٗا وَلَا يَرۡتَابَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَلِيَقُولَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضࣱ وَٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلٗاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَا يَعۡلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ وَمَا هِيَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرَىٰ لِلۡبَشَرِ

    Wama jaAAalna ashaba alnnari illa malaikatan wama jaAAalna AAiddatahum illa fitnatan lillatheena kafaroo liyastayqina allatheena ootoo alkitaba wayazdada allatheena amanoo eemanan wala yartaba allatheena ootoo alkitaba waalmuminoona waliyaqoola allatheena fee quloobihim maradun waalkafiroona matha arada Allahu bihatha mathalan kathalika yudillu Allahu man yashao wayahdee man yashao wama yaAAlamu junooda rabbika illa huwa wama hiya illa thikra lilbashari

    We have appointed only angels to be wardens of the Fire, and caused their number to be a stumbling block for those who disbelieve; so that those given the Scripture may attain certainty; and those who believe may increase in faith; and those given the Scripture and the believers may not doubt; and those in whose hearts is sickness and the unbelievers may say, “What did Allah intend by this parable?” Thus Allah leads astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. None knows the soldiers of your Lord except He. This is nothing but a reminder for the mortals.

  32. 32

    كَلَّا وَٱلۡقَمَرِ

    Kalla waalqamari

    Nay! By the moon.

  33. 33

    وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذۡ أَدۡبَرَ

    Waallayli ith adbara

    And the night as it retreats.

  34. 34

    وَٱلصُّبۡحِ إِذَآ أَسۡفَرَ

    Waalssubhi itha asfara

    And the morning as it lights up.

  35. 35

    إِنَّهَا لَإِحۡدَى ٱلۡكُبَرِ

    Innaha laihda alkubari

    It is one of the greatest.

  36. 36

    نَذِيرٗا لِّلۡبَشَرِ

    Natheeran lilbashari

    A warning to the mortals.

  37. 37

    لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمۡ أَن يَتَقَدَّمَ أَوۡ يَتَأَخَّرَ

    Liman shaa minkum an yataqaddama aw yataakhkhara

    To whomever among you wishes to advance, or regress.

  38. 38

    كُلُّ نَفۡسِۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ رَهِينَةٌ

    Kullu nafsin bima kasabat raheenatun

    Every soul is hostage to what it has earned.

  39. 39

    إِلَّآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡيَمِينِ

    Illa ashaba alyameeni

    Except for those on the Right.

  40. 40

    فِي جَنَّـٰتٖ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ

    Fee jannatin yatasaaloona

    In Gardens, inquiring.

  41. 41

    عَنِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ

    AAani almujrimeena

    About the guilty.

  42. 42

    مَا سَلَكَكُمۡ فِي سَقَرَ

    Ma salakakum fee saqara

    “What drove you into Saqar?”

  43. 43

    قَالُواْ لَمۡ نَكُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ

    Qaloo lam naku mina almusalleena

    They will say, “We were not of those who prayed.

  44. 44

    وَلَمۡ نَكُ نُطۡعِمُ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ

    Walam naku nutAAimu almiskeena

    Nor did we feed the destitute.

  45. 45

    وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ ٱلۡخَآئِضِينَ

    Wakunna nakhoodu maAAa alkhaideena

    And we used to indulge with those who indulge.

  46. 46

    وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ

    Wakunna nukaththibu biyawmi alddeeni

    And we used to deny the Day of Judgment.

  47. 47

    حَتَّىٰٓ أَتَىٰنَا ٱلۡيَقِينُ

    Hatta atana alyaqeenu

    Until the Inevitable came upon us.”

  48. 48

    فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمۡ شَفَٰعَةُ ٱلشَّـٰفِعِينَ

    Fama tanfaAAuhum shafaAAatu alshshafiAAeena

    But the intercession of intercessors will not help them.

  49. 49

    فَمَا لَهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلتَّذۡكِرَةِ مُعۡرِضِينَ

    Fama lahum AAani alttathkirati muAArideena

    Why are they turning away from the Reminder?

  50. 50

    كَأَنَّهُمۡ حُمُرࣱ مُّسۡتَنفِرَةࣱ

    Kaannahum humurun mustanfiratun

    As though they were panicked donkeys.

  51. 51

    فَرَّتۡ مِن قَسۡوَرَةِۭ

    Farrat min qaswaratin

    Fleeing from a lion?

  52. 52

    بَلۡ يُرِيدُ كُلُّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَن يُؤۡتَىٰ صُحُفٗا مُّنَشَّرَةٗ

    Bal yureedu kullu imriin minhum an yuta suhufan munashsharatan

    Yet every one of them desires to be given scrolls unrolled.

  53. 53

    كَلَّاۖ بَل لَّا يَخَافُونَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ

    Kalla bal la yakhafoona alakhirata

    No indeed! But they do not fear the Hereafter.

  54. 54

    كَلَّآ إِنَّهُۥ تَذۡكِرَةࣱ

    Kalla innahu tathkiratun

    Nevertheless, it is a reminder.

  55. 55

    فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ

    Faman shaa thakarahu

    So whoever wills, shall remember it.

  56. 56

    وَمَا يَذۡكُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ هُوَ أَهۡلُ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ وَأَهۡلُ ٱلۡمَغۡفِرَةِ

    Wama yathkuroona illa an yashaa Allahu huwa ahlu alttaqwa waahlu almaghfirati

    But they will not remember, unless Allah wills. He is the Source of Righteousness, and the Source of Forgiveness.

Surah Al-Muddaththir PDF

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Questions about Surah Al-Muddaththir

How many verses are in Surah Al-Muddaththir?

Surah Al-Muddaththir has 56 verses. It is a Meccan surah and the 74th in the Quran.

Was Surah Muddathir the first revelation?

The first verses revealed are those at the start of Surah Al-Alaq. Sahih al-Bukhari reports that the opening of Al-Muddaththir came after a pause in revelation, so it is among the very first.

What is the meaning of the 19 in Surah Muddathir?

Verse 30 says nineteen are over Saqar, and verse 31 explains that they are angels set as keepers of the Fire and that their number was mentioned as a test of faith.

Who is the man described in Surah Muddathir?

Classical commentators identify the man in verses 11 to 25 as al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah, a wealthy leader of Quraysh who called the Quran magic. The surah itself does not name him.