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Surah Al-Mursalat

المرسلات

Surah Al-Mursalat is a Meccan surah of 50 verses that swears by forces sent out one after another that the promised Day will come, with a refrain of warning repeated ten times.

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Meaning
The Emissaries
Surah
77 of 114
Verses
50
Revealed in
Mecca
Found in
Juz 29

What Surah Al-Mursalat is about

Al-Mursalat is the 77th surah of the Quran, revealed in Mecca, with 50 verses. It closes the 29th juz. Its name means Those Sent Forth, from its opening oath. Commentators differ on whether these are winds, angels or both, and the first five verses describe them being sent in succession, storming, scattering, separating, and delivering a reminder. Sahih al-Bukhari reports from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud that this surah was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ while he and his companions were in a cave at Mina.

Verse 7 states the point of the oaths: what you are promised will certainly happen. Verses 8 to 15 describe the stars blotted out, the sky split open, the mountains blown away, and the messengers' appointed time, a Day of Decision. Verse 15 then introduces a refrain that recurs ten times in the surah: woe on that Day to the deniers.

Between the refrains, the surah offers short arguments. Verses 16 to 18 recall earlier nations that were destroyed. Verses 20 to 23 point to human creation from a humble fluid kept in a secure place for a known term. Verses 25 to 27 describe the earth gathering the living and the dead, with firm mountains and fresh water. Verses 29 to 33 describe the deniers led toward a shadow of three branches that gives no shade, with sparks like great castles.

Verses 35 to 40 describe a Day when they will not speak and will not be allowed to make excuses. Verses 41 to 44 show the righteous among shade, springs and fruit. The surah ends by noting that when the deniers are told to bow, they do not, and asks in verse 50 what message after this one they will believe.

Main themes

  1. Oaths by what is sent forth

    The surah opens with five quick oaths by things sent out in succession, which commentators understand as winds, angels or both. They lead to one statement in verse 7: what you are promised will come.

    Verses 1–7

  2. The Day of Decision

    Verses 8 to 14 describe the stars fading, the sky split and the mountains scattered, and call it the Day of Decision, when the messengers' appointed time arrives.

    Verses 8–15

  3. Signs in creation and history

    Between the refrains, the surah points to destroyed nations, human creation from a small fluid, and the earth that holds the living and the dead and gives fresh water to drink.

    Verses 16–28

  4. A refrain of warning

    The line woe on that Day to the deniers is repeated ten times, after each scene or argument. The repetition gives the surah its distinctive rhythm and keeps returning the listener to one question.

    Verses 15–50

Verses to know

إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَوَٰقِعࣱ ﴿٧﴾

Surely what you are promised will happen.
Al-Mursalat 77:7

The single statement all the opening oaths lead to: what people are promised will certainly happen.

أَلَمۡ نَخۡلُقكُّم مِّن مَّآءٖ مَّهِينٖ ﴿٢٠﴾ فَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ فِي قَرَارٖ مَّكِينٍ ﴿٢١﴾ إِلَىٰ قَدَرٖ مَّعۡلُومٖ ﴿٢٢﴾ فَقَدَرۡنَا فَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡقَٰدِرُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾

20Did We not create you from an insignificant fluid? 21Then lodged it in a secure place? 22For a known term? 23We measured precisely. We are the best to measure.
Al-Mursalat 77:20–23

A compact description of human creation, from an insignificant fluid kept in a secure place for a known term, measured precisely by Allah.

إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ فِي ظِلَٰلٖ وَعُيُونٖ ﴿٤١﴾ وَفَوَٰكِهَ مِمَّا يَشۡتَهُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾ كُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ هَنِيٓـَٔۢا بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ﴿٤٤﴾

41The righteous will be amidst shades and fountains. 42And fruits as they desire. 43“Eat and drink pleasantly, for what you used to do.” 44This is how We reward the doers of good.
Al-Mursalat 77:41–44

A brief contrast in a surah of warnings: the righteous among shade, springs and the fruits they desire, told to eat and drink in enjoyment.

فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثِۭ بَعۡدَهُۥ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ﴿٥٠﴾

In what message, beyond this, will they believe?
Al-Mursalat 77:50

The surah ends with a question that leaves the listener to answer: if not this message, then what will they believe.

When Surah Al-Mursalat is recited

Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report from Umm al-Fadl, the mother of Abdullah ibn Abbas, that the last recitation she heard from the Prophet ﷺ was Surah Al-Mursalat in the sunset prayer.

Surah Al-Mursalat in Arabic and English

All 50 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

    وَٱلۡمُرۡسَلَٰتِ عُرۡفٗا

    Waalmursalati AAurfan

    By those unleashed in succession.

  2. 2

    فَٱلۡعَٰصِفَٰتِ عَصۡفٗا

    FaalAAasifati AAasfan

    Storming turbulently.

  3. 3

    وَٱلنَّـٰشِرَٰتِ نَشۡرٗا

    Waalnnashirati nashran

    Scattering far and wide.

  4. 4

    فَٱلۡفَٰرِقَٰتِ فَرۡقٗا

    Faalfariqati farqan

    Separating decisively.

  5. 5

    فَٱلۡمُلۡقِيَٰتِ ذِكۡرًا

    Faalmulqiyati thikran

    Delivering a message.

  6. 6

    عُذۡرًا أَوۡ نُذۡرًا

    AAuthran aw nuthran

    Excusing or warning.

  7. 7

    إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَوَٰقِعࣱ

    Innama tooAAadoona lawaqiAAun

    Surely what you are promised will happen.

  8. 8

    فَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ طُمِسَتۡ

    Faitha alnnujoomu tumisat

    When the stars are obliterated.

  9. 9

    وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ فُرِجَتۡ

    Waitha alssamao furijat

    And the sky is fractured.

  10. 10

    وَإِذَا ٱلۡجِبَالُ نُسِفَتۡ

    Waitha aljibalu nusifat

    And the mountains are blown away.

  11. 11

    وَإِذَا ٱلرُّسُلُ أُقِّتَتۡ

    Waitha alrrusulu oqqitat

    And the messengers are alerted.

  12. 12

    لِأَيِّ يَوۡمٍ أُجِّلَتۡ

    Liayyi yawmin ojjilat

    Until which day is it deferred?

  13. 13

    لِيَوۡمِ ٱلۡفَصۡلِ

    Liyawmi alfasli

    Until the Day of Decision.

  14. 14

    وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا يَوۡمُ ٱلۡفَصۡلِ

    Wama adraka ma yawmu alfasli

    And what will teach you what the Day of Decision is?

  15. 15

    وَيۡلࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

    Waylun yawmaithin lilmukaththibeena

    Woe on that Day to the liars.

  16. 16

    أَلَمۡ نُهۡلِكِ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ

    Alam nuhliki alawwaleena

    Did We not destroy the ancients?

  17. 17

    ثُمَّ نُتۡبِعُهُمُ ٱلۡأٓخِرِينَ

    Thumma nutbiAAuhumu alakhireena

    Then succeeded them with the others?

  18. 18

    كَذَٰلِكَ نَفۡعَلُ بِٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ

    Kathalika nafAAalu bialmujrimeena

    This is how We deal with the guilty.

  19. 19

    وَيۡلࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

    Waylun yawmaithin lilmukaththibeena

    Woe on that Day to the rejecters.

  20. 20

    أَلَمۡ نَخۡلُقكُّم مِّن مَّآءٖ مَّهِينٖ

    Alam nakhluqkum min main maheenin

    Did We not create you from an insignificant fluid?

  21. 21

    فَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ فِي قَرَارٖ مَّكِينٍ

    FajaAAalnahu fee qararin makeenin

    Then lodged it in a secure place?

  22. 22

    إِلَىٰ قَدَرٖ مَّعۡلُومٖ

    Ila qadarin maAAloomin

    For a known term?

  23. 23

    فَقَدَرۡنَا فَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡقَٰدِرُونَ

    Faqadarna faniAAma alqadiroona

    We measured precisely. We are the best to measure.

  24. 24

    وَيۡلࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

    Waylun yawmaithin lilmukaththibeena

    Woe on that Day to the falsifiers.

  25. 25

    أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَلِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ كِفَاتًا

    Alam najAAali alarda kifatan

    Did We not make the earth a homestead?

  26. 26

    أَحۡيَآءٗ وَأَمۡوَٰتٗا

    Ahyaan waamwatan

    For the living and the dead?

  27. 27

    وَجَعَلۡنَا فِيهَا رَوَٰسِيَ شَٰمِخَٰتٖ وَأَسۡقَيۡنَٰكُم مَّآءٗ فُرَاتٗا

    WajaAAalna feeha rawasiya shamikhatin waasqaynakum maan furatan

    And set on it lofty mountains, and give you pure water to drink?

  28. 28

    وَيۡلࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

    Waylun yawmaithin lilmukaththibeena

    Woe on that Day to the deniers.

  29. 29

    ٱنطَلِقُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ مَا كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ

    Intaliqoo ila ma kuntum bihi tukaththiboona

    “Proceed to what you used to deny.”

  30. 30

    ٱنطَلِقُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ ظِلّٖ ذِي ثَلَٰثِ شُعَبٖ

    Intaliqoo ila thillin thee thalathi shuAAabin

    “Proceed to a shadow of three different masses.”

  31. 31

    لَّا ظَلِيلٖ وَلَا يُغۡنِي مِنَ ٱللَّهَبِ

    La thaleelin wala yughnee mina allahabi

    Offering no shade, and unavailing against the flames.

  32. 32

    إِنَّهَا تَرۡمِي بِشَرَرٖ كَٱلۡقَصۡرِ

    Innaha tarmee bishararin kaalqasri

    It shoots sparks as castles.

  33. 33

    كَأَنَّهُۥ جِمَٰلَتࣱ صُفۡرࣱ

    Kaannahu jimalatun sufrun

    As if they were yellow camels.

  34. 34

    وَيۡلࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

    Waylun yawmaithin lilmukaththibeena

    Woe on that Day to the liars.

  35. 35

    هَٰذَا يَوۡمُ لَا يَنطِقُونَ

    Hatha yawmu la yantiqoona

    This is a Day when they will not speak.

  36. 36

    وَلَا يُؤۡذَنُ لَهُمۡ فَيَعۡتَذِرُونَ

    Wala yuthanu lahum fayaAAtathiroona

    And they will not be allowed to apologize.

  37. 37

    وَيۡلࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

    Waylun yawmaithin lilmukaththibeena

    Woe on that Day to the rejecters.

  38. 38

    هَٰذَا يَوۡمُ ٱلۡفَصۡلِۖ جَمَعۡنَٰكُمۡ وَٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ

    Hatha yawmu alfasli jamaAAnakum waalawwaleena

    This is the Day of Separation; We have gathered you, together with the ancients.

  39. 39

    فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمۡ كَيۡدࣱ فَكِيدُونِ

    Fain kana lakum kaydun fakeedooni

    So if you have a strategy, use it against Me.

  40. 40

    وَيۡلࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

    Waylun yawmaithin lilmukaththibeena

    Woe on that Day to the falsifiers.

  41. 41

    إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ فِي ظِلَٰلٖ وَعُيُونٖ

    Inna almuttaqeena fee thilalin waAAuyoonin

    The righteous will be amidst shades and fountains.

  42. 42

    وَفَوَٰكِهَ مِمَّا يَشۡتَهُونَ

    Wafawakiha mimma yashtahoona

    And fruits as they desire.

  43. 43

    كُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ هَنِيٓـَٔۢا بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

    Kuloo waishraboo haneean bima kuntum taAAmaloona

    “Eat and drink pleasantly, for what you used to do.”

  44. 44

    إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ

    Inna kathalika najzee almuhsineena

    This is how We reward the doers of good.

  45. 45

    وَيۡلࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

    Waylun yawmaithin lilmukaththibeena

    Woe on that Day to the deniers.

  46. 46

    كُلُواْ وَتَمَتَّعُواْ قَلِيلًا إِنَّكُم مُّجۡرِمُونَ

    Kuloo watamattaAAoo qaleelan innakum mujrimoona

    “Eat and enjoy yourselves a little; you are indeed criminals.”

  47. 47

    وَيۡلࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

    Waylun yawmaithin lilmukaththibeena

    Woe on that Day to the liars.

  48. 48

    وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱرۡكَعُواْ لَا يَرۡكَعُونَ

    Waitha qeela lahumu irkaAAoo la yarkaAAoona

    And when it is said to them, “Kneel,” they do not kneel.

  49. 49

    وَيۡلࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

    Waylun yawmaithin lilmukaththibeena

    Woe on that Day to the rejecters.

  50. 50

    فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثِۭ بَعۡدَهُۥ يُؤۡمِنُونَ

    Fabiayyi hadeethin baAAdahu yuminoona

    In what message, beyond this, will they believe?

Surah Al-Mursalat 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-Mursalat

How many times is woe on that Day to the deniers repeated in Surah Mursalat?

The refrain appears ten times in Surah Al-Mursalat, first in verse 15 and last in verse 49.

How many verses are in Surah Al-Mursalat?

Surah Al-Mursalat has 50 verses. It is a Meccan surah and the last surah of the 29th juz.

Where was Surah Al-Mursalat revealed?

Sahih al-Bukhari reports from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud that it was revealed while the Prophet ﷺ and his companions were in a cave at Mina.

What does Al-Mursalat mean?

Al-Mursalat means those sent forth. It refers to the opening oath, which commentators understand as winds, angels or both.