سُورَةُ عَبَسَ

Surah Abasa

He frowned · 42 verses · Meccan

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

About this surah

The name. Abasa means "He Frowned," from its opening verse describing the Prophet frowning and turning away when a blind man came to him while he was occupied with addressing a group of Meccan notables (80:1-2), a moment the surah addresses directly rather than passing over. It is Meccan, and stands out among the surahs for correcting its own Prophet's conduct in the plainest terms, in front of whoever reads it afterward.

What it is known for. The surah is known precisely for that opening correction: the one man who came eagerly to learn was given less attention than those who showed no such eagerness at all, and the surah asks directly what could tell the Prophet that the blind man might have purified himself or been reminded and benefited (80:3-4). It also carries, later on, one of the Quran's compact statements on man's own creation and provision, and a description of faces bright and joyful set against faces stained with dust and covered with gloom on the Day of Judgment (80:38-42).

Reading it. At 42 ayahs it is a mid-short surah, read comfortably in one sitting. It moves from the specific personal correction of its opening into broader material on creation, provision, and the resurrection, so a first-time reader should expect the famous opening episode to occupy only its first several verses before the surah widens into more general subject matter.

Last updated: 2026-10-23

Translation: Sahih International · alquran.cloud

  1. 1

    بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ

    The Prophet frowned and turned away

  2. 2

    أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ

    Because there came to him the blind man, [interrupting].

  3. 3

    وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ

    But what would make you perceive, [O Muhammad], that perhaps he might be purified

  4. 4

    أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰٓ

    Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him?

  5. 5

    أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسْتَغْنَىٰ

    As for he who thinks himself without need,

  6. 6

    فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ

    To him you give attention.

  7. 7

    وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ

    And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified.

  8. 8

    وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسْعَىٰ

    But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge]

  9. 9

    وَهُوَ يَخْشَىٰ

    While he fears [Allah],

  10. 10

    فَأَنتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّىٰ

    From him you are distracted.

  11. 11

    كَلَّآ إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌۭ

    No! Indeed, these verses are a reminder;

  12. 12

    فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ

    So whoever wills may remember it.

  13. 13

    فِى صُحُفٍۢ مُّكَرَّمَةٍۢ

    [It is recorded] in honored sheets,

  14. 14

    مَّرْفُوعَةٍۢ مُّطَهَّرَةٍۭ

    Exalted and purified,

  15. 15

    بِأَيْدِى سَفَرَةٍۢ

    [Carried] by the hands of messenger-angels,

  16. 16

    كِرَامٍۭ بَرَرَةٍۢ

    Noble and dutiful.

  17. 17

    قُتِلَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ مَآ أَكْفَرَهُۥ

    Cursed is man; how disbelieving is he.

  18. 18

    مِنْ أَىِّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ

    From what substance did He create him?

  19. 19

    مِن نُّطْفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ

    From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him;

  20. 20

    ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُۥ

    Then He eased the way for him;

  21. 21

    ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُۥ فَأَقْبَرَهُۥ

    Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him.

  22. 22

    ثُمَّ إِذَا شَآءَ أَنشَرَهُۥ

    Then when He wills, He will resurrect him.

  23. 23

    كَلَّا لَمَّا يَقْضِ مَآ أَمَرَهُۥ

    No! Man has not yet accomplished what He commanded him.

  24. 24

    فَلْيَنظُرِ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦٓ

    Then let mankind look at his food -

  25. 25

    أَنَّا صَبَبْنَا ٱلْمَآءَ صَبًّۭا

    How We poured down water in torrents,

  26. 26

    ثُمَّ شَقَقْنَا ٱلْأَرْضَ شَقًّۭا

    Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts],

  27. 27

    فَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا حَبًّۭا

    And caused to grow within it grain

  28. 28

    وَعِنَبًۭا وَقَضْبًۭا

    And grapes and herbage

  29. 29

    وَزَيْتُونًۭا وَنَخْلًۭا

    And olive and palm trees

  30. 30

    وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلْبًۭا

    And gardens of dense shrubbery

  31. 31

    وَفَٰكِهَةًۭ وَأَبًّۭا

    And fruit and grass -

  32. 32

    مَّتَٰعًۭا لَّكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَٰمِكُمْ

    [As] enjoyment for you and your grazing livestock.

  33. 33

    فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلصَّآخَّةُ

    But when there comes the Deafening Blast

  34. 34

    يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ

    On the Day a man will flee from his brother

  35. 35

    وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ

    And his mother and his father

  36. 36

    وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ

    And his wife and his children,

  37. 37

    لِكُلِّ ٱمْرِئٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ شَأْنٌۭ يُغْنِيهِ

    For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him.

  38. 38

    وُجُوهٌۭ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ مُّسْفِرَةٌۭ

    [Some] faces, that Day, will be bright -

  39. 39

    ضَاحِكَةٌۭ مُّسْتَبْشِرَةٌۭ

    Laughing, rejoicing at good news.

  40. 40

    وَوُجُوهٌۭ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَلَيْهَا غَبَرَةٌۭ

    And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust.

  41. 41

    تَرْهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ

    Blackness will cover them.

  42. 42

    أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْكَفَرَةُ ٱلْفَجَرَةُ

    Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones.