Thafseer Lafzi = the meaning of every word. For each surah: read the Arabic, learn the word-by-word meanings (the chips), then rebuild the translation in the Word-by-word tab. Theme / occasion / reflection are collapsed under each surah as background — context, not the focus of the lafzi paper. Flash mode hides the meanings so you can self-test.
سُورَةُ الْعَلَقِAl-Alaq — “The Clinging Clot” Makki · 19 verses · #96= the first revelation
Theme & context (background)
🎯 Theme: the call to read in the name of the Lord who creates and teaches — and a warning against the arrogance of the self-sufficient.
📜 Occasion of revelation (know this one!): verses 1–5 are the very first words of the Quran ever revealed,
in the cave of Hira, when Jibreel ﷺ embraced the Prophet ﷺ and commanded “Iqra! (Read!)”. The later verses (9–19)
were revealed about Abu Jahl, who forbade the Prophet ﷺ from praying at the Ka‘bah and threatened him; verse 19 is a
verse of prostration (sajdah).
Text & translation
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ ﴿١﴾1. Read in the name of your Lord who created —
خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ ﴿٢﴾2. created man from a clinging clot.
اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ ﴿٣﴾3. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous,
الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ ﴿٤﴾4. who taught by the pen,
عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ ﴿٥﴾5. taught man what he did not know.
كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَيَطْغَىٰ ﴿٦﴾ أَنْ رَآهُ اسْتَغْنَىٰ ﴿٧﴾6–7. No! Man truly transgresses, because he sees himself self-sufficient.
إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَىٰ ﴿٨﴾8. Indeed, to your Lord is the return.
أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَىٰ ﴿٩﴾ عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰ ﴿١٠﴾9–10. Have you seen the one who forbids a servant when he prays?
أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدَىٰ ﴿١١﴾ أَوْ أَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوَىٰ ﴿١٢﴾11–12. Have you seen — if he were on guidance, or enjoined piety?
أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ﴿١٣﴾ أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَىٰ ﴿١٤﴾13–14. Have you seen — if he denied and turned away? Does he not know that Allah sees?
كَلَّا لَئِنْ لَمْ يَنْتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًا بِالنَّاصِيَةِ ﴿١٥﴾ نَاصِيَةٍ كَاذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ ﴿١٦﴾15–16. No! If he does not desist, We will seize him by the forelock — a lying, sinful forelock.
فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُ ﴿١٧﴾ سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ ﴿١٨﴾17–18. So let him call his council — We will call the angels of Hell.
كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ ۩ ﴿١٩﴾19. No! Do not obey him; prostrate and draw near (to Allah).
Key words (lafzi)
اقْرَأْread! / recite!
عَلَقٍa clinging clot
الْأَكْرَمُthe Most Generous
عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِtaught by the pen
لَيَطْغَىٰhe transgresses / oversteps
اسْتَغْنَىٰsees himself self-sufficient
الرُّجْعَىٰthe return (to Allah)
النَّاصِيَةِthe forelock (front of the head)
الزَّبَانِيَةَthe angels of Hell
وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْprostrate and draw near
بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَin the name of your Lord
خَلَقَHe created
الْإِنْسَانَman / the human
كَلَّاNo! / Nay (a rebuke)
يَنْهَىٰhe forbids
عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰa servant when he prays
الْهُدَىٰguidance
أَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوَىٰenjoined piety
كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰdenied and turned away
يَرَىٰHe (Allah) sees
نَادِيَهُhis council / assembly
لَا تُطِعْهُdo not obey him
Reflection (background)
💡 Lesson: Islam begins with “Read” — seek knowledge and honour the pen. Wealth or status make people
arrogant (اسْتَغْنَىٰ); the cure is to remember the return to Allah and to prostrate and draw near.
سُورَةُ الْقَدْرِAl-Qadr — “The Night of Decree / Power” Makki · 5 verses · #97
Theme & context (background)
🎯 Theme: the honour of Laylat al-Qadr — the night the Quran began to descend, better than a thousand months.
📜 Context: describes the night in Ramadan on which the Quran was first sent down. Worship on this single
night outweighs a thousand months (~83 years); the angels and Jibreel (the Ruh) descend with every decree, and it is
peace until dawn. Believers seek it in the last ten nights of Ramadan.
Text & translation
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ﴿١﴾1. Indeed, We sent it down on the Night of Decree.
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ ﴿٢﴾2. And what will make you realise what the Night of Decree is?
لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ ﴿٣﴾3. The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ ﴿٤﴾4. The angels and the Spirit (Jibreel) descend in it by their Lord's permission with every decree.
سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ ﴿٥﴾5. Peace it is, until the break of dawn.
Key words (lafzi)
أَنْزَلْنَاهُWe sent it (the Quran) down
لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِthe Night of Decree / Power
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَwhat will make you realise
خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍbetter than a thousand months
تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُthe angels descend
وَالرُّوحُand the Spirit (Jibreel)
بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْby their Lord's permission
مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍwith every decree / matter
سَلَامٌpeace
مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِthe break of dawn
Reflection (background)
💡 Lesson: seek Laylat al-Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan — one night of sincere worship is worth
a lifetime (more than 83 years). Quality of devotion outweighs mere quantity of time.
سُورَةُ الْبَيِّنَةِAl-Bayyinah — “The Clear Proof” Madani · 8 verses · #98
Theme & context (background)
🎯 Theme: the coming of the clear proof (the Prophet ﷺ and the Quran), and that true religion is sincere
worship of Allah — believers are the best of creation, disbelievers the worst.
📜 Context (Madani — one of only three in the syllabus): addresses the People of the Book (Jews and Christians)
and the polytheists who would not give up their ways until the clear evidence — a Messenger reciting purified scriptures —
came to them. The upright religion is to worship Allah alone with sincerity, establish prayer and give zakat.
Text & translation
لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنْفَكِّينَ حَتَّىٰ تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ ﴿١﴾1. The disbelievers among the People of the Book and the polytheists were not to desist until the clear proof came to them —
رَسُولٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ يَتْلُو صُحُفًا مُطَهَّرَةً ﴿٢﴾2. a messenger from Allah reciting purified scriptures,
فِيهَا كُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ ﴿٣﴾3. within which are upright writings.
وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ ﴿٤﴾4. Those given the Scripture did not split until after the clear proof had come to them.
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ ﴿٥﴾5. They were ordered only to worship Allah, sincere in faith, upright, and to establish prayer and give zakat — that is the upright religion.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ ﴿٦﴾6. The disbelievers among the People of the Book and the polytheists will be in the Fire of Hell, abiding forever — they are the worst of creatures.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ ﴿٧﴾7. Indeed, those who believe and do good — they are the best of creatures.
جَزَاؤُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۚ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ ﴿٨﴾8. Their reward with their Lord is Gardens of Eternity beneath which rivers flow, abiding forever. Allah is pleased with them and they with Him — that is for whoever fears his Lord.
Key words (lafzi)
الْبَيِّنَةُthe clear proof / evidence
أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِthe People of the Book
الْمُشْرِكِينَthe polytheists
مُنْفَكِّينَdesisting / breaking away
صُحُفًا مُطَهَّرَةًpurified scriptures
مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَsincere to Him in religion
حُنَفَاءَupright (in pure monotheism)
شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِthe worst of creatures
خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِthe best of creatures
جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍGardens of Eternity
يَتْلُوhe recites
كُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌupright / valuable writings
تَفَرَّقَthey split / divided
يُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَestablish the prayer
يُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَgive the zakat
دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِthe upright religion
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَاabiding therein forever
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْAllah is pleased with them
خَشِيَ رَبَّهُfears his Lord
Reflection (background)
💡 Lesson: the “upright religion” (دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ) is three things — sincere worship of
Allah alone, prayer, and zakat. Faith + good deeds make you the best of creation.
سُورَةُ الزَّلْزَلَةِAz-Zalzalah — “The Earthquake” Madani · 8 verses · #99
Theme & context (background)
🎯 Theme: the Day of Resurrection begins with the earth's final earthquake; every atom's weight of good or evil will be seen.
📜 Context (Madani — one of only three in the syllabus): on that Day the earth will convulse, throw out its dead and
treasures, and testify to all that was done on it. People will come out in scattered groups to be shown their deeds —
nothing, however small, is overlooked.
Text & translation
إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا ﴿١﴾1. When the earth is shaken with its (final) earthquake,
وَأَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا ﴿٢﴾2. and the earth throws out its burdens,
وَقَالَ الْإِنْسَانُ مَا لَهَا ﴿٣﴾3. and man cries, “What is wrong with it?”
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا ﴿٤﴾4. That Day it will report its news,
بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَىٰ لَهَا ﴿٥﴾5. because your Lord has inspired it.
يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴿٦﴾6. That Day people will come forth in scattered groups to be shown their deeds.
فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ ﴿٧﴾7. So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it,
وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ ﴿٨﴾8. and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.
Key words (lafzi)
زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُthe earth is shaken
زِلْزَالَهَاits (mighty) earthquake
أَثْقَالَهَاits burdens (dead, treasures)
مَا لَهَاwhat is wrong with it?
يَوْمَئِذٍthat Day
يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُpeople come forth
لِيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْto be shown their deeds
تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَاit reports its news (testifies)
أَوْحَىٰ لَهَاHe inspired it
أَشْتَاتًاin scattered groups
مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍan atom's weight
خَيْرًا يَرَهُgood — he will see it
شَرًّا يَرَهُevil — he will see it
Reflection (background)
💡 Lesson: no good or evil is too small to count — the “atom's weight” verses. Never belittle a small good deed,
and never dismiss a small sin; the earth itself will testify.
Word-by-word translation drill. For each verse, tap the word-meanings in order
to rebuild the English translation. This is the heart of tafseer lafzi — practice, not graded.
One row per surah — your crib-sheet view. Then the memory hooks.
| Surah | Name means | Key word (lafzi) | Theme keyword | Revelation hook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| العلق Al-Alaq #96 · Makki | The clinging clot | اقْرَأْ Read! | “Read!” — knowledge & the pen | vv1–5 = the FIRST revelation (Cave of Hira); later vv = Abu Jahl |
| القدر Al-Qadr #97 · Makki | Night of Decree / Power | لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ the Night of Decree | Laylat al-Qadr > 1000 months | The night the Quran began to descend (Ramadan) |
| البينة Al-Bayyinah #98 · Madani | The clear proof | الْبَيِّنَةُ the clear proof | Sincere worship = the upright religion | People of the Book + polytheists; best vs worst of creation |
| الزلزلة Az-Zalzalah #99 · Madani | The earthquake | مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ an atom's weight | Atom's weight of good/evil seen | Earth quakes & testifies on the Day of Resurrection |
Memory hooks
- Two of the three Madani surahs live here: البينة (#98) and الزلزلة (#99) — consecutive numbers, easy to pair. The third is النصر (#110, lesson 6); everything else is Makki.
- Al-Alaq = the beginning of the Quran. First word ever revealed: اقْرَأْ (“Read!”). Then “taught by the pen” — Islam's love of knowledge from day one.
- Arrogance trigger: أَنْ رَآهُ اسْتَغْنَىٰ — man transgresses when he thinks he is self-sufficient. Cure (v19): وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ — prostrate and draw near.
- One night > 1000 months. Laylat al-Qadr's reward (~83 years) — angels + the Ruh descend, “peace until dawn.” Seek it in the last 10 nights of Ramadan.
- Bayyinah's “upright religion” = 3 things: sincere worship of Allah (مُخْلِصِينَ) + prayer + zakat. Believers = خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ (best of creation), disbelievers = شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ.
- Zalzalah's signature verses: مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ … شَرًّا يَرَهُ — an atom of good or evil, both seen. The earth will testify.
12 questions. Score 10/12 on first try (≥80%) to mark this lesson done and unlock the next.