Surah Al-'Adiyat
العاديات
Surah Al-'Adiyat is an 11-verse Meccan surah that swears by horses charging into battle to point out human ingratitude and love of wealth.
- Meaning
- The Courser
- Surah
- 100 of 114
- Verses
- 11
- Revealed in
- Mecca
- Found in
- Juz 30
What Surah Al-'Adiyat is about
Surah Al-'Adiyat, "The Courser", opens with one of the most vivid scenes in the Quran. Verses 1 to 5 describe war horses running and panting, striking sparks with their hooves, raiding at dawn, kicking up clouds of dust and charging into the middle of the enemy. Most commentators understand them as cavalry horses, though some early scholars took them to be the camels of pilgrims.
The oaths lead to the surah's point in verses 6 to 8: the human being is ungrateful to their Lord, is a witness to this themselves, and is intense in the love of wealth. The contrast is pointed: the horse gives everything for its rider, while people often give little thanks to the One who provides for them.
Verses 9 to 11 close with a question. Does the human being not know what will happen when the contents of the graves are scattered and what is hidden in hearts is brought out? On that Day their Lord will be fully aware of them.
Main themes
The charging horses
Five short verses build a scene of horses racing through the dark into battle at dawn. The loyal, tireless animal sets up a contrast with human ingratitude.
Verses 1–5Ingratitude and love of wealth
The surah names two human tendencies directly: being ungrateful to Allah and loving wealth intensely. It adds that a person's own conduct testifies to this.
Verses 6–8What is hidden comes out
On the Day of Judgment both the graves and the hearts give up what they contain. Allah's knowledge of people is complete.
Verses 9–11
Verses to know
إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لِرَبِّهِۦ لَكَنُودࣱ ﴿٦﴾
Indeed, the human being is ungrateful to his Lord.
The central statement of the surah, that the human being is ungrateful to their Lord. Everything before it is an oath leading here.
وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِي ٱلصُّدُورِ ﴿١٠﴾
And the contents of the hearts are obtained.
Says the contents of hearts will be brought out, placing intentions and hidden thoughts under judgment alongside actions.
Surah Al-'Adiyat in Arabic and English
All 11 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 1
وَٱلۡعَٰدِيَٰتِ ضَبۡحٗا
WaalAAadiyati dabhan
By the racers panting.
- 2
فَٱلۡمُورِيَٰتِ قَدۡحٗا
Faalmooriyati qadhan
Igniting sparks.
- 3
فَٱلۡمُغِيرَٰتِ صُبۡحٗا
Faalmugheerati subhan
Raiding at dawn.
- 4
فَأَثَرۡنَ بِهِۦ نَقۡعٗا
Faatharna bihi naqAAan
Raising clouds of dust.
- 5
فَوَسَطۡنَ بِهِۦ جَمۡعًا
Fawasatna bihi jamAAan
Storming into the midst.
- 6
إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لِرَبِّهِۦ لَكَنُودࣱ
Inna alinsana lirabbihi lakanoodun
Indeed, the human being is ungrateful to his Lord.
- 7
وَإِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ لَشَهِيدࣱ
Wainnahu AAala thalika lashaheedun
And he bears witness to that.
- 8
وَإِنَّهُۥ لِحُبِّ ٱلۡخَيۡرِ لَشَدِيدٌ
Wainnahu lihubbi alkhayri lashadeedun
And he is fierce in his love of wealth.
- 9
۞أَفَلَا يَعۡلَمُ إِذَا بُعۡثِرَ مَا فِي ٱلۡقُبُورِ
Afala yaAAlamu itha buAAthira ma fee alquboori
Does he not know? When the contents of the graves are scattered around.
- 10
وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِي ٱلصُّدُورِ
Wahussila ma fee alssudoori
And the contents of the hearts are obtained.
- 11
إِنَّ رَبَّهُم بِهِمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لَّخَبِيرُۢ
Inna rabbahum bihim yawmaithin lakhabeerun
Their Lord, on that Day, is fully Informed of them.
Surah Al-'Adiyat PDF
The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.
Questions about Surah Al-'Adiyat
What are the Adiyat in Surah Al-'Adiyat?
Most commentators understand them as war horses charging at dawn, panting and striking sparks. A view reported from Ali ibn Abi Talib took them to be the camels of pilgrims.
How many verses are in Surah Al-'Adiyat?
Surah Al-'Adiyat has 11 verses. It is the 100th surah and a Meccan surah.
What is the main message of Surah Al-'Adiyat?
That the human being is ungrateful to Allah and loves wealth intensely, and that on the Day of Judgment what is in graves and hearts will be brought out.