Surah Al-Bayyinah

البينة

Surah Al-Bayyinah is an 8-verse Medinan surah about the coming of the Clear Evidence, the Prophet ﷺ and his scripture, and how people divided over it.

Meaning
The Clear Proof
Surah
98 of 114
Verses
8
Revealed in
Medina
Found in
Juz 30

What Surah Al-Bayyinah is about

Surah Al-Bayyinah, "The Clear Proof", opens by saying that those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists would not leave their ways until the Clear Evidence came to them (verse 1). Verses 2 and 3 describe that evidence: a messenger from Allah reciting purified pages that contain upright writings.

Verse 4 notes that the People of the Scripture did not divide until after that clear evidence had come. Verse 5 then states what they had been commanded all along: to worship Allah alone with sincere devotion, to establish prayer and to give charity, and it calls this the upright religion.

The last three verses describe two outcomes. Verse 6 describes those who reject the truth as the worst of creatures, and verse 7 calls those who believe and do good the best of creatures. Verse 8 describes their reward, gardens of eternity, and ends with the words that Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, for whoever stands in awe of their Lord.

Main themes

  1. The Clear Evidence

    The surah identifies the clear proof as a messenger reciting purified scripture. It presents the Prophet ﷺ as the turning point that made people's positions clear.

    Verses 1–4
  2. The core of religion

    Verse 5 reduces religion to sincere worship of Allah alone, prayer and charity. This is described as what earlier communities had been commanded too.

    Verse 5
  3. Best and worst of creatures

    The surah ends with two groups and their fates. For the believers, it describes a relationship of mutual pleasure between them and Allah.

    Verses 6–8

Verses to know

وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓاْ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلۡقَيِّمَةِ ﴿٥﴾

They were commanded only to worship Allah, devoting their faith to Him alone, and to practice regular prayer, and to give alms. That is the upright religion.
Al-Bayyinah 98:5

A concise summary of the religion: sincere devotion to Allah alone, prayer and charity. It is often quoted when discussing sincerity of intention.

جَزَآؤُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّـٰتُ عَدۡنٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدٗاۖ رَّضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنۡ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُۥ ﴿٨﴾

Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens of Eternity beneath which rivers flow, where they will abide forever. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. That is for whoever fears his Lord.
Al-Bayyinah 98:8

Ends with the description of Allah being pleased with the believers and they with Him, a phrase that has become a common expression of hope.

When Surah Al-Bayyinah is recited

Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report that the Prophet ﷺ told Ubayy ibn Ka'b that Allah had commanded him to recite this surah to him. Ubayy asked whether Allah had named him, and when told yes, he wept.

Surah Al-Bayyinah in Arabic and English

All 8 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

    لَمۡ يَكُنِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّىٰ تَأۡتِيَهُمُ ٱلۡبَيِّنَةُ

    Lam yakuni allatheena kafaroo min ahli alkitabi waalmushrikeena munfakkeena hatta tatiyahumu albayyinatu

    Those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture, and the polytheists, were not apart, until the Clear Evidence came to them.

  2. 2

    رَسُولࣱ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ يَتۡلُواْ صُحُفٗا مُّطَهَّرَةٗ

    Rasoolun mina Allahi yatloo suhufan mutahharatan

    A messenger from Allah reciting purified scripts.

  3. 3

    فِيهَا كُتُبࣱ قَيِّمَةࣱ

    Feeha kutubun qayyimatun

    In them are valuable writings.

  4. 4

    وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَيِّنَةُ

    Wama tafarraqa allatheena ootoo alkitaba illa min baAAdi ma jaathumu albayyinatu

    Those who were given the Scripture did not splinter, except after the Clear Evidence came to them.

  5. 5

    وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓاْ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلۡقَيِّمَةِ

    Wama omiroo illa liyaAAbudoo Allaha mukhliseena lahu alddeena hunafaa wayuqeemoo alssalata wayutoo alzzakata wathalika deenu alqayyimati

    They were commanded only to worship Allah, devoting their faith to Him alone, and to practice regular prayer, and to give alms. That is the upright religion.

  6. 6

    إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآۚ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمۡ شَرُّ ٱلۡبَرِيَّةِ

    Inna allatheena kafaroo min ahli alkitabi waalmushrikeena fee nari jahannama khalideena feeha olaika hum sharru albariyyati

    Those who disbelieve among the People of the Scripture, and the polytheists, will be in the Fire of Hell, where they will abide forever. These are the worst of creatures.

  7. 7

    إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمۡ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡبَرِيَّةِ

    Inna allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo alssalihati olaika hum khayru albariyyati

    As for those who believe and lead a righteous life—these are the best of creatures.

  8. 8

    جَزَآؤُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّـٰتُ عَدۡنٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدٗاۖ رَّضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنۡ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُۥ

    Jazaohum AAinda rabbihim jannatu AAadnin tajree min tahtiha alanharu khalideena feeha abadan radiya Allahu AAanhum waradoo AAanhu thalika liman khashiya rabbahu

    Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens of Eternity beneath which rivers flow, where they will abide forever. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. That is for whoever fears his Lord.

Surah Al-Bayyinah PDF

The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.

Download the PDF

Questions about Surah Al-Bayyinah

Is Surah Al-Bayyinah Meccan or Medinan?

It is listed as Medinan, though a minority of scholars considered it Meccan.

How many verses are in Surah Al-Bayyinah?

Surah Al-Bayyinah has 8 verses. It is the 98th surah.

What is the Clear Evidence in Surah Al-Bayyinah?

Verses 2 and 3 identify it as a messenger from Allah reciting purified pages containing upright writings, understood as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the Quran.