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Surah Al-Ghashiyah

الغاشية

Surah Al-Ghashiyah is a 26-verse Meccan surah that contrasts weary and joyful faces on the Day of Judgment and invites people to reflect on camels, the sky, mountains and earth.

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Meaning
The Overwhelming
Surah
88 of 114
Verses
26
Revealed in
Mecca
Found in
Juz 30

What Surah Al-Ghashiyah is about

Surah Al-Ghashiyah, "The Overwhelming", opens with a question to the Prophet ﷺ: has the news of the Overwhelming Event reached you. Verses 2 to 7 describe faces on that Day that are humbled, worn out and exhausted, burning in a hot fire, given water from a boiling spring and food of thorns that neither nourishes nor satisfies.

Verses 8 to 16 describe a second group of faces, joyful and pleased with their efforts, in a high Garden where no idle talk is heard. The scene is detailed and restful: a flowing spring, raised couches, cups placed ready, cushions in rows and carpets spread out.

Verses 17 to 20 turn to the listener's own world and ask them to look at the camel and how it was created, the sky and how it was raised, the mountains and how they were set firm, and the earth and how it was spread out. For people living in the Arabian desert, these were the things in front of them every day. Verses 21 and 22 tell the Prophet ﷺ that he is only a reminder and has no control over people. The surah ends with the warning that whoever turns away will face punishment, and that all will return to Allah for their reckoning.

Main themes

  1. Two kinds of faces

    The surah describes the Day of Judgment through faces: some exhausted and humbled, others glowing with contentment. The contrast puts the two outcomes side by side in a few verses.

    Verses 1–16

  2. Look at what is in front of you

    The camel, sky, mountains and earth are offered as signs anyone can see. Reflection begins with the ordinary world, not with abstract argument.

    Verses 17–20

  3. The messenger only reminds

    Verses 21 and 22 define the Prophet's role as reminding, not controlling. The final reckoning belongs to Allah alone.

    Verses 21–26

Verses to know

أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى ٱلۡإِبِلِ كَيۡفَ خُلِقَتۡ ﴿١٧﴾ وَإِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ كَيۡفَ رُفِعَتۡ ﴿١٨﴾ وَإِلَى ٱلۡجِبَالِ كَيۡفَ نُصِبَتۡ ﴿١٩﴾ وَإِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كَيۡفَ سُطِحَتۡ ﴿٢٠﴾

17Do they not look at the camels—how they are created? 18And at the sky—how it is raised? 19And at the mountains—how they are installed? 20And at the earth—how it is spread out?
Al-Ghashiyah 88:17–20

A well-known invitation to reflect on nature, starting with the camel. It moves the eye from the animal beside you, up to the sky, across to the mountains, and down to the ground.

فَذَكِّرۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُذَكِّرࣱ ﴿٢١﴾ لَّسۡتَ عَلَيۡهِم بِمُصَيۡطِرٍ ﴿٢٢﴾

21So remind. You are only a reminder. 22You have no control over them.
Al-Ghashiyah 88:21–22

Sets a clear limit on the messenger's role: he reminds, but has no control over people. Many readers find in it a model for how to share faith without pressure.

When Surah Al-Ghashiyah is recited

Sahih Muslim reports that the Prophet ﷺ recited Al-A'la (87) and Al-Ghashiyah in the Eid prayers and the Friday prayer, and the same collection reports him reciting Al-Jumu'ah and Al-Ghashiyah in the Friday prayer. Many imams continue to recite it there.

Surah Al-Ghashiyah in Arabic and English

All 26 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

    هَلۡ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ٱلۡغَٰشِيَةِ

    Hal ataka hadeethu alghashiyati

    Has there come to you the news of the Overwhelming?

  2. 2

    وُجُوهࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٍ خَٰشِعَةٌ

    Wujoohun yawmaithin khashiAAatun

    Faces on that Day will be shamed.

  3. 3

    عَامِلَةࣱ نَّاصِبَةࣱ

    AAamilatun nasibatun

    Laboring and exhausted.

  4. 4

    تَصۡلَىٰ نَارًا حَامِيَةٗ

    Tasla naran hamiyatan

    Roasting in a scorching Fire.

  5. 5

    تُسۡقَىٰ مِنۡ عَيۡنٍ ءَانِيَةٖ

    Tusqa min AAaynin aniyatin

    Given to drink from a flaming spring.

  6. 6

    لَّيۡسَ لَهُمۡ طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِن ضَرِيعٖ

    Laysa lahum taAAamun illa min dareeAAin

    They will have no food except thorns.

  7. 7

    لَّا يُسۡمِنُ وَلَا يُغۡنِي مِن جُوعٖ

    La yusminu wala yughnee min jooAAin

    That neither nourishes, nor satisfies hunger.

  8. 8

    وُجُوهࣱ يَوۡمَئِذٖ نَّاعِمَةࣱ

    Wujoohun yawmaithin naAAimatun

    Faces on that Day will be joyful.

  9. 9

    لِّسَعۡيِهَا رَاضِيَةࣱ

    LisaAAyiha radiyatun

    Satisfied with their endeavor.

  10. 10

    فِي جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٖ

    Fee jannatin AAaliyatin

    In a lofty Garden.

  11. 11

    لَّا تَسۡمَعُ فِيهَا لَٰغِيَةٗ

    La tasmaAAu feeha laghiyatan

    In it you will hear no nonsense.

  12. 12

    فِيهَا عَيۡنࣱ جَارِيَةࣱ

    Feeha AAaynun jariyatun

    In it is a flowing spring.

  13. 13

    فِيهَا سُرُرࣱ مَّرۡفُوعَةࣱ

    Feeha sururun marfooAAatun

    In it are raised beds.

  14. 14

    وَأَكۡوَابࣱ مَّوۡضُوعَةࣱ

    Waakwabun mawdooAAatun

    And cups set in place.

  15. 15

    وَنَمَارِقُ مَصۡفُوفَةࣱ

    Wanamariqu masfoofatun

    And cushions set in rows.

  16. 16

    وَزَرَابِيُّ مَبۡثُوثَةٌ

    Wazarabiyyu mabthoothatun

    And carpets spread around.

  17. 17

    أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى ٱلۡإِبِلِ كَيۡفَ خُلِقَتۡ

    Afala yanthuroona ila alibili kayfa khuliqat

    Do they not look at the camels—how they are created?

  18. 18

    وَإِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ كَيۡفَ رُفِعَتۡ

    Waila alssamai kayfa rufiAAat

    And at the sky—how it is raised?

  19. 19

    وَإِلَى ٱلۡجِبَالِ كَيۡفَ نُصِبَتۡ

    Waila aljibali kayfa nusibat

    And at the mountains—how they are installed?

  20. 20

    وَإِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كَيۡفَ سُطِحَتۡ

    Waila alardi kayfa sutihat

    And at the earth—how it is spread out?

  21. 21

    فَذَكِّرۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُذَكِّرࣱ

    Fathakkir innama anta muthakkirun

    So remind. You are only a reminder.

  22. 22

    لَّسۡتَ عَلَيۡهِم بِمُصَيۡطِرٍ

    Lasta AAalayhim bimusaytirin

    You have no control over them.

  23. 23

    إِلَّا مَن تَوَلَّىٰ وَكَفَرَ

    Illa man tawalla wakafara

    But whoever turns away and disbelieves.

  24. 24

    فَيُعَذِّبُهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡعَذَابَ ٱلۡأَكۡبَرَ

    FayuAAaththibuhu Allahu alAAathaba alakbara

    Allah will punish him with the greatest punishment.

  25. 25

    إِنَّ إِلَيۡنَآ إِيَابَهُمۡ

    Inna ilayna iyabahum

    To Us is their return.

  26. 26

    ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيۡنَا حِسَابَهُم

    Thumma inna AAalayna hisabahum

    Then upon Us rests their reckoning.

Surah Al-Ghashiyah 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-Ghashiyah

What does Al-Ghashiyah mean?

Al-Ghashiyah means the Overwhelming, the event that covers everything. It is one of the Quran's names for the Day of Judgment.

How many verses are in Surah Al-Ghashiyah?

Surah Al-Ghashiyah has 26 verses. It is the 88th surah and a Meccan surah.

Why does Surah Al-Ghashiyah mention camels?

Verse 17 asks people to look at how the camel was created, as a sign of Allah's design. For the Arabs who first heard it, the camel was the animal they depended on most, so it was an obvious place to start reflecting.