Surah At-Takathur
التكاثر
Surah At-Takathur is an 8-verse Meccan surah warning that the race for more distracts people until death, and that everyone will be asked about the blessings they enjoyed.
- Meaning
- The Rivalry in world increase
- Surah
- 102 of 114
- Verses
- 8
- Revealed in
- Mecca
- Found in
- Juz 30
What Surah At-Takathur is about
Surah At-Takathur, "The Rivalry in World Increase", opens with a diagnosis in verses 1 and 2: the competition for more has distracted you until you visit the graves. The word takathur covers competing in wealth, children, status and numbers, and visiting the graves is understood as dying.
Verses 3 and 4 repeat a warning that you will come to know. Verses 5 to 7 describe stages of certainty: if people knew with certain knowledge, they would see the Fire, and then they will indeed see it with the eye of certainty. The surah ends in verse 8 by saying that on that Day people will be asked about the pleasures they enjoyed.
The surah is short, but its movement is clear: it starts with a distracted life, moves to death and the sight of the Fire, and ends with questioning about everyday blessings. Commentators note that this questioning covers even ordinary comforts such as food, water, health and free time.
Main themes
The race for more
The surah names the drive to accumulate and compare, and says it can fill a whole life until death. It is a short but direct challenge to a very common habit.
Verses 1–2Knowledge and certainty
The surah moves from knowing to seeing. It contrasts knowledge that changes how you live with certainty that arrives only when it is too late.
Verses 3–7Asked about every blessing
Verse 8 reminds people that the comforts they enjoy, even small ones, are blessings they will be asked about.
Verse 8
Verses to know
أَلۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ ﴿١﴾ حَتَّىٰ زُرۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَقَابِرَ ﴿٢﴾
1Abundance distracts you. 2Until you visit the graveyards.
A two-verse description of a life spent competing for more until the grave. Sahih Muslim records the Prophet ﷺ reciting it and reminding people that what truly belongs to them is what they eat, wear or give in charity.
ثُمَّ لَتُسۡـَٔلُنَّ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَنِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ ﴿٨﴾
Then, on that Day, you will be questioned about the bliss.
The final verse about being questioned over blessings. Sahih Muslim reports the Prophet ﷺ mentioning it after a simple meal of dates, meat and water.
Surah At-Takathur 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
أَلۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ
Alhakumu alttakathuru
Abundance distracts you.
- 2
حَتَّىٰ زُرۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَقَابِرَ
Hatta zurtumu almaqabira
Until you visit the graveyards.
- 3
كَلَّا سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ
Kalla sawfa taAAlamoona
Indeed, you will know.
- 4
ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ
Thumma kalla sawfa taAAlamoona
Certainly, you will know.
- 5
كَلَّا لَوۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ عِلۡمَ ٱلۡيَقِينِ
Kalla law taAAlamoona AAilma alyaqeeni
If you knew with knowledge of certainty.
- 6
لَتَرَوُنَّ ٱلۡجَحِيمَ
Latarawunna aljaheema
You would see the Inferno.
- 7
ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيۡنَ ٱلۡيَقِينِ
Thumma latarawunnaha AAayna alyaqeeni
Then you will see it with the eye of certainty.
- 8
ثُمَّ لَتُسۡـَٔلُنَّ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَنِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
Thumma latusalunna yawmaithin AAani alnnaAAeemi
Then, on that Day, you will be questioned about the bliss.
Surah At-Takathur PDF
The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.
Questions about Surah At-Takathur
What does Takathur mean?
Takathur means competing with one another in having more, whether wealth, children or status. The surah says this rivalry distracts people until they reach the grave.
How many verses are in Surah At-Takathur?
Surah At-Takathur has 8 verses. It is the 102nd surah and a Meccan surah.
What blessings will we be asked about in Surah At-Takathur?
Verse 8 says people will be questioned about the pleasures they enjoyed. A hadith in Sahih Muslim applies it even to a simple meal of dates, meat and fresh water.