Surah At-Tariq
الطارق
Surah At-Tariq is a 17-verse Meccan surah that swears by a piercing night star to affirm that every soul is watched over and that the One who created people can bring them back.
- Meaning
- The Nightcommer
- Surah
- 86 of 114
- Verses
- 17
- Revealed in
- Mecca
- Found in
- Juz 30
What Surah At-Tariq is about
Surah At-Tariq, "The Nightcomer", opens with an oath by the sky and at-Tariq, then asks what at-Tariq is and answers in verse 3: the piercing star, a bright star that appears at night. Verse 4 gives the reason for the oath: there is no soul without a guardian over it.
Verses 5 to 8 ask the human being to consider their own beginning, from a gushing fluid that comes from between the backbone and the ribs, and conclude that the One who made them is fully able to bring them back. Verses 9 and 10 describe that return as the Day when secrets are laid bare and a person has no strength and no helper.
A second pair of oaths follows in verses 11 and 12, by the sky that returns with rain and the earth that splits open with plants. They introduce the claim of verses 13 and 14: the Quran is a decisive word and no joke. The surah closes with verses 15 to 17, which acknowledge that the deniers are plotting, state that Allah too is planning, and tell the Prophet ﷺ to give them a little time.
Main themes
Every soul is watched over
The night star, bright and piercing, introduces the idea that no person is ever unobserved. Verse 4 is the core statement of the surah's opening.
Verses 1–4From a humble origin to resurrection
The surah points to how each person began as a small drop of fluid. If Allah could create them from that, raising them again is no harder.
Verses 5–10A word that is not a joke
Rain returning to the earth and seedlings breaking through soil frame the claim that the Quran is serious and decisive. The close tells the Prophet ﷺ to be patient while the deniers plot.
Verses 11–17
Verses to know
إِن كُلُّ نَفۡسٖ لَّمَّا عَلَيۡهَا حَافِظࣱ ﴿٤﴾
There is no soul without a protector over it.
A single short verse stating that every soul has a guardian over it. It works both as comfort and as a reminder of accountability.
يَوۡمَ تُبۡلَى ٱلسَّرَآئِرُ ﴿٩﴾
On the Day when the secrets are disclosed.
Describes the Day of Judgment as the Day when secrets are disclosed, a brief phrase that has stayed with many readers.
When Surah At-Tariq is recited
Jabir ibn Samurah reported that the Prophet ﷺ used to recite At-Tariq and Al-Buruj (85), and similar surahs, in the Dhuhr and Asr prayers, as recorded in Sunan Abu Dawud and Sunan at-Tirmidhi.
Surah At-Tariq in Arabic and English
All 17 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 1
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلطَّارِقِ
Waalssamai waalttariqi
By the sky and at-Tariq.
- 2
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلطَّارِقُ
Wama adraka ma alttariqu
But what will let you know what at-Tariq is?
- 3
ٱلنَّجۡمُ ٱلثَّاقِبُ
Alnnajmu alththaqibu
The Piercing Star.
- 4
إِن كُلُّ نَفۡسٖ لَّمَّا عَلَيۡهَا حَافِظࣱ
In kullu nafsin lamma AAalayha hafithun
There is no soul without a protector over it.
- 5
فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ
Falyanthuri alinsanu mimma khuliqa
Let man consider what he was created from.
- 6
خُلِقَ مِن مَّآءٖ دَافِقٖ
Khuliqa min main dafiqin
He was created from gushing liquid.
- 7
يَخۡرُجُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ ٱلصُّلۡبِ وَٱلتَّرَآئِبِ
Yakhruju min bayni alssulbi waalttaraibi
Issuing from between the backbone and the breastbones.
- 8
إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَجۡعِهِۦ لَقَادِرࣱ
Innahu AAala rajAAihi laqadirun
He is certainly Able to return him.
- 9
يَوۡمَ تُبۡلَى ٱلسَّرَآئِرُ
Yawma tubla alssarairu
On the Day when the secrets are disclosed.
- 10
فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن قُوَّةٖ وَلَا نَاصِرٖ
Fama lahu min quwwatin wala nasirin
He will have no strength, and no supporter.
- 11
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلرَّجۡعِ
Waalssamai thati alrrajAAi
By the sky that returns.
- 12
وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ ذَاتِ ٱلصَّدۡعِ
Waalardi thati alssadAAi
And the earth that cracks open.
- 13
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوۡلࣱ فَصۡلࣱ
Innahu laqawlun faslun
It is a Decisive Word.
- 14
وَمَا هُوَ بِٱلۡهَزۡلِ
Wama huwa bialhazli
It is no joke.
- 15
إِنَّهُمۡ يَكِيدُونَ كَيۡدٗا
Innahum yakeedoona kaydan
They plot and scheme.
- 16
وَأَكِيدُ كَيۡدٗا
Waakeedu kaydan
But I plot and scheme.
- 17
فَمَهِّلِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ أَمۡهِلۡهُمۡ رُوَيۡدَۢا
Famahhili alkafireena amhilhum ruwaydan
Therefore, give the blasphemers respite, a brief respite.
Surah At-Tariq PDF
The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.
Questions about Surah At-Tariq
What is at-Tariq in the Quran?
The surah defines it in verse 3 as the piercing star, a bright star that appears at night. The word tariq originally refers to someone who comes knocking at night.
How many verses are in Surah At-Tariq?
Surah At-Tariq has 17 verses. It is the 86th surah and was revealed in Mecca.
What is the main message of Surah At-Tariq?
That every soul is watched over, that the One who created people from a drop of fluid can resurrect them, and that the Quran is a serious, decisive word.