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Edition 96 of 114 ~1446 AH 19 Verses

The First Word: A Call to Action

Command to recite and seek knowledge in the name of the Creator who brought forth existence

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The First Word: A Call to Action
Command to recite and seek knowledge in the name of the Creator who brought forth existence

Read: In the Name of your Lord who created.

Surah 96, Ayah 1
Multi-Source Confirmation
sahih
Recite in the name of your Lord who created -
arberry
Recite: In the Name of thy Lord who created,
maududi
Recite in the name of your Lord Who created,
yusufali
Proclaim! (or read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created-
pickthall
Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth,
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The Mirage of Self‑Reliance
When he considers himself exempt.
Surah 96, Ayah 7
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The Ultimate Deadline: Returning to Our Lord
But to your Lord is the return.
Surah 96, Ayah 8
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The Humble Witness: Prayer as a Testament of Creation
A servant when he prays?
Surah 96, Ayah 10
Imam al-Tabari Imam al-Tabari | Senior Correspondent & Bureau Historian
Breaking News
Character Dossier
6 characters in this edition
Allah
spiritual entity
10 mentions this sura
4187 total mentions
Dominant: Transcendence
esteem
1.2
safety
3.2
transcendence
10
belonging love
1.0
self actualization
0.9
Muhammad
prophet · named
8 mentions this sura
1049 total mentions
Dominant: Transcendence
esteem
3.6
safety
4.9
transcendence
10
belonging love
3.1
self actualization
4.0
Muhammad Jibril revelation_delivery
Mankind
group
5 mentions this sura
495 total mentions
Dominant: Safety
esteem
2.2
safety
10
transcendence
4.1
belonging love
6.5
self actualization
1.4
Sayyid Qutb Sayyid Qutb | Literary & Scene Correspondent
Audio Edition
Full Chapter Audio
19 verse segments
Speaker Distribution
Narrator 19
Verse Segments
Surah 96, Ayah 1 Narrator
Read: In the Name of your Lord who created.
Surah 96, Ayah 2 Narrator
Created man from a clot.
Surah 96, Ayah 3 Narrator
Read: And your Lord is the Most Generous.
Surah 96, Ayah 4 Narrator
He who taught by the pen.
Surah 96, Ayah 5 Narrator
Taught man what he never knew.
Surah 96, Ayah 6 Narrator
In fact, man oversteps all bounds.
Surah 96, Ayah 7 Narrator
When he considers himself exempt.
Surah 96, Ayah 8 Narrator
But to your Lord is the return.
Surah 96, Ayah 9 Narrator
Have you seen him who prevents?
Surah 96, Ayah 10 Narrator
A servant when he prays?
Sayyid Qutb Sayyid Qutb | Literary & Scene Correspondent
Editorial
Word of the Edition
Faith
Appears 15 times · 15.8% of themes
Faith
15
Guidance
10
Creation
10
Worship
10
Prophets
8
Knowledge
7
Humility
7
Mercy
6
Surah 96, Ayah 2 From a Drop to a Life: The Miracle... Surah 96, Ayah 3 The Gift of Recitation: Unveiling... Surah 96, Ayah 4 The Ink of Divine Knowledge
Fakhr al-Din al-Razi Fakhr al-Din al-Razi | Science & Cosmos Correspondent
Cross-Edition References
Edition 1 Surah 1, Ayah 1 -- The Mirage of Self‑Reliance 6x cited
Edition 1 Surah 1, Ayah 2 -- The Mirage of Self‑Reliance 6x cited
Edition 1 Surah 1, Ayah 3 -- The Mirage of Self‑Reliance 6x cited
Edition 1 Surah 1, Ayah 4 -- The Mirage of Self‑Reliance 6x cited
1, Ayah 6 -- The Gift of Recitation: Unveiling Divine Generosity 5x cited
Edition 2 Surah 2, Ayah 6 -- The Gift of Recitation: Unveiling Divine Generosity 5x cited
Edition 2 Surah 2, Ayah 7 -- The Gift of Recitation: Unveiling Divine Generosity 5x cited
2, Ayah 8 -- The Gift of Recitation: Unveiling Divine Generosity 5x cited
Edition 2 Surah 2, Ayah 3 -- The Ink of Divine Knowledge 2x cited
Edition 2 Surah 2, Ayah 11 -- The Ink of Divine Knowledge 2x cited
Surah Sura, Ayah 2 -- The Ink of Divine Knowledge 2x cited
Edition 2 Surah 2, Ayah 44 -- The Ink of Divine Knowledge 2x cited
Edition 2 Surah 2, Ayah 110 -- The First Word: A Call to Action
Edition 3 Surah 3, Ayah 48 -- The First Word: A Call to Action
Edition 4 Surah 4, Ayah 63 -- The First Word: A Call to Action
Edition 4 Surah 4, Ayah 79 -- The First Word: A Call to Action
Edition 2 Surah 2, Ayah 57 -- From a Drop to a Life: The Miracle of Our Origin
Edition 2 Surah 2, Ayah 60 -- From a Drop to a Life: The Miracle of Our Origin
Edition 2 Surah 2, Ayah 172 -- From a Drop to a Life: The Miracle of Our Origin
Edition 2 Surah 2, Ayah 173 -- From a Drop to a Life: The Miracle of Our Origin
Imam al-Qurtubi Imam al-Qurtubi | Senior Legal Analyst
Reader Action
Supplications
The First Word: A Call to Action
O Allah, grant me the discipline to remember Your name in every breath, that I may live as a living testament of Your creation. Bless my efforts with clarity, patience, and sincerity, and guide me to always begin with Your remembrance.
Surah 96, Ayah 1
The Mirage of Self‑Reliance
O Allah, You are the One who provides for all. I acknowledge my need for Your help. Strengthen my humility, bind my heart to You, and guide me to seek Your aid in every task.
Surah 96, Ayah 7
The Ultimate Deadline: Returning to Our Lord
O Allah, You are the One to whom we shall all return. Strengthen my heart to live in readiness, to act with sincerity, and to perform good deeds before I forget. Keep me mindful of my return and guide me to the path that leads to Your pleasure.
Surah 96, Ayah 8
Daily Actions
The First Word: A Call to Action
Begin every moment of consciousness today by reciting this verse with full awareness, letting it anchor your intent before you speak, act, or think.
Surah 96, Ayah 1
The Mirage of Self‑Reliance
When you feel you can manage everything alone, pause, breathe, and say a short dua of reliance before you begin.
Surah 96, Ayah 7
The Ultimate Deadline: Returning to Our Lord
Before each major activity today, pause, recite the verse, and set a clear intention to act in a way that honors your inevitable return to Allah.
Surah 96, Ayah 8
Reflect
The First Word: A Call to Action -- When have I started a task, conversation, or decision without first invoking Allah’s name? How did that affect the quality of my focus and the outcome of that action?
The Mirage of Self‑Reliance -- Which moments today did I act as if I were self‑sufficient, and how did that shape my decisions and interactions?
The Ultimate Deadline: Returning to Our Lord -- When I consider that all actions ultimately lead back to Allah, how does this shape my priorities? Do I treat my daily routine as a preparation for the final return or merely as a means to worldly ends?
Weekly Challenge
The Recite‑Reflect Journal: For seven consecutive days, before any significant activity—whether eating, working, speaking, or resting—write the verse on a small card, recite it with intent, and note in a journal how your perception of the activity changed. At the end of each day, answer: 1) Did I feel more grounded? 2) Did I notice any distractions? 3) How did the verse influence my decision-making? After the week, review the journal for patterns and set a personal goal to integrate this practice into at least one new habit (e.g., morning prayers, meal times, or moments of silence).
Surah 96, Ayah 1
Stand in a quiet space, close your eyes, take three deep breaths, then recite the verse aloud, feeling the weight of each word. Notice how the rhythm of 'Iqra' and 'Khalaqa' shifts your heart toward gratitude and mindfulness. Surah 96, Ayah 1
Stand straight, close your eyes, inhale slowly, and recite: 'La ilaha illa Allah, minan-nas rabi' (No god but Allah, the Lord of all). Hold this thought for 30 seconds, then open your eyes and proceed. Surah 96, Ayah 7
Imam al-Ghazali Imam al-Ghazali | Editor-in-Chief
The Revelation Transcript
19 verses
1
Read: In the Name of your Lord who created.
2
Created man from a clot.
3
Read: And your Lord is the Most Generous.
4
He who taught by the pen.
5
Taught man what he never knew.
6
In fact, man oversteps all bounds.
7
When he considers himself exempt.
8
But to your Lord is the return.
9
Have you seen him who prevents?
10
A servant when he prays?
11
Do you think he is upon guidance?
12
Or advocates righteousness?
13
Do you see how he disbelieved and turned away?
14
Does he not know that God sees?
15
No. If he does not desist, We will drag him by the forelock.
16
A deceitful, sinful forelock.
17
Let him call on his gang.
18
We will call the Guards.
19
No, do not obey him; but kneel down, and come near.
Imam al-Tabari Imam al-Tabari | Senior Correspondent & Bureau Historian