Surah Abasa: Meaning, Translation and Transliteration

Surah Abasa, "He Frowned", opens with something unusual: Allah correcting His Prophet ﷺ. A blind man came to him asking to learn while he was busy talking to the leaders of Quraysh, hoping they would accept Islam, and he frowned and turned away. The surah says the man who came seeking was the one who deserved his attention.

From there it widens out to every human being: how we were made from a drop, how our food grows from the earth, and how on the Last Day a man will run from his own brother, mother, father, wife and children.

This article gives the full surah in Arabic, a transliteration and the English translation, then goes through its meaning section by section.

The full surah

عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ وَمَا يُدۡرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ أَوۡ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰٓ أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ وَمَا عَلَيۡكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسۡعَىٰ وَهُوَ يَخۡشَىٰ فَأَنتَ عَنۡهُ تَلَهَّىٰ كـَلَّآ إِنَّهَا تَذۡكِرَةٞ فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ فِي صُحُفٖ مُّكَرَّمَةٖ مَّرۡفُوعَةٖ مُّطَهَّرَةِۭ بِأَيۡدِي سَفَرَةٖ كِرَامِۭ بَرَرَةٖ قُتِلَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مَآ أَكۡفَرَهُۥ مِنۡ أَيِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُۥ ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُۥ فَأَقۡبَرَهُۥ ثُمَّ إِذَا شَآءَ أَنشَرَهُۥ كـَلَّا لَمَّا يَقۡضِ مَآ أَمَرَهُۥ فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦٓ أَنَّا صَبَبۡنَا ٱلۡمَآءَ صَبّٗا ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ شَقّٗا فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا حَبّٗا وَعِنَبٗا وَقَضۡبٗا وَزَيۡتُونٗا وَنَخۡلٗا وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلۡبٗا وَفَٰكِهَةٗ وَأَبّٗا مَّتَٰعٗا لَّكُمۡ وَلِأَنۡعَٰمِكُمۡ فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلصَّآخَّةُ يَوۡمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِيهِ وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ شَأۡنٞ يُغۡنِيهِ وُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٖ مُّسۡفِرَةٞ ضَاحِكَةٞ مُّسۡتَبۡشِرَةٞ وَوُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَلَيۡهَا غَبَرَةٞ تَرۡهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَفَرَةُ ٱلۡفَجَرَةُ

Transliteration

1. ʿAbasa wa tawallā
2. An jāʾahul-aʿmā
3. Wa mā yudrīka laʿallahū yazzakkā
4. Aw yadhdhakkaru fa-tanfaʿahudh-dhikrā
5. Ammā manistaghnā
6. Fa-anta lahū taṣaddā
7. Wa mā ʿalayka allā yazzakkā
8. Wa ammā man jāʾaka yasʿā
9. Wa huwa yakhshā
10. Fa-anta ʿanhu talahhā
11. Kallā innahā tadhkirah
12. Fa-man shāʾa dhakarah
13. Fī ṣuḥufin mukarramah
14. Marfūʿatin muṭahharah
15. Bi-aydī safarah
16. Kirāmin bararah
17. Qutilal-insānu mā akfarah
18. Min ayyi shayʾin khalaqah
19. Min nuṭfatin khalaqahū fa-qaddarah
20. Thummas-sabīla yassarah
21. Thumma amātahū fa-aqbarah
22. Thumma idhā shāʾa ansharah
23. Kallā lammā yaqḍi mā amarah
24. Falyanẓuril-insānu ilā ṭaʿāmih
25. Annā ṣababnal-māʾa ṣabbā
26. Thumma shaqaqnal-arḍa shaqqā
27. Fa-anbatnā fīhā ḥabbā
28. Wa ʿinaban wa qaḍbā
29. Wa zaytūnan wa nakhlā
30. Wa ḥadāʾiqa ghulbā
31. Wa fākihatan wa abbā
32. Matāʿal-lakum wa li-anʿāmikum
33. Fa-idhā jāʾatiṣ-ṣākhkhah
34. Yawma yafirrul-marʾu min akhīh
35. Wa ummihī wa abīh
36. Wa ṣāḥibatihī wa banīh
37. Li-kullim-riʾin minhum yawmaʾidhin shaʾnun yughnīh
38. Wujūhun yawmaʾidhin musfirah
39. Ḍāḥikatun mustabshirah
40. Wa wujūhun yawmaʾidhin ʿalayhā ghabarah
41. Tarhaquhā qatarah
42. Ulāʾika humul-kafaratul-fajarah

English translation (Saheeh International)

He [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)] frowned and turned away because there came to him the blind man, [interrupting]. But what would make you perceive, [O Muḥammad], that perhaps he might be purified or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him? As for he who thinks himself without need, to him you give attention. And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified. But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge] while he fears [Allāh], from him you are distracted. No! Indeed, they [i.e., these verses] are a reminder; so whoever wills may remember it. [It is recorded] in honored sheets, exalted and purified, [carried] by the hands of messenger-angels, noble and dutiful. Destroyed [i.e., cursed] is man; how disbelieving is he. From what thing [i.e., substance] did He create him? From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him; then He eased the way for him; then He causes his death and provides a grave for him. Then when He wills, He will resurrect him. No! He [i.e., man] has not yet accomplished what He commanded him. Then let mankind look at his food - how We poured down water in torrents, then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts], and caused to grow within it grain and grapes and herbage and olive and palm trees and gardens of dense shrubbery and fruit and grass - [as] enjoyment [i.e., provision] for you and your grazing livestock. But when there comes the Deafening Blast on the Day a man will flee from his brother and his mother and his father and his wife and his children, for every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him. [Some] faces, that Day, will be bright - laughing, rejoicing at good news. And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust. Blackness will cover them. Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones. (80:1-42)

If you learned to read the Quran in the IndoPak script, here is the same surah as it appears in a South Asian mushaf:

عَبَسَ وَتَوَلّٰٓىۙ اَنۡ جَآءَهُ الۡاَعۡمٰى وَمَا يُدۡرِيۡكَ لَعَلَّهٗ يَزَّكّٰٓىۙ اَوۡ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنۡفَعَهُ الذِّكۡرٰى اَمَّا مَنِ اسۡتَغۡنٰىۙ فَاَنۡتَ لَهٗ تَصَدّٰى وَمَا عَلَيۡكَ اَلَّا يَزَّكّٰٓى وَاَمَّا مَنۡ جَآءَكَ يَسۡعٰىۙ وَهُوَ يَخۡشٰىۙ فَاَنۡتَ عَنۡهُ تَلَهّٰىۚ كَلَّاۤ اِنَّهَا تَذۡكِرَةٌ ۚ فَمَنۡ شَآءَ ذَكَرَهٗۘ فِىۡ صُحُفٍ مُّكَرَّمَةٍۙ مَّرۡفُوۡعَةٍ مُّطَهَّرَةٍ ۭۙ بِاَيۡدِىۡ سَفَرَةٍۙ كِرَامٍۢ بَرَرَةٍ قُتِلَ الۡاِنۡسَانُ مَاۤ اَكۡفَرَهٗ مِنۡ اَىِّ شَىۡءٍ خَلَقَهٗ مِنۡ نُّطۡفَةٍ خَلَقَهٗ فَقَدَّرَهٗ ۙ ثُمَّ السَّبِيۡلَ يَسَّرَهٗۙ ثُمَّ اَمَاتَهٗ فَاَقۡبَرَهٗۙ ثُمَّ اِذَا شَآءَ اَنۡشَرَهٗ كَلَّا لَـمَّا يَقۡضِ مَاۤ اَمَرَهٗ فَلۡيَنۡظُرِ الۡاِنۡسَانُ اِلٰى طَعَامِهٖۤۙ اَنَّا صَبَبۡنَا الۡمَآءَ صَبًّا ۙ ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا الۡاَرۡضَ شَقًّا ۙ فَاَنۡۢبَتۡنَا فِيۡهَا حَبًّا ۙ وَّ عِنَبًا وَّقَضۡبًا ۙ وَّزَيۡتُوۡنًا وَّنَخۡلًا وَحَدَآٮِٕقَ غُلۡبًا ۙ وَّفَاكِهَةً وَّاَبًّا ۙ مَّتَاعًا لَّـكُمۡ وَلِاَنۡعَامِكُمۡ فَاِذَا جَآءَتِ الصَّآخَّةُ يَوۡمَ يَفِرُّ الۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ اَخِيۡهِۙ وَاُمِّهٖ وَاَبِيۡهِۙ وَصَاحِبَتِهٖ وَبَنِيۡهِ لِكُلِّ امۡرِیءٍ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ شَاۡنٌ يُّغۡنِيۡهِ وُجُوۡهٌ يَّوۡمَٮِٕذٍ مُّسۡفِرَةٌ ۙ ضَاحِكَةٌ مُّسۡتَبۡشِرَةٌ ۚ وَوُجُوۡهٌ يَّوۡمَٮِٕذٍ عَلَيۡهَا غَبَرَةٌ ۙ تَرۡهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ الۡكَفَرَةُ الۡفَجَرَةُ

You can read and listen to Surah Abasa with its translation, or read it with the Urdu translation.

About the surah

Abasa is the 80th surah of the Quran, with 42 verses, in the 30th juz. It is Meccan. Its name comes from its first word, ʿabasa, "he frowned", and you'll also see it written as Surah Abasa, Abas or ʿAbasa wa Tawalla.

The blind man

ʿAʾishah said: "ʿAbasa wa tawallā was revealed about Ibn Umm Maktum, the blind man. He came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and began saying, 'O Messenger of Allah, guide me.' With the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was one of the leaders of the idolaters, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ began turning away from him and towards the other" (Jamiʿ al-Tirmidhi 3331).

ʿAbdullah ibn Umm Maktum was one of the early Muslims of Makkah. The Prophet ﷺ wasn't ignoring him out of contempt. He hoped that if the leaders of Quraysh accepted Islam, many others would follow. But Allah made clear that the sincere seeker in front of him came first.

After this, the commentators report, the Prophet ﷺ honoured Ibn Umm Maktum whenever he saw him. In Madinah he was one of the two muezzins with Bilal: the Prophet ﷺ said, "Bilal calls the adhan at night, so eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum calls the adhan" (Sahih al-Bukhari 617). He also left him in charge of Madinah more than once when he went out on campaigns.

Verses 1–10: He frowned and turned away

عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ وَمَا يُدۡرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ أَوۡ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰٓ أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ وَمَا عَلَيۡكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسۡعَىٰ وَهُوَ يَخۡشَىٰ فَأَنتَ عَنۡهُ تَلَهَّىٰ

He [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)] frowned and turned away because there came to him the blind man, [interrupting]. But what would make you perceive, [O Muḥammad], that perhaps he might be purified or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him? As for he who thinks himself without need, to him you give attention. And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified. But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge] while he fears [Allāh], from him you are distracted. (80:1-10)

Notice how the first two verses speak about the Prophet ﷺ, "he frowned", and only then turn to speak to him, "what would make you perceive". Commentators saw gentleness in this: the correction doesn't open by facing him with blame.

The verses set two people side by side.

• The one who thinks himself without need, manistaghnā. A powerful man who feels he needs nothing, least of all guidance. The Prophet ﷺ was giving him his full attention.
• The one who came striving and fearing Allah, man jāʾaka yasʿā wa huwa yakhshā. A blind man who made the effort to come and ask. He was the one being passed over.

Verse 7 lifts a weight off the Prophet ﷺ: "not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified." His job was to convey the message, not to force anyone to accept it. That holds for anyone who calls people to Islam today.

That the Quran keeps this correction of the Prophet ﷺ, to be recited until the end of time, is also a sign of its honesty. Some scholars said that if he had hidden any part of the revelation, he would have hidden verses like these.

Verses 11–16: The honoured scrolls

كـَلَّآ إِنَّهَا تَذۡكِرَةٞ فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ فِي صُحُفٖ مُّكَرَّمَةٖ مَّرۡفُوعَةٖ مُّطَهَّرَةِۭ بِأَيۡدِي سَفَرَةٖ كِرَامِۭ بَرَرَةٖ

No! Indeed, they [i.e., these verses] are a reminder; so whoever wills may remember it. [It is recorded] in honored sheets, exalted and purified, [carried] by the hands of messenger-angels, noble and dutiful. (80:11-16)

Kallā, "No!", ends the matter: don't do this again. Then the surah describes the Quran. It is a reminder, tadhkirah, offered to everyone. It doesn't need the approval of the powerful to be honoured, because it is already honoured: written in raised, purified scrolls, in the hands of safarah, angels who are noble and righteous.

The Prophet ﷺ used these same words about people who learn the Quran: "The one who recites the Quran and is skilled in it will be with the noble and righteous scribes (as-safaratil-kirāmil-bararah). And the one who recites the Quran and stumbles over it, finding it hard, will have two rewards" (Sahih al-Bukhari 4937; Sahih Muslim 798). If you're still learning to read, that second reward is for you. Our guide to the tajweed colours can help.

Verses 17–23: What man is made of

قُتِلَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مَآ أَكۡفَرَهُۥ مِنۡ أَيِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُۥ ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُۥ فَأَقۡبَرَهُۥ ثُمَّ إِذَا شَآءَ أَنشَرَهُۥ كـَلَّا لَمَّا يَقۡضِ مَآ أَمَرَهُۥ

Destroyed [i.e., cursed] is man; how disbelieving is he. From what thing [i.e., substance] did He create him? From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him; then He eased the way for him; then He causes his death and provides a grave for him. Then when He wills, He will resurrect him. No! He [i.e., man] has not yet accomplished what He commanded him. (80:17-23)

After the man who thought himself without need, the surah turns to humanity as a whole and asks how anyone can be so ungrateful. Then it reminds us where we came from, in six steps:

1. Created from a drop, nuṭfah, something small and weak.
2. Measured out, fa-qaddarah: given a shape, a size and a lifespan.
3. The way made easy, as-sabīl yassarah. Many commentators say this is the way out of the womb at birth. Others say it is the way of good and evil, made clear so a person can choose.
4. Caused to die.
5. Given a grave, fa-aqbarah. Being buried, not left exposed, is itself an honour.
6. Raised again when Allah wills.

Verse 23 closes it: "No! He has not yet accomplished what He commanded him." However long a person lives, they never fully give Allah His due.

Verses 24–32: Look at your food

فَلۡيَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦٓ أَنَّا صَبَبۡنَا ٱلۡمَآءَ صَبّٗا ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ شَقّٗا فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا حَبّٗا وَعِنَبٗا وَقَضۡبٗا وَزَيۡتُونٗا وَنَخۡلٗا وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلۡبٗا وَفَٰكِهَةٗ وَأَبّٗا مَّتَٰعٗا لَّكُمۡ وَلِأَنۡعَٰمِكُمۡ

Then let mankind look at his food - how We poured down water in torrents, then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts], and caused to grow within it grain and grapes and herbage and olive and palm trees and gardens of dense shrubbery and fruit and grass - [as] enjoyment [i.e., provision] for you and your grazing livestock. (80:24-32)

Having said where we come from, the surah points to something we look at several times a day without thinking: our food. Rain pours down, the earth splits open, and out comes grain, grapes, herbs, olives, dates, thick gardens, fruit and pasture. All of it is "enjoyment for you and your livestock".

The argument is the same as in verses 17–22. The One who brings dead earth to life with rain can bring the dead out of their graves.

What is abb?

The word abbā in verse 31 is usually translated "grass" or "pasture": the plants animals eat, as fākihah is fruit people eat. Ibn Kathir reports that ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab once recited this verse and said, "We know what the fruit is, but what is abb?" Then he said that troubling oneself over it was overreaching. A similar report is told of Abu Bakr, who said: "What sky would shade me, and what earth would carry me, if I said about the Book of Allah what I do not know?" Scholars quote these reports as a lesson in caution: not knowing a word is better than inventing a meaning for it.

Verses 33–42: The Day a man flees from his brother

فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلصَّآخَّةُ يَوۡمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِيهِ وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ شَأۡنٞ يُغۡنِيهِ وُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٖ مُّسۡفِرَةٞ ضَاحِكَةٞ مُّسۡتَبۡشِرَةٞ وَوُجُوهٞ يَوۡمَئِذٍ عَلَيۡهَا غَبَرَةٞ تَرۡهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَفَرَةُ ٱلۡفَجَرَةُ

But when there comes the Deafening Blast on the Day a man will flee from his brother and his mother and his father and his wife and his children, for every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him. [Some] faces, that Day, will be bright - laughing, rejoicing at good news. And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust. Blackness will cover them. Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones. (80:33-42)

Aṣ-ṣākhkhah is a blast so loud it nearly deafens, the blowing of the Horn that brings the dead out of their graves.

Then comes one of the most striking pictures in the Quran. On that Day a person runs from the very people they would have died for: brother, mother, father, wife, children. The list moves closer and closer, ending with spouse and children, the dearest of all. Each one is too busy with their own fate to help anyone else.

The Prophet ﷺ said that people will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection barefoot, naked and uncircumcised. ʿAʾishah asked whether men and women would look at one another, and he said: "The matter will be too serious for them to care about that" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6527; Sahih Muslim 2859). A version in al-Tirmidhi adds that he recited verse 37 in reply.

The surah ends with two kinds of face. Some are bright, laughing and full of good news. Others are covered in dust and darkness. The dust echoes the frowning face at the start of the surah. How a person treats the truth here shows on their face there.

Word by word

Arabic	Transliteration	Meaning
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ	ʿabasa wa tawallā	he frowned and turned away
ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ	al-aʿmā	the blind man
يَزَّكَّىٰٓ	yazzakkā	he might be purified
ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ	istaghnā	thinks himself without need
تَصَدَّىٰ	taṣaddā	you give attention
يَسۡعَىٰ	yasʿā	striving
تَلَهَّىٰ	talahhā	you are distracted
تَذۡكِرَةٞ	tadhkirah	a reminder
صُحُفٖ مُّكَرَّمَةٖ	ṣuḥufin mukarramah	honoured sheets
سَفَرَةٖ	safarah	messenger-angels
كِرَامِۭ بَرَرَةٖ	kirāmin bararah	noble and dutiful
نُّطۡفَةٍ	nuṭfah	a drop
فَأَقۡبَرَهُۥ	fa-aqbarah	provides a grave for him
طَعَامِهِۦٓ	ṭaʿāmih	his food
وَفَٰكِهَةٗ وَأَبّٗا	wa fākihatan wa abbā	and fruit and grass
ٱلصَّآخَّةُ	aṣ-ṣākhkhah	the Deafening Blast
يَفِرُّ	yafirru	will flee
مُّسۡفِرَةٞ	musfirah	bright
غَبَرَةٞ	ghabarah	dust

Living by Surah Abasa

• Give attention to the sincere. The person who comes wanting to learn deserves your time more than the person you want to impress, whatever their status.
• Watch your face. The surah begins with a frown. A frown at someone who came to you for help is noticed by Allah, even if the person can't see it.
• Do your part, then let go. You aren't to blame if someone you call to good doesn't accept it. Your duty is to convey it well.
• Keep learning the Quran, even if it's hard. Whoever stumbles over its words has two rewards, and the skilled reciter is with the noble angels.
• Look at your plate. Before you eat, remember the rain, the soil and the One who sent them, and say Bismillāh.
• Prepare for the Day no one can help you. Your family won't carry you then. Your own deeds will.

Open Surah Abasa to read and listen to it with its translation.