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About this surah
Al-Baqarah, "The Cow", is the second and longest surah of the Quran, with 286 ayat, and is listed as Medinan in the standard Hafs mushaf. It covers belief, worship, family life, fairness in dealings, and the stories of earlier prophets. This page presents three of its best-loved ayat: Ayat al-Kursi (ayah 255) and the two closing ayat (285 and 286). Many Muslims recite Ayat al-Kursi after each obligatory prayer and before sleep, asking Allah for protection. Many also recite the last two ayat at night, following a well-known hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that praises them.
The oneness and power of AllahThe articles of faithAsking for forgiveness and mercy
Read the surah
Arabic exactly as in the Tanzil text, then a plain meaning in your language. The Arabic is never read by a machine voice; "Listen" reads only the meanings.
Allah: there is no god but Him, the Ever-Living, who sustains everything; neither drowsiness nor sleep ever overtakes Him, and all that is in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him. No one can intercede with Him except by His permission; He knows what is before people and what is behind them, while they grasp nothing of His knowledge except what He wills; His Kursi (Footstool, often understood as His dominion) extends over the heavens and the earth, guarding them never tires Him, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Pickthall (1930): Allah! There is no God save Him, the Alive, the Eternal. Neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him. Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that intercedeth with Him save by His leave? He knoweth that which is in front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save what He will. His throne includeth the heavens and the earth, and He is never weary of preserving them. He is the Sublime, the Tremendous.
The Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), believes in what was sent down to him from his Lord, and so do the believers: each believes in Allah, His angels, His books and His messengers, making no distinction between any of His messengers. They say: "We hear and we obey; we ask Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the final return."
Pickthall (1930): The messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him from his Lord and (so do) believers. Each one believeth in Allah and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers—We make no distinction between any of His messengers—and they say: We hear, and we obey. (Grant us) Thy forgiveness, our Lord. Unto Thee is the journeying.
Allah does not burden any soul with more than it can bear; each soul gains the good it has earned and bears the wrong it has done. The believers pray: "Our Lord, do not hold us to account if we forget or make a mistake; do not lay on us a burden like the one laid on those before us; do not load us with more than we have strength for; pardon us, forgive us and have mercy on us; You are our Protector, so help us against those who reject faith."
Pickthall (1930): Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.
Quick quiz
What is ayah 255 of Al-Baqarah popularly called?
According to Ayat al-Kursi, what never overtakes Allah?
In ayah 285, what do the believers do regarding Allah's messengers?
What does ayah 286 say about the burden Allah places on a soul?
Tanzil Quran Text (Uthmani, Version 1.1), tanzil.net, CC BY 3.0, verbatim: tanzil.net. Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930), public domain; text from English Wikisource. Al-Fatiha aligned to the Hafs count (basmala as verse 1, his verses 6 and 7 joined); Quraysh: his verses 4 and 5 joined.. Plain meanings, introductions and quiz: IndiaDigital, awaiting review by an Islamic scholar.
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