Surah Al-Fajr (الْفَجْر, Al-Fajar) is one of the short surahs in the last Juz of the Holy Quran. It's the 89th surah of the Quran and has 30 verses. The word 'Fajr' appears in the first verse and means 'Daybreak' or 'Dawn.' The surah starts with an oath upon the occurrence of Fajr, or the daybreak, which is one of the major signs from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
The short length, easy structure, and main message of the surah make it evident that it is a Makkan surah and was revealed before the Hijra. The surah warns idol worshippers and disbelievers by describing the acts of past tribes that led to their destruction. Some of these defining traits included an excessive love for wealth, looking down on the underprivileged, and arrogance about their blessings. Allah warns idol worshippers from following in the footsteps of these tribes unless they wish to meet the same fate.
After condemning the people who display such traits, the surah then gives good news to the people who stay on the straight and righteous path. These glad tidings are an important part of the message in Surah Fajr, as they reassure the Muslims who are facing persecution and oppression. It applies to the Muslims at the time as well as the Muslims suffering today.
Surah Al-Fajr was revealed in the earlier days of the Prophethood. At that time, the new converts to Islam were put to persecution and oppressed at the hands of the Quraysh of Mecca. At that critical moment, Surah Al-Fajr was revealed, which was addressed to the disbelievers and the persecutors. The purpose (shaan e Nazool) of this Surah was to warn the disbelievers of the consequences of their persecution, by giving the example of the previous nations, such as Ad and Thamud. They were also reminded of the fate of the Pharaoh. By giving these examples, the consequences of their persecution are made clear to them. They are also reminded about the Day of Judgement when they will face accountability in the Divine Court.
Side by side, the fate of the believers is also mentioned in the later part of this surah, which seems to be addressed to those who had understood and accepted the Message of Islam. For them, it is categorically explained that Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ will be pleased with them and that they will be invited to the Paradise. So, on one hand, this Surah warns the disbelievers of the severe punishment awaiting them, while on the other hand, it gives the good news to the believers of their place in Paradise.
English
Ahmed Ali
5
English
Ahmed Ali
6
English
Ahmed Ali
7
English
Ahmed Ali
8
English
Ahmed Ali
9
The subject and the theme of this Surah resemble the earlier revelations, where the disbelievers were being reminded of the concept of rewards and punishments on the Day of Judgement. Based on the subject and theme, Surah Al-Fajr is termed a Makki surah.
Surah Al-Fajr falls in Juzz (para) 30, after Surah Al-Ghashiyah and before Surah Al-Balad. By the order of revelation, it comes at number 10. However, in the sequence of recitation, it falls at number 89.
Surah Al-Fajr contains 30 verses.
Surah Al-Fajr has only 1 section (Ruku).
Surah Al-Fajr is one of the earliest revelations. It was revealed at a crucial time when the Muslims were facing severe persecution by the disbelievers of Mecca. Many of the new Muslims, especially the weak and poor, were being put to severe torture. At that difficult stage of the spread of Islam, this Surah was revealed. The persecutor and the disbelievers were warned about the punishment they would face, like that of the previous nations of Ad and Thamud. They were also warned about the fate of the Pharaoh. The Surah, on the other hand, also gives good news to the believers in the form of their confirmed place in paradise.
In this way, Surah Al-Fajr warns the Meccans of their evil deeds and persecution of the Muslims. At the same time, it also addresses the grievances of the new Muslims by assuring them of their place in Paradise.
Surah Al-Fajr and Al-Balad are frequently paired with each other. When we study these two together, they give us a unifying theme. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) reminds us what happens to arrogant and cruel people and promises rewards for those who choose the true faith.
One major theme in Surah Fajr is the message we get for the Hereafter. By mentioning the destruction of previous tribes, we get the message of reward for good and punishment for evil. Here are some more themes covered in this surah:
There are several oaths in this surah, with the first one being upon Fajr or the Daybreak. Some of the other oaths are sworn on the last ten nights of Ramadan, the even and odd, and the night (as it fades). All of these are signs that there is a Creator ruling over the system of the universe and making it tick along perfectly. In the same way, it follows that people will have to account for their choices in this world. Oppression and cruelty cannot go unpunished; similarly, the people who believe will get their reward eventually.
After taking these serious oaths, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) gives us certain examples from history. Examples of the oppression of the Pharaoh and the tribes of 'Ah and Thamud are mentioned. The events of their destruction are presented to us as a lesson on what can happen when people spread corruption in the lands and don't respect limits. The tribes mentioned here were physically and financially strong, as was the Pharaoh. The ways in which they were destroyed–by storms or through the parting of the Red Seas–highlight how an All-Powerful Force is behind the workings of everything in this world.
Next, the surah gives us an analysis of human standards and societal morals. More specifically, there is mention of the paganism rampant in Arab society back then. We may apply the same verses to the corrupt practices of modern society today, i.e., the way musicians and actors are idolized and praised. There is also special emphasis on how the Arabs placed a lot of importance on material wealth and usurped the rights of the orphans in their society. These two practices especially showed how the disbelievers had forgotten what true honor was.
Surah Fajr then gives us the message that we will be accountable for all our deeds in the Hereafter. If someone has usurped the rights of anyone in a weak position, they certainly won't get away with it.
Surah Al-Fajr has a range of virtues and benefits for those who recite and study it. First off, the verses help us achieve a higher level of understanding of the world around us. With all the oaths at the beginning of this surah, we get a sense of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) being present in everything. The messages here also help to remind Muslims about how there will be a time of reckoning for all their deeds. The surah provides moral and spiritual guidance for Muslims, warning them against negative habits like greed, usurping rights, arrogance, oppression, and much more.
Here, Muslims also get a reminder about not being proud of their wealth or high status in society. The tribes of 'Ad and Thamud had great wealth, talent, and power. However, they could not remain in existence after defying the laws of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). This surah also emphasizes how important it is to care for orphans. There are several hadith that back up this rule, thereby encouraging people to be kind to the weak and to protect their rights. According to one Sahih Hadith:
"I and the one who looks after an orphan will be like this in Paradise (indicating the middle and index fingers)." [Sahih al-Bukhari 5304]
The verses in this surah show Muslims how it's essential to have social justice in a Muslim community. Every Muslim is enjoined to help the weak/needy and not take advantage of them. In this way, a Muslim society will get true unity and togetherness.
Correct recitation of the Quran with precise pronunciation is very important. Any small mistake in the pronunciation of any of the words or letters of the Quran may completely change its meaning. Arabic is a very sensitive and elaborate language. In this context, every word, expression, or letter needs to be recited correctly to avoid any incorrect meanings. Any incorrect pronunciation of any of the words may lead to an entirely different meaning. This becomes even more sensitive when you recite the Quran, as these are the words of Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ, which must be recited correctly.
It might be difficult for non-Arabic speaking people to correctly pronounce the Quranic verses, whereas reading the Quran with Tajweed is crucial. Listening to the recitation of an authentic Qari might help us read the Quranic verses with the correct Tajweed. On the other hand, sometimes, you may want to just listen to the Quran, instead of reading it yourself. To assist you in this context, we at MuslimandQuran have uploaded recitation of the Quran by various renowned and authentic reciters (Qaris). You can find and select a particular Qari to listen to and learn the correct recitation of the Quran.
You need to download the Mobile Application of MuslimandQuran to listen to the Qaris of your preference. The mobile application of MuslimandQuran is available for both Android and iOS, available on Google Play and App Store, respectively. You can download the application by clicking the links given here:
Although it is very easy to recite the Quran directly on the MuslimandQuran website and mobile application, sometimes you may prefer to read it offline. For this, you can download and print a specific part of it or even an entire Surah, such as Surah Al-Fajr, for reading at a later time. You can download it in PDF format for offline reading or printing of the desired Surah.
Surah Al-Fajr can be downloaded in PDF by following these simple steps:
The Arabic word Al-Fajr means “the daybreak”. It refers to the time when the night ends and the dawn starts.
There are 30 verses in Surah Al-Fajr.
There is no specific benefit associated with the recitation of Surah Al-Fajr. No authentic reference is available in any Hadith about any particular benefits associated with its recitation. However, per some traditions, reciting the surah for ten nights may help in forgiveness, and daily recitation will provide light on the Day of Judgment.
It can be recited anytime during the day or night. No specific time is associated with its recitation.
Yes, it carries huge rewards, just like any other verse or surah of the Quran. However, there is no authentic reference to any specific rewards on the recitation of this particular Surah. Some traditions narrate that reciting this surah for ten nights will be helpful for forgiveness on the Day of Judgement.