Sunday, March 22, 2026 · 天火 · tianmu.org

Three Suras — Al-Fatiha, Al-Bayyinah, Al-Zilzal — Transliteration and Translation

✦ ─── ⟐ ─── ✦

This is part of a series posted to soc.religion.islam in June 1991, providing Arabic transliteration alongside English translation for short Quranic chapters. The aim, as stated by the series author, was to post two suras per week for the group — an act of sharing the scriptural text with a mixed audience of Muslims and curious newcomers.

The three suras here span the range of Quranic register. Al-Fatiha (The Opening, Sura 1) is the central prayer of Islam — recited in every unit of every daily prayer, described by the Prophet as the mother of the Quran. It is the first thing a Muslim learns and the last breath of many a dying one. Al-Bayyinah (The Clear Proof, Sura 98) is a Medinan chapter on the nature of true belief and the parting of the ways between sincere worship and idolatry. Al-Zilzal (The Earthquake, Sura 99) is a Meccan apocalyptic vision of the earth yielding up its burdens and humanity being shown their deeds down to the weight of an atom — one of the most quoted passages in Islamic ethical teaching.

The transliteration system used here is a practical phonetic rendering, not the standard academic Arabic romanization, but it preserves the sound of the text with care. The translation follows Marmaduke Pickthall's rendering closely, with minor variations.

Surah Al-Fatiha — 1 | The Opening

Revealed at Mecca. 7 verses.

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahiim.

  1. 'Al-hamdu lillaahi rabbil-'aalamiin;
  2. 'Ar-rahmaanir-rahiim;
  3. Maaliki yawmid-din!
  4. 'Iyyaaka na'-budu wa 'iyyaaka nasta-'iin.
  5. 'Ihdinas-siratal-musta-qiim —
  6. Siraatal-lazina 'an-'amta'alay-him —
  7. Ghayril-magzuubi 'alay-himwalaz-zaaalliiin.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

  1. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
  2. The Beneficent, the Merciful.
  3. Owner of the Day of Judgement.
  4. Thee alone we worship; Thee alone we ask for help.
  5. Show us the straight path —
  6. The path of those whom Thou hast favoured —
  7. Not the path of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.

Surah Al-Bayyinah — 98 | The Clear Proof

Revealed at Al-Madinah. 8 verses.

Bismillahir-Rahmannir-Rahiim.

  1. Lamyakunil-laziina kafaruu min 'ahliL-kitaabi walmushri-kiina munfakkina hatta ta'-tiya-humul bayyinah,
  2. Rasuulum-minallahiyatluu suhufam-mutahhara,
  3. Fiiha kutubun-qayyimah
  4. Wa ma tafarra-qallazina 'uutul-kitaaba 'illaa mimba'-dimaa jaa-'at-humul-bayyinah.
  5. Wa maaa 'umiruuu 'illaa liya'-budullaaha mukhlisina lahuddiin; hunafaaa-'a wa yuqiiimus-salaata wa yu'tuz-zakaata wa zaalika diinul-qayyimah.
  6. 'Innallazina kafaruu min 'ahliL-kitaabi wal-mushrikiina fil naari jahannama khaalidiina fiihaa. 'ulaaa-'ika hum sharul-bariyyah.
  7. 'Innallazina 'aamanuu wa 'amiluS-saalihaati 'ulaaa'ikahum Khayrul-bariyyah.
  8. Jazaaa-'uhum 'inda rabbihim jannaatu 'adnin-tajriimin-tahtihal-'anhaaru khaalidiina fiihaaa 'abadaa: raziyallaahu 'anhum wa razuu 'anh: zaalika liman khashiya rabbah.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

  1. Those who disbelieve among the people of the Scripture and the idolators could not have left off erring till the clear proof came unto them —
  2. A messenger from Allah, reading purified pages
  3. Containing correct scriptures.
  4. Nor were the People of the Scripture divided until after the clear proof came unto them.
  5. And they are ordered naught else than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by nature upright, and to establish worship and to pay the poor-due. That is true religion.
  6. Lo! those who disbelieve, among the people of the Scripture and the idolators, will abide in fire of hell. They are the worst of created beings.
  7. And lo! those who believe and do good works are the best of the created beings.
  8. Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens of Eden underneath which rivers flow, wherein they dwell forever. Allah hath pleasure in them and they have pleasure in Him. This is in store for him who feareth his Lord.

Surah Al-Zilzal — 99 | The Earthquake

Revealed at Mecca. 8 verses.

Bismillahir-Rahmaani-Rahiim.

  1. 'Izaa zulzilatil-'arzu zilzaa-lahaa,
  2. Wa 'akhrajatil-'arzu 'as-qaalahaa,
  3. Wa qaalal-'insaanu maa la-haa?
  4. Yawma-'izin-tuhaddisu akhbaarahaa,
  5. Bi-'anna rabbaka 'awhaa lahaa.
  6. Yawma-'iziny-yasduru-naasu 'ashtaatal-liyuraw 'a'maalahum
  7. Famany-ya'mal misqaala zarratin-khayran-yarah.
  8. Wa many-ya'mal misqaala zarratin-sharrany-yarah.

In the name of Allah, most Beneficent, most Merciful.

  1. When Earth is shaken with her final earthquake
  2. And Earth yieldeth up her burdens,
  3. And man saith: What aileth her?
  4. That day she will relate her chronicles,
  5. Because thy Lord inspireth her.
  6. That day mankind will issue forth in scattered groups to be shown their deeds.
  7. And whoso doth good an atom's weight will see it then,
  8. And whoso doth ill an atom's weight will see it then.

Colophon

Posted to soc.religion.islam on 10 June 1991 by Hameed Ahmed Mohammed ([email protected]), Center for Advanced Computer Studies, University of Southwestern Louisiana. The series was announced as a weekly posting of two suras at a time. Original Message-ID: [email protected].

The transliteration uses a practical phonetic romanization of Arabic. The English translation follows the rendering of Marmaduke Pickthall's The Meaning of the Glorious Quran (1930), with minor variations.

Preserved from the UTZOO Usenet mirror (shiftleft.com) for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

🌲