Read Surah 39: Az-Zumar (The Groups) with clear English translation and thoughtful commentary. Explore its message on sincerity in worship, accountability on Judgment Day, and the ultimate destiny of believers and disbelievers.
Surah 39: Az-Zumar (The Groups)
Introduction
Surah Az-Zumar is the 39th chapter of the Holy Qur’an. It was revealed in Makkah and contains 75 verses. The word ‘Az-Zumar’ means ‘The Groups’, referring to the groups of people who will be led to their final destinations on the Day of Judgment—some to Hell and some to Paradise.
The Surah focuses on the absolute oneness of Allah (Tawheed), the importance of sincerity in worship, and the certainty of the Day of Judgment. It warns against associating partners with Allah (shirk) and highlights the severe consequences of rejecting His message. At the same time, it gives hope to sinners through Allah’s vast mercy, especially in the famous verse (39:53) where Allah invites those who have wronged themselves not to despair of His forgiveness.
The Surah paints powerful scenes of the Hereafter—describing how the disbelievers and the believers will be gathered in separate groups, the blowing of the Trumpet, the earth shining with Allah’s light, and the final judgement in which everyone will receive exactly what they deserve. It ends with all creation praising Allah, the Lord of all worlds. 0 0 0
Surah 39: Az-Zumar (The Groups): Text
In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
1. The revelation of this Book is from Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise.
2. Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book with the truth. So worship Allah, making your devotion purely for Him.
3. Surely, sincere devotion is for Allah alone. And those who take protectors besides Him say, “We only worship them so that they may bring us nearer to Allah.” Indeed, Allah will judge between them concerning what they differ about. Truly, Allah does not guide one who is a liar and a disbeliever.
4. If Allah had wished to take a son, He could have chosen whomever He willed from what He created. Glorified is He! He is Allah, the One, the Supreme.
5. He created the heavens and the earth in truth. He wraps the night over the day, and wraps the day over the night. He has subjected the sun and the moon, each running its course for an appointed time. Indeed, He is the Almighty, the Forgiving.
6. He created you from a single soul. Then He made from it its mate. And He sent down for you eight pairs of livestock. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in three layers of darkness. Such is Allah, your Lord. To Him belongs all authority. There is no god except Him. So how are you being turned away?
7. If you disbelieve, surely Allah is not in need of you. Yet He does not approve disbelief for His servants. But if you are grateful, He approves that for you. No bearer will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you of what you used to do. Indeed, He knows what is within the hearts.
8. When trouble touches a person, he calls upon his Lord, turning to Him. But when He grants him a favour from Himself, he forgets the One he had called upon before, and he sets up equals to Allah to mislead others from His way. Say, “Enjoy your disbelief for a little while; indeed, you are among the people of the Fire.”
9. Is the one who is obedient during the hours of the night, prostrating and standing in prayer, fearing the Hereafter, and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, (equal to the one who does not)? Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” Only those who understand will take heed.
10. Say, “O My servants who believe, be mindful of your Lord. For those who do good in this world there is good. And Allah’s earth is spacious. Surely, those who are patient will be given their reward without measure.”
11. Say, “Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allah, making my devotion purely for Him.
12. And I have been commanded to be the first of those who submit to Allah.”
13. Say, “Indeed, I fear—if I disobey my Lord—the punishment of a tremendous Day.”
14. Say, “It is Allah alone that I worship, making my devotion purely for Him.
15. So worship whatever you wish besides Him!” Say, “Indeed, the true losers are those who will lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. That will be the clear loss.”
16. For them will be coverings of fire above them and coverings beneath them. With this, Allah frightens His servants. So, My servants—be mindful of Me.
17. And those who avoid worshipping false gods and turn back to Allah—for them is good news. So give good news to My servants.
18. Those who listen to the word and follow the best of it—it is they whom Allah has guided, and they are the people of understanding.
19. What about the one against whom the sentence of punishment has been justified—can you save the one who is in the Fire?
20. But those who are mindful of their Lord will have high chambers above which are more chambers built, with rivers flowing beneath them. This is the promise of Allah, and Allah never fails in His promise.
21. Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky and makes it flow as springs in the earth? Then He produces crops of different colours, then they wither and you see them turn yellow, then He makes them dry pieces. Surely, in this is a reminder for people of understanding.
22. So, is the one whose chest Allah has opened to Islam, so that he is upon light from his Lord, (equal to one whose heart is closed)? Then woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah. They are clearly in error.
23. Allah has sent down the best statement—a Book consistent and repeating—causing the skins of those who fear their Lord to shiver. Then their skins and hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah, by which He guides whom He wills. And whoever Allah leaves to stray—there is no guide for him.
24. What about the one who will shield his face from the terrible punishment on the Day of Resurrection? It will be said to the wrongdoers, “Taste what you used to earn.”
25. Those before them denied, so the punishment came upon them from where they did not expect.
26. So Allah made them taste disgrace in this worldly life, but the punishment of the Hereafter is greater—if only they knew.
27. We have indeed set forth for people in this Qur’an every kind of example, so that they may take heed.
28. It is a Qur’an in clear Arabic, free from any crookedness, so that they may be mindful.
29. Allah sets forth this example: A man belonging to partners in dispute, and another belonging entirely to one person—are they equal in comparison? All praise is for Allah, but most of them do not know.
30. Surely, you will die, and they too will die.
31. Then on the Day of Resurrection, you will dispute before your Lord.
32. So who is more unjust than one who lies about Allah and denies the truth when it comes to him? Is there not a home in Hell for the disbelievers?
33. And the one who brings the truth, and the one who accepts it—these are the righteous.
34. For them will be whatever they wish with their Lord. That is the reward of those who do good.
35. So that Allah may remove from them the worst of what they did, and reward them for the best of what they used to do.
36. Is Allah not sufficient for His servant? Yet they try to frighten you with others besides Him. Whoever Allah leaves to stray—there is no guide for him.
37. And whomever Allah guides—there is no one who can mislead him. Is Allah not Almighty, capable of retribution?
38. If you ask them, “Who created the heavens and the earth?” they will surely say, “Allah.” Say, “Do you see then what you call upon besides Allah—if Allah intended some harm for me, could they remove His harm? Or if He intended mercy for me, could they withhold His mercy?” Say, “Allah is enough for me; in Him the trusting ones put their trust.”
39. Say, “O my people, act according to your way; indeed, I too am acting. Soon you will know.
40. Who will receive a punishment that will disgrace him, and on whom will fall an everlasting punishment.”
41. Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book for mankind in truth. So whoever is guided—it is for his own benefit; and whoever goes astray—it is only against himself. And you are not a keeper over them.
42. Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and the souls of those who have not died during their sleep. Then He keeps the one for whom He has decreed death, and sends the others back for an appointed term. Surely, in this are signs for people who reflect.
43. Or have they taken intercessors besides Allah? Say, “Even if they possess nothing and have no understanding?”
44. Say, “All intercession belongs to Allah alone. To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you will be returned.”
45. And when Allah alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with dislike. But when others are mentioned besides Him, they rejoice.
46. Say, “O Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You will judge between Your servants concerning what they used to differ about.”
47. If those who did wrong possessed everything on earth, and the like of it besides, they would surely offer it to ransom themselves from the terrible punishment on the Day of Resurrection. But there will appear to them from Allah that which they had never expected.
48. And the evil consequences of what they earned will appear to them, and they will be surrounded by what they used to mock.
49. When harm touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We grant him a favour from Us, he says, “I have been given this because of my knowledge.” No! It is a trial, but most of them do not know.
50. Those before them said the same thing, but what they used to earn did not benefit them.
51. So the evil consequences of what they earned overtook them. And those who do wrong among these will also be overtaken by the evil consequences of what they earned, and they cannot escape.
52. Do they not know that Allah enlarges provision for whom He wills and restricts it (for whom He wills)? Surely, in this are signs for people who believe.
53. Say, “O My servants who have wronged their own souls! Do not lose hope in the mercy of Allah. Surely Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”
54. Turn in repentance to your Lord, and submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you, then you will not be helped.
55. And follow the best of what has been sent down to you from your Lord before the punishment comes upon you suddenly while you do not realise.
56. Lest a soul should say, “How I regret what I neglected in my duty to Allah, and I was among the mockers.”
57. Or lest it should say, “If only Allah had guided me, I would have been among the righteous.”
58. Or lest it should say, when it sees the punishment, “If only I had another chance, I would be among the good-doers.”
59. (But it will be said,) “Yes, My signs came to you, but you denied them, were arrogant, and were among the disbelievers.”
60. On the Day of Resurrection, you will see those who lied against Allah— their faces will be darkened. Is there not in Hell a home for the arrogant?
61. But Allah will save those who were mindful of Him, to their place of safety. No evil will touch them, nor will they grieve.
62. Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is in charge of everything.
63. To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. And those who disbelieve in the signs of Allah—it is they who will be the losers.
64. Say, “Do you order me to worship other than Allah, O ignorant ones?”
65. Indeed, it has been revealed to you, and to those before you, that if you associate partners with Allah, your deeds will surely be nullified, and you will certainly be among the losers.
66. Rather, worship Allah alone, and be among the grateful.
67. They have not valued Allah as He deserves to be valued. The whole earth will be in His grasp on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand. Glorified is He, and exalted above what they associate with Him.
68. And the Trumpet will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will fall dead—except whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown again, and suddenly they will be standing, looking on.
69. And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord, and the Record will be placed, and the prophets and the witnesses will be brought, and judgement will be made between them in truth, and they will not be wronged.
70. Every soul will be fully repaid for what it did, and He knows best what they do.
71. Those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups. When they arrive at it, its gates will be opened, and its keepers will say, “Did there not come to you messengers from among you, reciting to you the verses of your Lord, and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?” They will say, “Yes, but the sentence of punishment has come true against the disbelievers.”
72. It will be said, “Enter the gates of Hell, to remain there forever.” How evil is the home of the arrogant!
73. But those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups. When they arrive at it, its gates will be opened, and its keepers will say, “Peace be upon you! You have done well—so enter it, to live forever.”
74. And they will say, “All praise is for Allah, Who has fulfilled His promise to us and made us inherit the land, so we may settle in Paradise wherever we wish.” How excellent is the reward of those who work righteousness!
75. And you will see the angels surrounding the Throne, glorifying their Lord with praise. And judgement will be made between them in truth, and it will be said, “All praise is for Allah, the Lord of all worlds.” 0 0 0
Comment
This Surah is a deep reminder that life is short and the end is certain. It calls us to worship Allah with full sincerity, without mixing our devotion with any form of shirk. The repeated warnings against false gods remind us that no one can protect us from Allah’s decree except Allah Himself.
One of the most hopeful parts is verse 53—Allah’s mercy is greater than all sins, and He invites even the greatest sinners to return to Him before it’s too late. This verse is a door of hope for anyone who feels distant from Allah.
The Surah also makes us visualise the Day of Judgment. The descriptions are so vivid that we can almost see the groups of people—some entering Hell in disgrace, others entering Paradise with peace and honour. These images are meant to touch the heart and move it towards obedience, repentance, and gratitude.
Finally, the ending of the Surah is majestic: angels surrounding the Throne, glorifying Allah, and the final statement—‘All praise is for Allah, the Lord of all worlds.’ It reminds us that no matter what happens, all matters end with Allah, and His justice will be perfect. 0 0 0
You May Like: Surah 34: Saba
Frequently Asked Questions on Surah 39: Az-Zumar
Q1. What is Surah Az-Zumar about?
Ans: Surah Az-Zumar is about sincerity in worship, the reality of the Hereafter, and the division of people into groups on Judgment Day.
Q2. Why is Surah 39 called Az-Zumar?
Ans: It is called Az-Zumar, meaning “The Groups,” because it describes groups of people being led either to Paradise or to Hell on the Day of Judgment.
Q3. How many verses are in Surah Az-Zumar?
Ans: Surah Az-Zumar has 75 verses.
Q4. Is Surah Az-Zumar Meccan or Medinan?
Ans: Surah Az-Zumar is a Meccan Surah, revealed before the Prophet Muhammad’s migration to Madinah.
Q5. What is the main lesson of Surah Az-Zumar?
Ans: The main lesson of Surah Az-Zumar is that true worship should be solely for Allah, without associating any partners with Him.
Q6. Which key themes are highlighted in Surah Az-Zumar?
Ans: Surah Az-Zumar highlights themes of Tawhid (Oneness of God), accountability, resurrection, divine mercy, and ultimate justice.
Q7. How does Surah Az-Zumar describe the Day of Judgment?
Ans: Surah Az-Zumar vividly describes the Day of Judgment, where groups of disbelievers will be led to Hell, while groups of believers will be welcomed into Paradise.
Q8. What does Surah Az-Zumar teach about repentance?
Ans: Surah Az-Zumar emphasizes Allah’s vast mercy, urging people never to despair and to repent sincerely for forgiveness.
Q9. Why is Surah Az-Zumar important for Muslims today?
Ans: Surah Az-Zumar is important because it teaches sincerity in faith, reminds of accountability, and inspires hope in Allah’s mercy.
Q10. What is the connection between Surah Az-Zumar and Tawhid?
Ans: Surah Az-Zumar strongly reinforces Tawhid by condemning idolatry and calling people to worship Allah alone with pure devotion. 0 0 0
