Makkah LiveSurah Al-Bayyinah (The Clear Evidence) — Full Text in Clear Arabic Script
8 ayahs · Medinan· Hafs ‘an ‘Asim · reading time ~2 minutes · the twenty-first surah of Juz ‘Amma
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By Saad Al-Ghamdi
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بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
About Surah Al-Bayyinah
Surah Al-Bayyinah is the 98th surah in the order of the mushaf, and one of the Medinan surahs — revealed to the Prophet ﷺ after the migration to Madinah. It contains 8 ayahs, and it is the twenty-first surah of Juz ‘Amma, the final part of the Quran that most Muslims begin their memorisation with.
The surah takes its name from «al-bayyinah», “the clear evidence,” mentioned in its first and fourth verses: those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists were not going to desist from their ways until the clear evidence came to them — a Messenger from Allah reciting purified pages containing upright writings. Yet those given the Scripture divided only after that clear evidence had reached them, even though they were commanded only to worship Allah, sincere to Him in religion. The surah closes with a stark contrast: those who disbelieve are the worst of creation, abiding in the Fire, while those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of creation, with gardens of perpetual residence and Allah’s pleasure as their reward.
The text shown on this page is the narration of Hafs ‘an ‘Asim, the reading used in most of the Muslim world, in the Uthmani script that follows the Madinah mushaf. The audio recitation is by Sheikh Saad Al-Ghamdi.
Virtues and place of Surah Al-Bayyinah
1. Named by Allah for a companion
Anas ibn Malik related that the Prophet ﷺ said to Ubayy ibn Ka’b: “Allah has commanded me to recite to you «lam yakunil-ladhina kafaru» (Surah Al-Bayyinah).” Ubayy asked, “Did He name me?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Yes” — and Ubayy wept, as recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. It is a remarkable virtue: Allah Himself named the companion to whom this surah should be recited.
2. A complete summary of the upright religion
In a single verse, ayah 5, the surah sets out what true religion consists of: sincere worship of Allah alone, inclining away from falsehood to truth, establishing prayer, and giving zakah. The Quran calls this «din al-qayyimah», the upright religion — a concise statement that believers return to again and again.
3. The best of creation, and mutual pleasure with Allah
The surah closes by naming those who believe and do righteous deeds as «khayr al-bariyyah», the best of creation, promising them gardens of perpetual residence — with Allah pleased with them and they pleased with Him. Few descriptions in the Quran capture the believer’s ultimate hope as directly as this one.
Themes of the Surah
1. The clear evidence (ayahs 1–3)
The surah opens by describing the state of those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists: they were not going to desist from their ways until the clear evidence came to them — a Messenger from Allah reciting purified pages containing upright writings.
Read from ayah 1 →2. They divided after knowledge (ayahs 4–5)
Those given the Scripture divided only after the clear evidence had come to them, though they were commanded only to worship Allah, sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, to establish prayer and give zakah — that is the upright religion.
Read from ayah 4 →3. The worst and the best of creation (ayahs 6–8)
The surah ends with the final destination of each group: those who disbelieve will be in the fire of Hell, abiding therein — they are the worst of creation; those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of creation, with gardens of perpetual residence, Allah pleased with them and they pleased with Him.
Read from ayah 6 →Tips for reading and memorising
- With just 8 ayahs and a reading time of about 2 minutes, it can be memorised in a single sitting or two.
- Read ayah 5 slowly and reflect on it, since it summarises the upright religion in one sentence.
- Listen to the recitation above by Sheikh Saad Al-Ghamdi and repeat after him.
- Reflect on ayahs 6–8 as a direct, vivid picture of the two destinations after this life.
- Use the “font size” buttons at the top of the page for a comfortable read.
- You can print the surah from your browser (Ctrl+P) for a clean paper copy.
Frequently asked questions
How many ayahs are in Surah Al-Bayyinah?
Surah Al-Bayyinah has 8 ayahs. It is the 98th surah in the order of the mushaf, and it is a Medinan surah.
Why is it called Surah Al-Bayyinah?
It is called Surah Al-Bayyinah (“The Clear Evidence”) after the word «al-bayyinah» in its first and fourth verses, referring to the clear proof — a Messenger from Allah reciting purified pages — sent to the People of the Scripture and the polytheists.
What is Surah Al-Bayyinah’s place in Juz ‘Amma?
Surah Al-Bayyinah is the twenty-first surah of Juz ‘Amma, the 30th and final juz of the Quran.
What is “the upright religion” (din al-qayyimah) described in the surah?
In ayah 5, Allah summarises true religion in a single sentence: to worship Him alone, sincere to Him in devotion, inclining away from falsehood to truth, to establish prayer, and to give zakah. The surah calls this «din al-qayyimah», the upright religion.
Who are “the best of creation” (khayr al-bariyyah)?
According to ayah 7, those who believe and do righteous deeds are «khayr al-bariyyah», the best of creation — in contrast to those who disbelieve among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists, described in ayah 6 as the worst of creation.
What is the hadith about Surah Al-Bayyinah and Ubayy ibn Ka’b?
Anas ibn Malik related that the Prophet ﷺ said to Ubayy ibn Ka’b: “Allah has commanded me to recite to you «lam yakunil-ladhina kafaru» (Surah Al-Bayyinah).” Ubayy asked, “Did He name me?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Yes” — and Ubayy wept. It is recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
How long does it take to read the full surah?
A complete recitation of Surah Al-Bayyinah takes about 2 minutes at a moderate pace, since it has only 8 ayahs.
Which recitation is the text on this page based on?
The text shown on this page is the narration of Hafs ‘an ‘Asim — the most widely used reading in the Muslim world — written in the Uthmani script that follows the Madinah mushaf. The audio recitation on this page is by Sheikh Saad Al-Ghamdi.
How can I memorise Surah Al-Bayyinah easily?
With just 8 ayahs and a reading time of about 2 minutes, it can be memorised in a sitting or two. Listen to the recitation above repeatedly, recite from memory in your prayers, and review what you have learnt regularly.
More surahs to read
- Surah Al-Fatihah — full text — Mother of the Book — recited in every rakah of every prayer
- Surah Al-Kahf — full text — recommended to read on Fridays
- Surah As-Sajdah — full text — recited in the Fajr prayer on Fridays and every night before sleep
- Surah Yasin — full text — the Heart of the Quran
- Surah Ar-Rahman — full text — the Bride of the Quran
- Surah Al-Waqi‘ah — full text — the terrors of the Day of Judgment and the three groups of people
- Surah Al-Mulk — full text — recommended every night before sleep
- Surah Al-Insan — full text — recited with As-Sajdah in the Fajr prayer on Fridays
- Surah An-Naba — full text — the first surah of Juz ‘Amma — a powerful proof of the Resurrection
- Surah An-Nazi‘at — full text — the angels who pull out souls, the story of Musa and Pharaoh, and the Great Calamity
- Surah ‘Abasa — full text — the blind man who came seeking, and the Day a man flees from his own brother
- Surah At-Takwir — full text — “when the sun is wrapped up” — as if witnessing the Day of Resurrection
- Surah Al-Infitar — full text — “O man, what has deceived you concerning your Generous Lord?”
- Surah Al-Mutaffifin — full text — woe to those who give short measure — honesty as a matter of faith
- Surah Al-Inshiqaq — full text — contains a verse of prostration — “you will surely ride stage upon stage”
- Surah Al-Buruj — full text — the People of the Ditch — steadfastness of the believers tested by fire
- Surah At-Tariq — full text — the piercing star — every soul has a keeper over it
- Surah Al-A‘la — full text — recited in the Eid and Friday prayers — “glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High”
- Surah Al-Ghashiyah — full text — recited with Al-A‘la in the Eid and Friday prayers — the two kinds of faces on the Last Day
- Surah Al-Fajr — full text — “O reassured soul, return to your Lord well-pleased”
- Surah Al-Balad — full text — the steep path — freeing the enslaved and feeding the hungry
- Surah Ash-Shams — full text — “he has succeeded who purifies the soul”
- Surah Al-Layl — full text — your striving is diverse — the path of ease and the path of hardship
- Surah Ad-Duha — full text — consolation after the pause in revelation — “your Lord has not forsaken you”
- Surah Ash-Sharh — full text — “indeed, with hardship comes ease” — the companion of Ad-Duha
- Surah At-Tin — full text — man created in the best of stature — “is not Allah the most just of judges?”
- Surah Al-‘Alaq — full text — the first revelation — “Read in the name of your Lord” — contains a verse of prostration
- Surah Al-Qadr — full text — Laylat al-Qadr — the Night of Decree, better than a thousand months
- Surah Az-Zalzalah — full text — “whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it”
- Surah Al-‘Adiyat — full text — the charging steeds — man’s ingratitude and the overturning of the graves
- Surah Al-Qari‘ah — full text — the Striking Calamity — the day the scales are set
- Surah At-Takathur — full text — rivalry in worldly increase — “until you visit the graves”
- Surah Al-‘Asr — full text — by time, man is in loss — the surah ash-Shafi‘i said would suffice the people
Selected verses
- Ayat al-Kursi — the greatest verse of the Holy Quran
- Khawatim Surah Al-Baqarah — “whoever recites them at night, they will suffice him”
- Allah does not burden a soul — the closing verse of Surah Al-Baqarah
Listen and watch
- Saudi Quran Radio — listen to recitations of the Holy Quran
- Live broadcast of Masjid al-Haram