Surah At-Takathur Full Text — Rivalry in Increase (Hafs)

About Surah At-Takathur

Surah At-Takathur is the 102nd surah in the order of the mushaf, and one of the Meccan surahs — revealed to the Prophet ﷺ before the migration to Madinah. It contains 8 ayahs, and it is the twenty-fifth surah of Juz ‘Amma, the final part of the Quran that most Muslims begin their memorisation with.

The surah opens with a warning — «alhakumu at-takathur» (“Rivalry in worldly increase diverts you”) — competition in accumulating wealth, children, and status that occupies people until they “visit the graves.” The warning that they will come to know is repeated twice, then: no, if only they knew with the knowledge of certainty («‘ilm al-yaqin»). The surah closes by describing the sights that certainty brings: they will surely see the Hellfire, then see it with the eye of certainty («‘ayn al-yaqin»), and then be asked, on that Day, about the delights («an-na‘im») they enjoyed.

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 At-Takathur

1. The cure for the illusion of ownership

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The son of Adam says: my wealth, my wealth! And do you have, O son of Adam, anything of your wealth except what you ate and consumed, what you wore and wore out, or what you gave in charity and sent ahead?” (recorded in Sahih Muslim). This hadith is the surah’s cure for the illusion of ownership — reminding the reader that only what is spent or given truly remains one’s own.

2. The tenderness of “visit”

Commentators note the gentleness of the word “visit” in «hatta zurtumu al-maqabir» (“until you visit the graves”). A visit is temporary, not a permanent stay — the grave is a stop along the way, not the final destination, before the standing on the Day of Resurrection.

3. Accountable even for what is lawful

The surah closes with the question of the delights («an-na‘im») — ordinary, lawful blessings such as health, security, and food and drink. That even these will be asked about is a call to gratitude, since every comfort enjoyed in this life carries an account.

Themes of the Surah

1. Rivalry diverts you (ayahs 1–2)

The surah opens by naming the distraction at the root of so much heedlessness: «at-takathur», rivalry in worldly increase — wealth, children, and status — a race that continues «hatta zurtumu al-maqabir», until the graves are visited.

Read from ayah 1 →

2. No — you will come to know (ayahs 3–5)

The warning is repeated twice — «kalla sawfa ta‘lamun», “no, you are going to know” — and then: no, if only they knew with the knowledge of certainty («‘ilm al-yaqin»).

Read from ayah 3 →

3. Seeing the Fire, and the question of the delights (ayahs 6–8)

The surah closes with certainty made visible: they will surely see the Hellfire, then see it with the eye of certainty («‘ayn al-yaqin»), and then, on that Day, everyone will surely be asked about the delights («an-na‘im») they enjoyed.

Read from ayah 6 →

Tips for reading and memorising

With only 8 short ayahs, it can be memorised quickly.
Listen to the recitation above by Sheikh Saad Al-Ghamdi and repeat after him a few times to fix the wording in memory.
Reflect on the meaning of «alhakumu at-takathur» each time you recite it — a reminder against the distraction of chasing more.
Once memorised, recite it in your daily prayers to keep it fresh.
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 At-Takathur?

Surah At-Takathur has 8 ayahs. It is the 102nd surah in the order of the mushaf, and it is a Meccan surah.

Why is it called Surah At-Takathur?

It is called Surah At-Takathur (“Rivalry in Worldly Increase”) after its opening words «alhakumu at-takathur» — “competition in increase diverts you” — describing how rivalry in accumulating wealth, children, and status distracts people from what truly matters.

What does “until you visit the graves” mean in Surah At-Takathur?

The second ayah says the rivalry continues «hatta zurtumu al-maqabir» — “until you visit the graves.” Commentators note the tenderness of the word “visit”: the grave is only a stop along the way, not the final destination, before the standing on the Day of Resurrection.

What is the difference between «‘ilm al-yaqin» and «‘ayn al-yaqin» in this surah?

Commentators explain these as degrees of certainty mentioned in the surah. «‘Ilm al-yaqin» (“the knowledge of certainty”) is certain knowledge gained through sound information, while «‘ayn al-yaqin» (“the eye of certainty”) is the higher certainty of actually seeing a thing — here, seeing the Hellfire itself.

What are “the delights” (an-na‘im) that we will be asked about?

According to the commentators, «an-na‘im» refers to the blessings of this life — such as health, security, and food and drink — that people enjoy. The surah closes by stating that everyone will be asked, on the Day of Judgment, about these delights.

What does Surah At-Takathur teach about wealth?

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The son of Adam says: my wealth, my wealth! And do you have, O son of Adam, anything of your wealth except what you ate and consumed, what you wore and wore out, or what you gave in charity and sent ahead?” (recorded in Sahih Muslim). This hadith captures the surah’s cure for the illusion of ownership.

Where does Surah At-Takathur fall in Juz ‘Amma?

Surah At-Takathur is the twenty-fifth surah of Juz ‘Amma — the 30th and final juz of the Quran — which is the part most Muslims begin their memorisation with.

How long does it take to read the full surah?

A complete recitation of Surah At-Takathur takes about 1 minute at a moderate pace, as it has only 8 short 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.

Surah At-Takathur (Rivalry in Increase) — Full Text in Clear Arabic Script

Listen to the recitation