Makkah LiveSurah At-Tin (The Fig) — Full Text in Clear Arabic Script
8 ayahs · Meccan· Hafs ‘an ‘Asim · reading time ~1 minute · the eighteenth surah of Juz ‘Amma
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By Saad Al-Ghamdi
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بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
About Surah At-Tin
Surah At-Tin is the 95th 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 eighteenth surah of Juz ‘Amma, the final part of the Quran that most Muslims begin their memorisation with.
The surah opens with a series of oaths — «wat-tini waz-zaytun» (“By the fig and the olive”), followed by Mount Sinai (Tur Sinin) and this secure city (Makkah) — oaths that, per the commentators, evoke the lands of the great prophets. It then declares that Allah has created man in the best of stature, before warning that he is returned to the lowest of the low, except those who believe and do righteous deeds, for they will have a reward unending. The surah closes with a question that affirms Allah’s perfect justice: “Is not Allah the most just of judges?”
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-Tin
1. The Prophet’s ﷺ own recitation
Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib relates: “I heard the Prophet ﷺ recite «wat-tini waz-zaytun» in the ‘Isha prayer, and I have never heard anyone with a more beautiful voice than his” — recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. The hadith shows that this short surah was among those the Prophet ﷺ himself recited in the obligatory prayers.
2. A teaching on human dignity
The surah declares that Allah has created man in the best of stature — a statement of the honour and dignity Allah has given every human being — before warning that this dignity is lost through disbelief and heedlessness, and preserved only by faith and righteous deeds.
3. An affirmation of Allah’s perfect justice
The surah closes with the question “Is not Allah the most just of judges?” — a verse the commentators describe as a firm affirmation that Allah’s judgment of His creation, on the Day of Recompense, is perfectly just.
Themes of the Surah
1. The Four Oaths (ayahs 1–3)
The surah opens with four oaths — by the fig and the olive, by Mount Sinai (Tur Sinin), and by this secure city (Makkah). Per the commentators, these oaths evoke the lands of the great prophets: the fig and the olive with the land of Sham and Bayt al-Maqdis, Mount Sinai with Musa, and the secure city Makkah with Muhammad ﷺ, peace be upon them.
Read from ayah 1 →2. The Best of Stature (ayahs 4–6)
Allah declares that He has created man in the best of stature, then returns him to the lowest of the low — except those who believe and do righteous deeds, for they will have a reward unending.
Read from ayah 4 →3. The Most Just of Judges (ayahs 7–8)
The surah closes by asking what causes man to deny the recompense after this, then affirms: “Is not Allah the most just of judges?”
Read from ayah 7 →Tips for reading and memorising
- It is one of the shortest surahs in the Quran, with only 8 ayahs — it can be memorised in a sitting or two.
- Listen to the recitation above by Sheikh Saad Al-Ghamdi and repeat after him.
- Reflect on the four oaths and the lands of the prophets they evoke as you recite.
- Reflect on ayah 4 as a reminder of the dignity Allah has given every human being.
- 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-Tin?
Surah At-Tin has 8 ayahs. It is the 95th surah in the order of the mushaf, a Meccan surah, and the eighteenth surah of Juz ‘Amma.
Why is it called Surah At-Tin?
It is called Surah At-Tin (“The Fig”) after its opening oath, «wat-tini waz-zaytun» — “By the fig and the olive.”
What are the four things Allah swears by in this surah?
Allah swears by the fig and the olive, by Mount Sinai (Tur Sinin), and by this secure city (Makkah). Per the commentators, these oaths evoke the lands of the great prophets: the fig and the olive with the land of Sham and Bayt al-Maqdis, Mount Sinai with Musa, and the secure city Makkah with Muhammad ﷺ, peace be upon them.
What does “created man in the best of stature” mean?
It means Allah created the human being in the finest and most upright form — a statement of the honour and dignity Allah has given mankind.
What is meant by “the lowest of the low”, and who is excepted from it?
It refers to man being brought down from that noble stature. Excepted from this are those who believe and do righteous deeds, for they will have a reward unending.
What is the closing question of the surah about?
The surah closes by asking what causes man to deny the recompense after this, then affirms: “Is not Allah the most just of judges?” — a verse the commentators describe as an affirmation of Allah’s perfect justice.
Is there a hadith about the Prophet ﷺ reciting this surah?
Yes. Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib relates: “I heard the Prophet ﷺ recite «wat-tini waz-zaytun» in the ‘Isha prayer, and I have never heard anyone with a more beautiful voice than his” — recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
How long does it take to read the full surah?
A complete recitation of Surah At-Tin takes about 1 minute at a moderate pace, as it is a very short surah of 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.
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 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 Al-Bayyinah — full text — the clear evidence — the best of creation and their reward
- 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