Short Surahs
The most commonly recited short surahs, full Arabic, transliteration, and English translation. These are the ones you will use most often in salah and in post-salah adhkar.
Al-Fatiha, The Opening (Q 1)
Recited in every rak’ah of every prayer.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Bismillahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim.
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
Al-hamdu lillahi rabbi l-'alamin. Ar-Rahmani r-Rahim. Maliki yawmi d-din. Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in. Ihdina s-sirata l-mustaqim. Sirata lladhina an'amta 'alayhim, ghayri l-maghdubi 'alayhim wa la d-dallin.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds. The Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. Master of the Day of Judgement. You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path. The path of those You have favored, not those who have earned anger, nor those who have gone astray.
After “wa la d-dallin,” say “Aameen”, aloud in jahr prayers, quietly in sirr.
Al-Ikhlas, Sincerity (Q 112)
One of the most beloved short surahs. The Prophet ﷺ said reciting it is equal to a third of the Qur’an. The Prophet ﷺ would often recite it in the second rak’ah of his sunnah prayers.
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Qul huwa Allahu ahad. Allahu s-samad. Lam yalid wa lam yulad. Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad.
Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none like unto Him.
Al-Falaq, The Daybreak (Q 113)
A surah of refuge. Recited as part of the post-salah adhkar (along with An-Nas).
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ
Qul a'udhu bi rabbi l-falaq. Min sharri ma khalaq. Wa min sharri ghasiqin idha waqab. Wa min sharri n-naffathati fi l-'uqad. Wa min sharri hasidin idha hasad.
Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the daybreak. From the evil of what He has created. And from the evil of darkness when it settles. And from the evil of those who blow on knots. And from the evil of the envier when he envies.
An-Nas, Mankind (Q 114)
The final surah of the Qur’an. Like Al-Falaq, a surah of refuge.
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ مَلِكِ النَّاسِ إِلَٰهِ النَّاسِ مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ
Qul a'udhu bi rabbi n-nas. Maliki n-nas. Ilahi n-nas. Min sharri l-waswasi l-khannas. Alladhi yuwaswisu fi suduri n-nas. Mina l-jinnati wa n-nas.
Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind. The King of mankind. The God of mankind. From the evil of the whispering retreating one. Who whispers in the breasts of mankind. From among the jinn and mankind.
Al-Kawthar, Abundance (Q 108)
The shortest surah in the Qur’an, only 3 ayat. A useful one to memorize first.
إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ
Inna a'taynaka l-kawthar. Fa salli li rabbika wa-nhar. Inna shani'aka huwa l-abtar.
Indeed, We have granted you al-Kawthar (a river in Paradise). So pray to your Lord and sacrifice. Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off.
Al-Asr, The Passing Time (Q 103)
Imam al-Shafi’i said: “If Allah had revealed only this surah, it would have been enough for people.”
وَالْعَصْرِ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ
Wal-'asr. Inna l-insana la fi khusr. Illa lladhina amanu wa 'amilu s-salihati wa tawasaw bi l-haqqi wa tawasaw bi s-sabr.
By time. Indeed, mankind is in loss. Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
Al-Kafirun, The Disbelievers (Q 109)
The Prophet ﷺ often recited this in the first rak’ah of the sunnah of Fajr, with Al-Ikhlas in the second.
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ وَلَا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْ وَلَا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ
Qul ya ayyuha l-kafirun. La a'budu ma ta'budun. Wa la antum 'abiduna ma a'bud. Wa la ana 'abidun ma 'abadtum. Wa la antum 'abiduna ma a'bud. Lakum dinukum wa liya din.
Say: O disbelievers. I do not worship what you worship. Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.