Surah As-Sajdah was part of the Prophet's ﷺ weekly rhythm: he would recite it in the Fajr prayer of Jumu'ah, paired with Surah Al-Insan (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim), and narrations describe him not sleeping until he recited it along with Al-Mulk (Jami' at-Tirmidhi, graded hasan). Its thirty ayahs run the full arc of existence — creation in stages, the spirit breathed in, the deniers' claim of a new creation refuted — and carry the ayah describing those whose sides forsake their beds to call on their Lord.
Surah As-Sajdah is the 32nd chapter of the Qur'an, a Meccan surah of 30 verses. Its name means “The Prostration”, from the verse within it at which a prostration of recitation is made. It moves from the revelation of the Book, to creation, to the denial of resurrection, and to the difference between the believer and the defiantly disobedient.
Surah As-Sajdah at a glance
| Surah number | 32 of 114 |
|---|---|
| Arabic name | سُورَةُ السَّجۡدَةِ |
| Name in English | As-Sajdah — “The Prostration” |
| Verses (ayahs) | 30 |
| Revealed in | Makkah |
| Juz | 21 |
| Length in the Mushaf | about 3 pages |
The Book and the creation
It opens stating that this is the revelation of the Book about which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the worlds — answering the claim that it was invented. It then describes the creation of the heavens and the earth in six days, the arranging of each matter, and the creation of man from clay, his posterity from an extract of a liquid disdained, and the giving of hearing, vision and hearts.
The objection, and the answer
It quotes the objection — “when we are lost within the earth, will we indeed be in a new creation?” — and answers that they are disbelievers in the meeting with their Lord. It then shows the criminals hanging their heads before their Lord, asking to be returned so they might work righteousness.
Two kinds of people
The surah contrasts those whose sides part from their beds calling upon their Lord in fear and hope, and who spend from what they were provided — with no soul knowing what comfort is kept hidden for them — against the defiantly disobedient. It states plainly that the two are not equal.
Read Surah As-Sajdah in full
The Arabic below is the Uthmani script, with a Roman transliteration to help you sound out each verse and the Sahih International English translation of the meaning. If you are learning to recite it, read the Arabic line first and use the transliteration only to check yourself — leaning on it slows real reading down.
Listen to Surah As-Sajdah (Mishary Al-Afasy)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ الٓمٓ
Alif-Laaam-Meeem
Alif, Lam, Meem.
تَنزِيلُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ مِن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Tanzeelul Kitaabi 'laaraiba feehi mir rabbil 'aalameen
[This is] the revelation of the Book about which there is no doubt from the Lord of the worlds.
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ ۚ بَلْ هُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ لِتُنذِرَ قَوْمًۭا مَّآ أَتَىٰهُم مِّن نَّذِيرٍۢ مِّن قَبْلِكَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ
Am yaqooloonaf taraahu bal huwal haqqu mir rabbika litunzira qawma maaa ataahum min nazeerim min qablika la'allahum yahtadoon
Or do they say, "He invented it"? Rather, it is the truth from your Lord, [O Muhammad], that you may warn a people to whom no warner has come before you [so] perhaps they will be guided.
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍۢ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۖ مَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِىٍّۢ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ ۚ أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ
Allaahul lazee khalaqas samaawaati wal arda wa maa bainahumaa fee sittati ayyaam;Thummas tawaa 'alal 'arsh; maa lakum min doonihee minw-wwaliyyinw-wala shafee'; afala tatazakkaroon
It is Allah who created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne. You have not besides Him any protector or any intercessor; so will you not be reminded?
يُدَبِّرُ ٱلْأَمْرَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍۢ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥٓ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍۢ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّونَ
Yudabbirul amra minas samaaa'i ilal ardi Thumma ya'ruju ilai Thumma ya'ruju ilaihi fee yawmin kaana miqdaaruhoooo alfa sanatim mimmaa ta'uddoon
He arranges [each] matter from the heaven to the earth; then it will ascend to Him in a Day, the extent of which is a thousand years of those which you count.
ذَٰلِكَ عَٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
Zaalika 'aalimul ghaybi wa shahaadatil 'azeezur raheem
That is the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Exalted in Might, the Merciful,
ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ ۖ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنِ مِن طِينٍۢ
Allazee ahsana kulla shai in khalaqa; wa bada a khalqal insaani min teen
Who perfected everything which He created and began the creation of man from clay.
ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُۥ مِن سُلَٰلَةٍۢ مِّن مَّآءٍۢ مَّهِينٍۢ
Thumma ja'ala naslahoo min sulaalatim mim maaa'immaheen
Then He made his posterity out of the extract of a liquid disdained.
ثُمَّ سَوَّىٰهُ وَنَفَخَ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِهِۦ ۖ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَٰرَ وَٱلْأَفْـِٔدَةَ ۚ قَلِيلًۭا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ
Thumma sawwaahu wa nafakha feehi mir roohihih; wa ja'ala lakumus sam'a wal-absaara wal-af'idah; taqaleelam maa tashkuroon
Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from His [created] soul and made for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful.
وَقَالُوٓا۟ أَءِذَا ضَلَلْنَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَءِنَّا لَفِى خَلْقٍۢ جَدِيدٍۭ ۚ بَلْ هُم بِلِقَآءِ رَبِّهِمْ كَٰفِرُونَ
Wa qaalooo 'a-izaa dalalnaa fil ardi 'a-innaa lafee khalqin jadeed; bal hum biliqaaa'i rabbihim kaafirroon
And they say, "When we are lost within the earth, will we indeed be [recreated] in a new creation?" Rather, they are, in [the matter of] the meeting with their Lord, disbelievers.
۞ قُلْ يَتَوَفَّىٰكُم مَّلَكُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ٱلَّذِى وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ
Qul yatawaffaakum malakul mawtil lazee wukkila bikum Thumma ilaa rabbikum turja'oon
Say, "The angel of death will take you who has been entrusted with you. Then to your Lord you will be returned."
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذِ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُوا۟ رُءُوسِهِمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَآ أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا فَٱرْجِعْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَٰلِحًا إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ
Wa law taraaa izil mujrimoona naakisoo ru'oosihim 'inda rabbihim rabbanaaa absarnaa wa sami'naa farji'naa na'mal saalihan innaa mooqinoon
If you could but see when the criminals are hanging their heads before their Lord, [saying], "Our Lord, we have seen and heard, so return us [to the world]; we will work righteousness. Indeed, we are [now] certain."
وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَءَاتَيْنَا كُلَّ نَفْسٍ هُدَىٰهَا وَلَٰكِنْ حَقَّ ٱلْقَوْلُ مِنِّى لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ
Wa law shi'naa la-aatainaa kulla nafsin hudaahaa wa laakin haqqal qawlu minnee la amla'anna jahannama minal jinnati wannaasi ajma'een
And if We had willed, We could have given every soul its guidance, but the word from Me will come into effect [that] "I will surely fill Hell with jinn and people all together.
فَذُوقُوا۟ بِمَا نَسِيتُمْ لِقَآءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَٰذَآ إِنَّا نَسِينَٰكُمْ ۖ وَذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابَ ٱلْخُلْدِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
Fazooqoo bimaa naseetum liqaaa'a yawminkum haaza innaa naseenaakum wa zooqoo 'azaabal khuldi bimaa kuntum ta'maloon
So taste [punishment] because you forgot the meeting of this, your Day; indeed, We have [accordingly] forgotten you. And taste the punishment of eternity for what you used to do."
إِنَّمَا يُؤْمِنُ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِهَا خَرُّوا۟ سُجَّدًۭا وَسَبَّحُوا۟ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ۩
Innamaa yu'minu bi aayaatinal lazeena izaa zukkiroo bihaa kharroo sujjadanw wa sabbahoo bihamdi rabbihim wa hum laa yastakbiroon
Only those believe in Our verses who, when they are reminded by them, fall down in prostration and exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord, and they are not arrogant.
تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًۭا وَطَمَعًۭا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
Tatajaafaa junoobuhum 'anil madaaji'i yad'oona rabbahum khawfanw wa tama'anw wa mimmaa razaqnaahum yunfiqoon
They arise from [their] beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what We have provided them, they spend.
فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌۭ مَّآ أُخْفِىَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍۢ جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
Falaa ta'lamu nafsum maaa ukhfiya lahum min qurrati a'yunin jazaaa'am bimaa kaanoo ya'maloon
And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do.
أَفَمَن كَانَ مُؤْمِنًۭا كَمَن كَانَ فَاسِقًۭا ۚ لَّا يَسْتَوُۥنَ
Afaman kaana mu'minan kaman kaana faasiqaa; laa yasta woon
Then is one who was a believer like one who was defiantly disobedient? They are not equal.
أَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ فَلَهُمْ جَنَّٰتُ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ نُزُلًۢا بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
Ammal lazeena aamanoo wa 'amilus saalihaati falahum jannaatul maawa nuzulam bimaa kaanoo ya'maloon
As for those who believed and did righteous deeds, for them will be the Gardens of Refuge as accommodation for what they used to do.
وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فَسَقُوا۟ فَمَأْوَىٰهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ ۖ كُلَّمَآ أَرَادُوٓا۟ أَن يَخْرُجُوا۟ مِنْهَآ أُعِيدُوا۟ فِيهَا وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ ذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ
Wa ammal lazeena fasaqoo famaawaahumn Naaru kullamaaa araadooo any yakhrujoo minhaaa u'eedoo feehaa wa qeela lahum zooqoo 'zaaaban Naaril lazee kuntum bihee tukazziboon
But as for those who defiantly disobeyed, their refuge is the Fire. Every time they wish to emerge from it, they will be returned to it while it is said to them, "Taste the punishment of the Fire which you used to deny."
وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْأَدْنَىٰ دُونَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْأَكْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
Wa lanuzeeqan nahum minal 'azaabil ladnaa doonal 'azaabil akbari la'allahum yarji'oon
And we will surely let them taste the nearer punishment short of the greater punishment that perhaps they will repent.
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ ثُمَّ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهَآ ۚ إِنَّا مِنَ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ مُنتَقِمُونَ
Wa man azlamu mimman zukkira bi aayaati rabbihee summa a'rada 'anhaa; innaa minal mujrimeena muntaqimmon
And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord; then he turns away from them? Indeed We, from the criminals, will take retribution.
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَٰبَ فَلَا تَكُن فِى مِرْيَةٍۢ مِّن لِّقَآئِهِۦ ۖ وَجَعَلْنَٰهُ هُدًۭى لِّبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ
Wa laqad aayainaa Moosal Kitaaba falaa takun fee miryatim mil liqaaa'ihee wa ja'alnaahu hudal li Baneee Israaa'eel
And We certainly gave Moses the Scripture, so do not be in doubt over his meeting. And we made the Torah guidance for the Children of Israel.
وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةًۭ يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا۟ ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ
Wa ja'alnaa minhum a'immatany yahdoona bi amrinaa lammaa sabaroo wa kaanoo bi aayaatinaa yooqinoon
And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
Inna rabbaka huwa yafsilu bainahum yawmal qiyaamati feemaa kaanoo feehi yakhtalifoon
Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.
أَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لَهُمْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ يَمْشُونَ فِى مَسَٰكِنِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍ ۖ أَفَلَا يَسْمَعُونَ
Awalam yahdi lahum kam ahlaknaa min qablihim minal qurooni yamshoona fee zaalika la aayaatin afalaa yasma'oon
Has it not become clear to them how many generations We destroyed before them, [as] they walk among their dwellings? Indeed in that are signs; then do they not hear?
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّا نَسُوقُ ٱلْمَآءَ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلْجُرُزِ فَنُخْرِجُ بِهِۦ زَرْعًۭا تَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ أَنْعَٰمُهُمْ وَأَنفُسُهُمْ ۖ أَفَلَا يُبْصِرُونَ
Awalam yaraw annaa nasooqul maaa'a ilal lardil juruzi fanukhriju bihee zar'an taakulu minhu an'aamuhum wa anfusuhum afalaa yubsiroon
Have they not seen that We drive the water [in clouds] to barren land and bring forth thereby crops from which their livestock eat and [they] themselves? Then do they not see?
وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا ٱلْفَتْحُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ
Wa yaqooloona mataa haazal fat hu in kuntum saadiqeen
And they say, "When will be this conquest, if you should be truthful?"
قُلْ يَوْمَ ٱلْفَتْحِ لَا يَنفَعُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِيمَٰنُهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ
Qul yawmal fat hi laa yanfa'ul lazeena kafarooo eemaanuhum wa laa hum yunzaroon
Say, [O Muhammad], "On the Day of Conquest the belief of those who had disbelieved will not benefit them, nor will they be reprieved."
فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَٱنتَظِرْ إِنَّهُم مُّنتَظِرُونَ
Fa a'rid 'anhum wantazir innahum muntazirron
So turn away from them and wait. Indeed, they are waiting.
Learning Surah As-Sajdah
As-Sajdah is short enough to complete quickly and contains a prostration verse, so students should learn where it falls and what to do at it before reciting the surah in company.
Why memorize Surah As-Sajdah?
Because it plugs directly into two sunnahs: Friday Fajr and the pre-sleep recitation. A memorizer who owns As-Sajdah and Al-Mulk has the Prophet's ﷺ own nightly pairing — and thirty mostly short ayahs make it very achievable right after the Juz Amma stage.
How long does Surah As-Sajdah take to memorize?
Honest answer: it depends on your daily portion and whether someone is correcting you. Surah As-Sajdah is about 41 lines of mushaf text. Here is what that means at three realistic paces — each assuming you also run the revision cycle (which is what makes it permanent):
| Pace | New memorization per day | Time to finish Surah As-Sajdah | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relaxed | ~3 lines | about 2 weeks | Busy adults, first-time memorizers |
| Steady | ~5 lines | about 9 days | Most students — the sweet spot |
| Focused | ~10 lines | about 5 days | Experienced memorizers, school holidays |
Add roughly a consolidation week at the end — the point where you can recite the whole surah to a listener without prompts. Our guide to how long the whole Quran takes uses the same arithmetic.
The smart way to memorize Surah As-Sajdah
Split it at the sajdah. The prostration ayah (15) is the surah's hinge — before it: creation, the spirit, and the deniers of resurrection (1–14); after it: the people of the night prayer and the delight hidden for them, the contrast of believer and rebel, and the argument from history and rain (16–30). Memorize toward the sajdah as your first milestone and past it as your second. Recite the whole surah every night once finished — the sunnah-inspired habit is also a complete revision system, exactly as with Al-Mulk.
A milestone plan for Surah As-Sajdah
At the steady pace (~5 lines a day), Surah As-Sajdah breaks into four milestones. Print our free planner PDF and mark them off:
| Portion | New-memorization time | Cumulative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milestone 1 | Ayahs 1–7 | ~2 days | Day 2 |
| Milestone 2 | Ayahs 8–14 | ~2 days | Day 4 |
| Milestone 3 | Ayahs 15–21 | ~2 days | Day 6 |
| Milestone 4 | Ayahs 22–30 | ~3 days | Day 9 |
The method: sabaq, sabqi, manzil
Serious memorization runs on the classic three-cycle system used in hifz institutes worldwide: sabaq (today's new portion), sabqi (the recent pages, revised daily until solid), and manzil (older material, cycled weekly so it never fades). Our Hifz course is built on exactly this cycle, and our free memorization planner PDF gives you printable sabaq–sabqi–manzil grids to track it.
Why memorize with a live teacher
Self-memorization has one fatal flaw: you cannot hear your own mistakes. A mispronounced letter or shortened madd, repeated twenty times during memorization, becomes near-permanent — teachers call it 'memorizing your mistakes'. In a live one-to-one lesson on our synchronized Quran screen, every slip is corrected the moment it happens, before it settles. Recitation is checked ayah by ayah, revision is scheduled for you, and the first lesson is a free trial.