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سورة الْفَجْر
Surah Al-Fajr — Key Word Definitions
Session 09 · Tadabur Guide · Saturday, May 24, 2026
الْفَجْرAl-FajrAyah 1 — "By the dawn."
Light Definition
انشقاق ظلمة الليل عن نور الصبحThe splitting of the night's darkness by the light of morning
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[فجر]
الفَجْرُ: شقّ الشيء شقًّا واسعًا. ومنه: انفجار الماء وانفجار الصبح. قال تعالى: وَالْفَجْرِ [الفجر/ ١]. وسُمّي الفجر فجرًا لأنّ الضوء ينفجر فيشقّ الظلام. وأقسم الله به لشرف هذا الوقت، ففيه تتنزّل الرحمة وتُقبل الملائكة.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: f-j-r]

Al-fajr means to split something wide open. From it: the gushing of water (infjar) and the breaking of dawn (infjar al-subh). Allah says: "By the fajr (dawn)" [Al-Fajr/1]. Dawn is called fajr because light bursts forth and splits the darkness. Allah swears by it due to the nobility of this time, when mercy descends and the angels draw near.
لَيَالٍ عَشْرLayalin 'AshrAyah 2 — "By the ten nights."
Light Definition
العشر الأوائل من ذي الحجّة على أشهر الأقوالThe first ten nights of Dhul Hijjah, according to the most well-known opinion
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[ليل / عشر]
قال تعالى: وَلَيالٍ عَشْرٍ [الفجر/ ٢]. قال ابن عباس وجمهور المفسّرين: هي عشر ذي الحجّة. وقيل: العشر الأواخر من رمضان. والأوّل أرجح، لأنّ النبيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «ما من أيّام العمل الصالح فيهنّ أحبّ إلى الله من هذه الأيّام العشر».
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: l-y-l / '-sh-r]

Allah says: "By the ten nights" [Al-Fajr/2]. Ibn 'Abbas and the majority of scholars say these are the first ten of Dhul Hijjah. Others say the last ten of Ramadan. The first opinion is stronger, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days."
📝Allah swears by these nights to highlight their immense value. These are the days for turbo-charging good deeds: fasting, dhikr, charity, and the Hajj rituals all converge in them.
حِجْرHijrAyah 5 — "Is there in that an oath for whoever has a mind?"
Light Definition
العقل الذي يحجر صاحبه عن الباطلThe intellect that restrains its owner from falsehood
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[حجر]
الحِجْرُ: المنع. وسُمّي العقل حِجْرًا لأنّه يمنع صاحبه ممّا لا ينبغي. قال تعالى: هَلْ فِي ذلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِذِي حِجْرٍ [الفجر/ ٥]، أي: لذي عقل يحجره عن الباطل.

ومنه: حِجْر إسماعيل: الموضع المحجور. والحَجَر: لمنعه بصلابته. وحِجْر الإنسان: حضنه الذي يحجر فيه الطفل.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: h-j-r]

Al-hijr means prevention and restraint. The intellect is called hijr because it restrains its owner from what is improper. Allah says: "Is there in that an oath for one who has hijr (a mind)?" [Al-Fajr/5], meaning: for one who has an intellect that restrains him from falsehood.

From the same root: Hijr Isma'il (the enclosed area by the Ka'bah). Al-hajar (stone) for its hardness that blocks. And hijr al-insan (a person's lap) where a child is protected.
📝The Hijr is the brain that must choose: will it follow the rock carved with pride (like Thamud) or the water of guidance (flowing from Al-Baqarah to Al-Fajr)? This is the riddle at the heart of the session.
الْعِمَادAl-'ImadAyah 7 — "Iram, (the city) of the pillars."
Light Definition
الأعمدة الرفيعة العاليةLofty, towering pillars; symbols of grand civilization
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[عمد]
العِمَادُ: جمع عمود. والعمود: ما يُعتمد عليه. قال تعالى: إِرَمَ ذاتِ الْعِمادِ [الفجر/ ٧]. قيل: أعمدة بنائهم العالية. وقيل: أجسادهم الطويلة كالأعمدة. وإرم: مدينة عاد التي بلغت من العمران ما لم يبلغه غيرها.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: '-m-d]

Al-'imad is the plural of 'amud (pillar): that which is leaned upon. Allah says: "Iram, of the 'imad (pillars)" [Al-Fajr/7]. Some say: the lofty pillars of their buildings. Others say: their tall stature, like pillars. Iram was the city of 'Ad that reached a level of civilization unmatched by any other.
الْمِرْصَادAl-MirsadAyah 14 — "Indeed, your Lord is certainly ever-watchful."
Light Definition
المكان الذي يُرصَد فيه، أي يُراقَب ويُترقَّبThe place of watching; ever-watchful, lying in wait
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[رصد]
الرَّصَدُ: الترقّب. والمِرْصَادُ: الموضع الذي يُرصد فيه. قال تعالى: إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصادِ [الفجر/ ١٤]، أي: يرصد أعمال العباد فلا يفوته منها شيء. وفيه وعيد شديد للطغاة أنّ الله يراقبهم وينتظر ليجازيهم.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: r-s-d]

Al-rasad means to watch and wait. Al-mirsad is the place of watching. Allah says: "Indeed, your Lord is certainly at the mirsad (ever-watchful)" [Al-Fajr/14], meaning He watches the deeds of His servants and nothing escapes Him. This is a severe warning to tyrants that Allah is observing them and waiting to recompense them.
ابْتَلَاهIbtalahuAyah 15 — "Whenever his Lord tries him."
Light Definition
اختبره وامتحنه بالنعمة أو بالشدّةTo test and try, through blessing or hardship
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[بلو]
الابتلاء: الاختبار. قال تعالى: فَأَمَّا الْإِنْسانُ إِذا مَا ابْتَلاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ. وَأَمَّا إِذا مَا ابْتَلاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهانَنِ [الفجر/ ١٥-١٦].

فالإنسان يظنّ أنّ الإكرام دليل الرضا والإهانة دليل السخط. وكلاهما ابتلاء: النعمة ابتلاء والشدّة ابتلاء.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: b-l-w]

Al-ibtila' means to test. Allah says: "As for man, when his Lord ibtala (tries) him through honoring and blessing him, he says 'My Lord has honored me.' But when He ibtala (tries) him through restricting his provision, he says 'My Lord has insulted me'" [Al-Fajr/15-16].

Man assumes that honour means Allah's pleasure and hardship means His anger. But both are tests: comfort is a test and hardship is a test.
📝Allah corrects this flawed thinking with "kalla!" (But no!) in ayah 17. The real measure of a person is not wealth or poverty, but how they treat the orphan, the poor, and how they handle wealth.
لَمًّاLammanAyah 19 — "You devour inheritance greedily."
Light Definition
أكلاً شديدًا يجمع كلّ شيء ولا يترك منه شيئًاDevouring greedily, sweeping everything up without leaving anything
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[لمم]
اللَّمُّ: الجمع الشديد. قال تعالى: وَتَأْكُلُونَ التُّراثَ أَكْلاً لَمًّا [الفجر/ ١٩]، أي: تجمعون الميراث جمعًا شديدًا فتأكلون نصيبكم ونصيب غيركم كاليتامى والنساء. فاللمّ: الالتهام الذي لا يُبقي شيئًا.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: l-m-m]

Al-lamm means to gather intensely. Allah says: "You devour inheritance aklan lamman (greedily)" [Al-Fajr/19], meaning: you gather the inheritance intensely, consuming your share and the share of others like orphans and women. Lamm is devouring that leaves nothing behind.
جَمًّاJammanAyah 20 — "You love wealth immensely."
Light Definition
حبًّا كثيرًا مفرطًاAn excessive, overwhelming, immense love
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[جمم]
الجَمُّ: الكثير المتراكم. قال تعالى: وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا [الفجر/ ٢٠]، أي: حبًّا كثيرًا شديدًا مفرطًا. ويقال: جمّ الماءُ في البئر: إذا كثر واجتمع. فحبّ المال الجمّ: حبّ يملأ القلب ويطغى على كلّ شيء.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: j-m-m]

Al-jamm means abundant and heaped up. Allah says: "You love wealth hubban jamman (immensely)" [Al-Fajr/20], meaning: an excessive, overwhelming love. One says: jamma al-ma' fi al-bi'r: the water accumulated and overflowed in the well. So loving wealth jamman is a love that fills the heart and overtakes everything else.
الْمُطْمَئِنَّةAl-Mutma'innahAyah 27 — "O you tranquil self."
Light Definition
النفس الساكنة المستقرّة بذكر الله ومعرفتهThe serene self, settled and at peace through remembrance of Allah
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[طمن]
الطُّمَأنِينَةُ: السكون والاستقرار بعد الانزعاج. قال تعالى: يا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ [الفجر/ ٢٧]. وهي النفس التي سكنت إلى الله وأنست بذكره، فلا تضطرب بالمصائب ولا تطغى بالنعم.

وقال: أَلا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ [الرعد/ ٢٨]. فمصدر الطمأنينة هو ذكر الله وحده.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: t-m-n]

Al-tuma'ninah is tranquility and settling after agitation. Allah says: "O you nafs al-mutma'innah (tranquil self)" [Al-Fajr/27]. It is the self that has found rest in Allah and intimacy through His remembrance. It does not panic in hardship nor become arrogant in comfort.

He says: "Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find tuma'ninah (tranquility)" [Al-Ra'd/28]. The source of tranquility is the remembrance of Allah alone.
📝This is the ultimate destination of the human soul. After the Surah describes civilizations destroyed by pride, the human flaw of measuring worth by wealth, and the terror of Judgment Day, it ends with the most beautiful invitation: "O tranquil self, return to your Lord, pleased and pleasing."
رَاضِيَة مَّرْضِيَّةRadiyah MardiyyahAyah 28 — "Well pleased and well pleasing."
Light Definition
راضية عن الله وعن ثوابه، وقد رضي الله عنهاPleased with Allah and His reward, and Allah is pleased with her
Al-Raghib — Arabic
[رضي]
الرِّضَا: طيب النفس بما يصيبها أو يفوتها. قال تعالى: ارْجِعِي إِلى رَبِّكِ راضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً [الفجر/ ٢٨]. راضية: أي راضية عن الله وعن جزائه. مرضيّة: أي رضي الله عنها وقبلها.

فالرضا متبادل: هي راضية عن ربّها، وربّها راضٍ عنها. وهذه أعلى منازل العبوديّة.
Al-Raghib — English
[Root: r-d-y]

Al-rida is the contentment of the soul with what befalls it or passes it by. Allah says: "Return to your Lord radiyah mardiyyah (well pleased and well pleasing)" [Al-Fajr/28]. Radiyah: pleased with Allah and His recompense. Mardiyyah: Allah is pleased with her and has accepted her.

The pleasure is mutual: she is pleased with her Lord, and her Lord is pleased with her. This is the highest station of servitude.