Surah Al-A'la explained for children, in pictures

The lessons

1. 
   1 · Verses 1–3

   Glorify your Lord, the Most High

   Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High, above every flaw. He created everything and made it perfectly, measured for each creature what suits it, and guided it there.

2. 
   2 · Verses 4–5

   The green pasture

   And Allah is the One who brings out the green pasture, then turns it dry and dark.

3. 
   3 · Verses 6–8

   You will not forget

   Allah will make you recite this Quran, O Prophet, peace be upon him, and you will not forget it, except what Allah wills. He knows what is said aloud and what is hidden. And He will make all your affairs easy.

4. 
   4 · Verses 9–10

   So remind

   So remind people, O Prophet, peace be upon him, of what is revealed to you, where reminding helps. The one who fears Allah will take the reminder.

5. 
   5 · Verses 11–13

   The great Fire

   But the most wretched will turn away from it: the one who will enter the greatest Fire, where he neither dies and rests, nor lives a good life.

6. 
   6 · Verses 14–15

   Successful is the one who purifies himself

   Successful indeed is the one who purifies himself from bad manners, remembers the name of his Lord, and prays on time.

7. 
   7 · Verses 16–19

   The Hereafter is better and lasting

   But you, people, prefer the glitter of this worldly life, while the Hereafter is better and lasting. This is also in the earlier scriptures: the scriptures of Abraham and Moses, peace be upon them.

Surah Al-A'la at a glance

Surah Al-A'la is a Makki surah with 19 verses; it is number 87 in the mushaf, in juz 30 (Juz Amma), and starts on page 591.

Order in the mushaf

87

Number of verses

19 verses

Makki or Madani

Makki (revealed in Makkah)

Juz

30 (Juz Amma)

Starts on page

591

What its name means

Al-A'la, the Most High, is one of Allah's names, above all His creation: the surah opens with «Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High».

Classification, verse count and page numbers follow the Madinah Mushaf (Hafs from Asim, Kufi count).

Word meanings in Surah Al-A'la for kids

Meanings from Tafsir Al-Muyassar, in simple words.

سَبِّحِ

glorify (Verse 1)

ٱلْأَعْلَى

the Most High (Verse 1)

فَسَوَّىٰ

and made it well (Verse 2)

قَدَّرَ

set the measure of everything (Verse 3)

فَهَدَىٰ

and guided it (Verse 3)

ٱلْمَرْعَىٰ

green pasture (Verse 4)

غُثَآءً أَحْوَىٰ

dry dark stubble (Verse 5)

سَنُقْرِئُكَ

We will teach you to recite (Verse 6)

ٱلْجَهْرَ

what is spoken aloud (Verse 7)

لِلْيُسْرَىٰ

to the easy way (Verse 8)

فَذَكِّرْ

so remind (Verse 9)

سَيَذَّكَّرُ

will take heed (Verse 10)

وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا

but will avoid it (Verse 11)

ٱلْأَشْقَى

the most wretched (Verse 11)

أَفْلَحَ

has succeeded (Verse 14)

تَزَكَّىٰ

purifies himself (Verse 14)

تُؤْثِرُونَ

you prefer (Verse 16)

وَأَبْقَىٰٓ

more lasting (Verse 17)

ٱلصُّحُفِ ٱلْأُولَىٰ

the earlier scriptures (Verse 18)

Check your understanding of Surah Al-A'la: questions for kids

Read the question, think, then tap the answer you choose.

1. 1. What do we do with the name of our Lord, the Most High?

   • AGlorify it above every flaw
   • BForget it
   • CHide it

2. 2. How did Allah create everything?

   • AWithout order
   • BHe made it perfectly
   • CHe created nothing

3. 3. What does green pasture become afterward?

   • AGold
   • BGreen forever
   • CDry, dark and changed

4. 4. Who has succeeded, as the surah says?

   • AWhoever purifies himself, remembers his Lord and prays
   • BWhoever sleeps
   • CWhoever collects money

5. 5. Which is better and more lasting?

   • AThey are the same
   • BThe Hereafter
   • CThis world

6. 6. In whose scriptures was this also mentioned?

   • ANo one's
   • BNuh and Hud
   • CIbrahim and Musa, peace be upon them

Questions parents ask

Surahs close to Surah Al-A'la

Surahs with a close idea, to carry the journey on.

• 

  Surah Ash-Sharh

  With every hardship comes ease

• 

  Surah Al-Qadr

  The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months

• 

  Surah Al-Muzzammil

  Praying at night and reciting the Quran slowly make the heart strong, and patience is the believer's way