الماعون
Surah Al-Maun (الماعون) - Transliteration, Translation and Audio
Chapter 107 of the Quran, 7 verses, "The Small Kindnesses"
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Surah Al-Maun Transliteration and English Translation
- 1
أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يُكَذِّبُ بِٱلدِّينِ
Ara-aital lazee yu kazzibu bid deen
Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense?
- 2
فَذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يَدُعُّ ٱلْيَتِيمَ
Fa zaalikal lazi yadu'ul-yateem
For that is the one who drives away the orphan
- 3
وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ
Wa la ya huddu 'alaa ta'amil miskeen
And does not encourage the feeding of the poor.
- 4
فَوَيْلٌۭ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ
Fa wai lul-lil mu salleen
So woe to those who pray
- 5
ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ
Al lazeena hum 'an salaatihim sahoon
[But] who are heedless of their prayer -
- 6
ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَآءُونَ
Al lazeena hum yuraa-oon
Those who make show [of their deeds]
- 7
وَيَمْنَعُونَ ٱلْمَاعُونَ
Wa yamna'oonal ma'oon
And withhold [simple] assistance.
About Surah Al-Maun
Surah Al-Maun (Arabic: الماعون), meaning "The Small Kindnesses", is the 107th chapter of the Quran and has 7 verses. Most commentators hold it was revealed in Makkah, though some reports place it in Madinah. It shows that true faith appears in how a person treats the weak and how sincerely they pray.
The surah asks: have you seen the one who denies the Judgment? That is the one who roughly pushes away the orphan and does not urge others to feed the poor. It then turns to a second picture: woe to those who pray but are heedless of their prayer, those who pray to be seen and who withhold al-maun, small everyday help. Commentators explain that the heedlessness condemned here is neglecting the prayer itself, such as delaying it past its time or performing it carelessly, not the ordinary slips that happen within it. The surah joins worship and kindness in one picture: prayer that does not soften a person toward others is missing its purpose. Verse 4 should never be quoted alone as "woe to those who pray", since the verses after it explain who is meant.
Main Themes of Surah Al-Maun
- Denying the Judgment shows in cruelty to the orphan
- Failing to encourage the feeding of the poor
- Heedlessness in prayer and praying to be seen
- Withholding even small everyday kindnesses
Listen to Surah Al-Maun with Audio-Synced Transliteration
Play Surah Al-Maun and follow the Arabic text and Latin transliteration as each verse is recited. You can adjust the speed or loop a verse range for practice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Surah Al-Maun
- What is al-maun?
- Al-maun refers to small, everyday things people commonly lend or give one another, such as household utensils, water or simple help. Withholding even these shows a heart closed to others, which is why the surah takes its name from them.
- Who are those who are heedless of their prayer in Surah Al-Maun?
- Commentators explain them as people who neglect the prayer, delaying it past its time or performing it without care or presence, and who pray only to be seen by others. It does not refer to the ordinary forgetfulness that can happen during prayer.
- Why does Surah Al-Maun mention the orphan and the poor?
- The surah shows that denying the Day of Judgment is not only a matter of belief but appears in behavior, in pushing away the orphan and not caring whether the poor are fed. Faith in the Hereafter, by contrast, should make a person gentle and generous toward the weak.