Themes and purpose:

This Makkan surah is the first revealed. Its purpose is to command the Prophet (ﷺ) to read and convey the message, establishing the dignity of knowledge and the Pen. It affirms Allah as the sole Creator and warns the arrogant human who denies his Lord and attempts to prevent others from prayer and guidance.

Context of Revelation:

Era: Makkan by consensus.

Context: The first part was revealed to initiate the Prophet’s (ﷺ) mission, instructing him to recite. Ayahs 6-19 were revealed later to address the arrogance of a specific disbeliever (likely Abū Jahl) who attempted to prevent the Prophet (ﷺ) from praying.

Chronology: The first five ayahs were the very first revelation of the Quran, revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) in the Cave of Ḥirā’, in the month of Ramaḍān.

Name and Ayah Count:

Name: The surah is known by several names: "Sūrat al-ʿAlaq" (The Clot) and "Sūrat Iqra’" (Read), "Sūrat Iqra’ bi-ismi Rabbika" (Read in the Name of Your Lord), as well as "Sūrat Iqra’ wa-al-ʿAlaq", all with reference to the opening word and/or the word ʿalaq in the second ayah. It has also been called "Sūrat al-Qalam" based on ayah 4, though this name is more predominantly used for Q 68 (Nūn).

Ayah Count: 20 ayahs (Madinah/Makkah) or 19 (Kūfah/Baṣrah).

Surah Overview:

The Command to Read: The central purpose is the divine instruction to Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) to recite and receive the Quran. [1]
The Pen and Knowledge: Affirming the divine blessing and the dignity of the Pen and knowledge. [3-5]
Creation: Directing attention to the miracle of man’s creation from a clot as the foundation for contemplation. [2]
Condemning Arrogance: Condemning the arrogant man who, despite his humble origin, considers himself self-sufficient and attempts to prevent others from prayer. [6-10]
Warning to the Denier: Warning the one who prohibits prayer that Allah will “seize him by the forelock.” [15-18]
Prophetic Steadfastness: Commanding the Prophet (ﷺ) to persist in his worship and draw near to Allah despite the enemy’s threats. [19]