Four Quls Transliteration — Full Guide with Tajweed

Q: What is the difference between Al-Falaq and An-Nas?

Both Al-Falaq and An-Nas are protective surahs (known together as the Mu'awwidhatain, meaning "the two that give refuge"). Al-Falaq (113) seeks protection from external harm — the evil of created things, darkness, and witchcraft. An-Nas (114) seeks protection from internal harm — specifically the whispering of Shaytan (Satan) into the hearts of people.

The Four Quls — Surah Al-Kafirun, Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, and Surah An-Nas — are four short surahs that begin with the word Qul (قُلْ), meaning “Say.” Together they form a complete foundation for daily recitation, morning and evening protection, and prayer. This guide gives you the Arabic text, English transliteration, translation, and key Tajweed notes for each verse.

What Are the Four Quls?

The term “Four Quls” refers to four surahs of the Quran that each open with the Arabic command Qul (قُلْ) — a word meaning “Say” or “Proclaim.” These surahs are divine declarations revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) covering three essential themes: freedom from disbelief, the absolute oneness of God (Tawheed), and seeking divine protection.

They are among the most memorised surahs in the world, recited by millions of Muslims every single day. Even if you are new to Quran recitation, these four surahs are an excellent and achievable starting point. Each one is short — between 3 and 6 verses — and packed with meaning.

Surah	Number	Meaning	Verses
Al-Kafirun	109	The Disbelievers	6
Al-Ikhlas	112	Sincerity / Purity	4
Al-Falaq	113	The Daybreak	5
An-Nas	114	Mankind	6

For full Tajweed colour coding across all these surahs, open the reader and navigate to page 1209. See also our Tajweed Rules Guide for a full explanation of the colour system.

How to Use This Guide

Each surah below follows the same format:

Arabic text — the original Quranic script
Transliteration — how to pronounce it using English letters
Translation — the meaning in English
Tajweed note — the most important pronunciation rule to watch for in that verse

If you are new to Tajweed colour coding, start with our Tajweed for Beginners guide first, then return here to practise these surahs.

Surah Al-Kafirun (109) — The Disbelievers

6 verses · Meccan · Starts at page 1209

Surah Al-Kafirun is often called the “Surah of Disavowal.” It is a clear, dignified statement of separation between the beliefs of the believers and those who reject faith. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have recited it in the sunnah prayer before Fajr and in Witr prayer. Its repeated structure makes it one of the easiest surahs to memorise.

قُلۡ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ

Qul yaa-ayyuhal-kaafiruun

Say: O you disbelievers!

Tajweed: The Alif in "yaa-ayyuha" carries a natural madd (prolongation) of two counts. The "kaafiruun" ends with a nasal Nun (ghunnah) — hold it gently for two counts.

لَآ أَعۡبُدُ مَا تَعۡبُدُونَ

Laa a'budu maa ta'buduun

I do not worship what you worship.

Tajweed: The "laa" is a clear natural prolongation (madd tabee'ee) — hold for two counts. The final "uun" has a ghunnah on the Nun.

وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعۡبُدُ

Wa laa antum 'aabiduuna maa a'bud

Nor are you worshippers of what I worship.

Tajweed: "Antum" — the Nun here meets a Meem, creating an Ikhfaa Shafawi (hiding the Noon with lips slightly closed). "'Aabiduuna" has ghunnah on the Nun before the Meem.

وَلَآ أَنَا۠ عَابِدٞ مَّا عَبَدتُّمۡ

Wa laa ana 'aabidun maa 'abadtum

Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship.

Tajweed: "'Aabidun maa" — the Tanween Nun meets a Meem, producing an Ikhfaa sound (slight nasal quality, 2 counts).

وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعۡبُدُ

Wa laa antum 'aabiduuna maa a'bud

Nor are you worshippers of what I worship.

Tajweed: This verse is identical to verse 3. The repetition is intentional — notice how the rhythm reinforces the meaning.

لَكُمۡ دِينُكُمۡ وَلِيَ دِينِ

Lakum deenukum wa liya deen

For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.

Tajweed: A full stop (waqf) is reached at the end of this surah. "Deen" ends on a Nun — if stopping here, hold it with a slight echo (qalqalah does not apply to Nun, but pause clearly).

Surah Al-Ikhlas (112) — Sincerity / Purity

4 verses · Meccan · Starts at page 1211

Surah Al-Ikhlas is one of the most profound surahs in the Quran. In just four short verses it articulates the absolute oneness and uniqueness of God (Tawheed). The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is authentically reported to have said that reciting this surah is equivalent in reward to reciting one third of the Quran. Many scholars explain this is because the surah covers one of the three main themes of the Quran: the names and attributes of God.

قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

Qul huwal-laahu ahad

Say: He is Allah, the One.

Tajweed: "Huwal-laahu" — the Lam in "Allah" is heavy (tafkheem) because the vowel before it is a Dhamma (u-sound). Pronounce it with fullness in the mouth. "Ahad" ends with a Tanween — if pausing, drop the Tanween and say "Ahad."

ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ

Allahu-s-Samad

Allah, the Eternal Refuge.

Tajweed: "As-Samad" — the Saad (ص) is an emphatic letter. Pronounce it with a heavy, full sound, filling your mouth. "Samad" has a Madd letter after the Saad — hold the "aa" for two counts.

لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ

Lam yalid wa lam yuulad

He neither begets nor is born.

Tajweed: "Yuulad" contains a madd (the "uu" sound) — hold for two counts. The Dal at the end of both "yalid" and "yuulad" has a slight qalqalah (echoing bounce) because Dal is one of the five qalqalah letters (ق ط ب ج د).

وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ

Wa lam yakul-lahuu kufuwan ahad

Nor is there to Him any equivalent.

Tajweed: "Yakul-lahuu" — a case of Idgham (merging): the Nun of "yakun" merges into the Lam of "lahuu" without a break. The heavy Lam of "Allah" follows. "Ahad" ends the surah — pause here with a clear stop.

Surah Al-Falaq (113) — The Daybreak

5 verses · Meccan · Starts at page 1211

Surah Al-Falaq is the first of the two “Mu’awwidhatain” — the two surahs of seeking refuge. It asks for divine protection from external harms: the evil of created things in general, the darkness of night, those who practise harmful magic, and the harm of envy. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recommended reciting it (along with Surah An-Nas) after each of the five daily prayers and before sleeping, three times each.

قُلۡ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلۡفَلَقِ

Qul a'uudhu bi-rabbil-falaq

Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the daybreak,

Tajweed: "A'uudhu" — the "uu" is a madd letter; hold for two counts. "Bi-rabbil-falaq" — the Qaf at the end of "al-falaq" has a qalqalah echo if you pause here; if continuing to the next verse, recite with a connecting flow.

مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ

Min sharri maa khalaq

From the evil of what He has created,

Tajweed: "Min sharri" — the Nun of "min" meets a Shin, creating an Ikhfaa sound: the Nun is partially hidden with a slight nasal quality for two counts. "Maa" has a natural madd — two counts.

وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ

Wa min sharri ghaasiqin idhaa waqab

And from the evil of darkness when it settles,

Tajweed: "Ghaasiqin" — the Tanween Nun before "idhaa" must be pronounced clearly (Izhar) because Hamza (إ) follows. Do not nasalise here. "Idhaa" has a natural madd on the Alif — two counts.

وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّٰثَٰتِ فِي ٱلۡعُقَدِ

Wa min sharrin-naffaathaati fil-'uqad

And from the evil of the blowers in knots,

Tajweed: "An-naffaathaati" — the Shaddah (doubling) on the Fa means hold the F sound momentarily before releasing. The Thaa (ث) is a soft dental sound — place your tongue between your teeth lightly.

وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ

Wa min sharri haasidin idhaa hasad

And from the evil of an envier when he envies.

Tajweed: "Haasidin" — the Tanween before "idhaa" (Hamza) requires clear Izhar. "Hasad" ends the surah. If pausing, the Dal at the end has a slight qalqalah — a gentle echo bounce.

Surah An-Nas (114) — Mankind

6 verses · Meccan · Starts at page 1211

Surah An-Nas is the final surah of the Quran. Like Al-Falaq, it is a surah of refuge, but where Al-Falaq focuses on external harms, An-Nas focuses on the internal enemy: the whispering of Shaytan (Satan) that creeps into the hearts of human beings. The surah opens with three of the names and attributes of God — Lord, King, and God of mankind — before seeking His protection.

قُلۡ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ

Qul a'uudhu bi-rabbin-naas

Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,

Tajweed: "A'uudhu" — madd of two counts on the "uu". "Bi-rabbin-naas" — the Nun of "rabbi" has a Shaddah before the Nun of "an-naas", creating an Idgham with Ghunnah: merge the two Nuns with a nasal sound of two counts.

مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ

Malikin-naas

The Sovereign of mankind,

Tajweed: "Malikin-naas" — the Tanween Nun before "an-naas" (Nun) creates Idgham with Ghunnah. Merge with a nasal hum of two counts. This is a short verse — be sure to pause briefly between it and the next.

إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ

Ilaahin-naas

The God of mankind,

Tajweed: "Ilaahi" — the "aa" is a natural madd of two counts. "Ilaahin-naas" — again, Idgham with Ghunnah on the Nun before Nun of "an-naas". These first three verses form a trio of divine titles.

مِن شَرِّ ٱلۡوَسۡوَاسِ ٱلۡخَنَّاسِ

Min sharril-waswaaasil-khannaas

From the evil of the retreating whisperer —

Tajweed: "Al-khannaas" — the Shaddah on the Nun doubles the letter: hold momentarily before releasing. The Saad at the end of "al-waswaaas" is an emphatic letter — pronounce with fullness.

ٱلَّذِي يُوَسۡوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ

Alladhee yuwaswisu fee sudoorin-naas

Who whispers into the hearts of mankind —

Tajweed: "Sudoori" — the "oo" is a madd letter (two counts). "Sudoorin-naas" — Idgham with Ghunnah on the Tanween Nun before the Nun of "an-naas" — merge with a nasal hum.

مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ

Minal-jinnati wan-naas

From among the jinn and mankind.

Tajweed: "Al-jinnati" — the Jeem is one of the five qalqalah letters: there is a slight echo bounce on the Jeem. "Wan-naas" — the Nun before Nun creates an Idgham here. End the surah with a clear, unhurried pause on "naas."

Key Tajweed Rules Across the Four Quls

These surahs are a wonderful training ground for Tajweed because they are short enough to recite repeatedly but contain many of the core rules. Here are the rules you will encounter most often:

Ghunnah (Nasalisation)

Every time you see a Meem (م) or Noon (ن) with a Shaddah (doubling mark), produce a nasal hum for two counts. In the Four Quls, this appears in words like “an-naas,” “al-khannaas,” and “naffaathaati.” The green colour in our reader highlights these sounds. See the Tajweed Rules Guide for more detail.

Idgham (Merging)

When a Tanween Nun (ـٍ ـٌ ـً) or a standalone Noon Sakinah is followed by certain letters (including Noon itself), the two merge into one sound with a ghunnah. You encounter this throughout the Four Quls — for example, “malikin-naas” in Surah An-Nas.

Madd (Prolongation)

Long vowel sounds (Alif, Waw, Yaa) are held for two or more counts depending on context. In the Four Quls, the most common is the natural madd (madd tabee’ee) of two counts, appearing in words like “a’uudhu,” “laa,” and “ghaasiqin.” Red tones in our reader mark these prolongations.

Qalqalah (Echoing Bounce)

The five qalqalah letters — Qaf (ق), Taa (ط), Baa (ب), Jeem (ج), and Dal (د) — produce a slight echo or bounce when they carry a sukoon (no vowel) or appear at the end of a verse. In the Four Quls, notice the Dal at the end of “yuulad” (Al-Ikhlas v.3) and “hasad” (Al-Falaq v.5), and the Jeem in “al-jinnati” (An-Nas v.6).

Tafkheem — Heavy Letters

Certain letters are always pronounced with a “heavy” or full sound, filling the mouth. The Saad (ص) in “as-Samad” (Al-Ikhlas v.2) and the heavy Lam in “Allah” are the clearest examples in these surahs. The blue colour in our reader signals these emphatic sounds. For a guide to all Arabic letter sounds, see How to Pronounce Arabic Letters.

How to Memorise the Four Quls

Because these surahs are short and frequently used in daily life, they are among the easiest parts of the Quran to commit to memory. Here is a practical three-step method:

Step 1: Read with Transliteration

Open the reader to page 1209 and read each surah slowly using the transliteration, paying attention to the colour coding. Do this at least three times before attempting to memorise. The colours signal where to slow down (red for madd), where to nasalise (green for ghunnah), and where to apply the echoing bounce (purple for qalqalah).

Step 2: Listen and Repeat

Use the Listen button in the bottom bar of the reader to hear a professional reciter. Listen to one surah at a time, pause after each verse, and repeat it aloud. Try to match the rhythm and melody. This method — called “talaqqi” (learning directly from listening) — is the traditional way Quran has been transmitted across generations.

Step 3: Recite in Prayer

The best way to cement any surah in memory is to use it in salah. Start with Al-Ikhlas (only 4 verses) in your voluntary prayers. As it becomes natural, add Al-Kafirun, then Al-Falaq and An-Nas together. Within a week of consistent prayer, most people find all four firmly memorised. See also our guide on How to Read the Quran in English for more learning strategies.

When Are the Four Quls Recited?

These surahs appear repeatedly in a Muslim’s daily routine. Here are the main occasions:

‣After every prayer: Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas are recited once each after Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha prayers, and three times each after the Fajr and Maghrib prayers.
‣Before sleeping: Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas are blown into the palms and passed over the body three times — a well-known sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
‣In sunnah prayers: Surah Al-Kafirun is typically recited in the first rak’ah of the two sunnah rak’ahs before Fajr, and Al-Ikhlas in the second. Al-Kafirun is also used in Witr prayer.
‣Morning and evening adhkar: Al-Falaq and An-Nas (the Mu’awwidhatain) are part of the morning and evening remembrance routines, recited three times each for protection throughout the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Four Quls?

The Four Quls are four surahs of the Quran that each begin with the word “Qul” (قُلْ), meaning “Say.” They are Surah Al-Kafirun (109), Surah Al-Ikhlas (112), Surah Al-Falaq (113), and Surah An-Nas (114). Together they cover the themes of freedom from disbelief, the oneness of God, and seeking divine protection from harm.

When should you recite the Four Quls?

The Four Quls are recommended for recitation morning and evening as part of daily adhkar (remembrance). Surah Al-Kafirun is often recited in the sunnah prayer before Fajr and in Witr. Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas are recited after each of the five daily prayers (once after most prayers, three times after Fajr and Maghrib) and before sleeping. Al-Falaq and An-Nas together are known as the Mu’awwidhatain — the two refuge-surahs.

Can I use transliteration to memorise the Four Quls?

Yes. Reading the transliteration alongside the Arabic text is an effective way to learn correct pronunciation first. Once the sounds are in your memory, you can gradually reduce your reliance on the transliteration and recite from memory. The colour-coded Quran reader on this site shows Tajweed rules visually as you read, making it even easier to build good habits from the start.

Why do the Four Quls start with “Qul”?

“Qul” (قُلْ) is an Arabic imperative meaning “Say” or “Proclaim.” These surahs are divine commands to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) — and by extension to all believers — to declare specific truths: freedom from disbelief (Al-Kafirun), the absolute oneness of God (Al-Ikhlas), and seeking refuge from external and internal harm (Al-Falaq and An-Nas). The word “Qul” is integral to the meaning of each surah, not just a label.

What is the difference between Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Nas?

Both Al-Falaq (113) and An-Nas (114) are protective surahs — together called the Mu’awwidhatain (the two that give refuge). Al-Falaq seeks protection from external harm: the evil of created things, the darkness of night, harmful magic, and the harm of envy. An-Nas seeks protection from internal harm: specifically the whispering of Shaytan (Satan) into the hearts of human beings. Reciting both together gives comprehensive protection from harm that comes from outside and from within.

Follow along in the colour-coded Quran reader as you recite each surah — Tajweed rules are highlighted so you always know where to apply prolongation, nasalisation, and emphasis.

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