Surah Ar-Rahman Transliteration — Full Guide with Tajweed
Surah Ar-Rahman (سورة الرحمن) is the 55th surah of the Quran and one of the most beloved chapters in the entire scripture. Known as "The Bride of the Quran" for its rhythmic beauty, it features the famous refrain — "So which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?" — repeated 31 times. This guide gives you the Arabic text, English transliteration, translation, and Tajweed pronunciation notes for the key verses, so you can begin reciting with confidence.
Surah 55 • 78 verses • Medinan • Juz 27 • Starts at page 1065 • 12 min read
What Makes Surah Ar-Rahman Special?
Before diving into the transliteration, it helps to understand why this surah has such a powerful effect on listeners. Three features set it apart from almost every other chapter in the Quran:
1. The Refrain (31 Repetitions)
After listing each blessing or sign of Allah, the surah asks: "Fabi-ayyi aalaa'i Rabbikumaa tukadhdhibaan" — "So which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?" This verse appears 31 times. The dual address ("both of you") refers to jinn and mankind together — the two groups the surah addresses. Mastering this one verse means you already know a large portion of the surah.
2. Perfect Rhythmic Structure
Ar-Rahman has a call-and-response rhythm that makes it uniquely suited for memorisation. A group recitation — where one person recites the unique verses and everyone joins in on the refrain — is a traditional and effective way to learn it. The short verses make it easier to memorise than longer surahs like Yasin or Al-Mulk.
3. Rich Tajweed Opportunities
The surah contains excellent examples of Madd Al-Muttasil (extended prolongation before a hamzah), Shaddah on doubled letters, Ghunnah on nasalised sounds, and Qalqalah on echoing consonants. See our Tajweed rules guide for the colour key used in the reader.
How to Use This Guide
Each verse entry below shows the Arabic text, the English transliteration (sounds), the translation (meaning), and a pronunciation note highlighting the key Tajweed rules for that verse.
Reading the transliteration:
- Double vowels (aa, ee, oo) — hold for 2 counts (Madd Tabee'ee)
- Capitalised letters (R, Kh, H, S) — emphatic or heavy pronunciation
- Apostrophe (') — a brief glottal stop (hamzah) or Ayn sound
- dh — the Arabic Dhaal (ذ), like the "th" in "this"
- gh — the Ghain (غ), a soft gargling sound from the back of the throat
Open the Quran reader at page 1065 to follow along with the colour-coded Tajweed as you recite. Need an introduction to the colour system? See Tajweed for Beginners.
Opening Verses (1–4)
The opening four verses of Ar-Rahman are among the most concise in the Quran — each is a single short phrase. Together they establish the theme: Allah the Most Merciful is the source of the Quran, the creator of humanity, and the one who gave us the gift of speech and understanding.
ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ
Ar-Rahmaan
The Most Merciful
This single-word verse is a name of Allah. The Ra (ر) is a heavy letter here — round your mouth slightly as you say it. "Rahmaan" ends with a 2-count Madd (aa prolongation). Pause gently before the next verse.
عَلَّمَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ
Allamal-Qur'aan
Taught the Quran.
The double Lam in "Allama" uses Shaddah — hold the L firmly. "Al-Qur'aan" contains a 2-count Madd on the alif. The hamzah in "Qur'aan" is a clear glottal stop — do not skip it.
خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ
Khalaqal-insaan
Created man,
"Insaan" ends with a 2-count Madd on the alif. The Kha (خ) in "Khalaqa" is a soft friction sound from the back of the throat — like clearing your throat gently. Keep it light.
عَلَّمَهُ ٱلْبَيَانَ
Allamahul-bayaan
Taught him eloquence.
"Al-Bayaan" ends with a 2-count Madd. The Ya (ي) in "bayaan" is smooth — do not make it too sharp. "Allama" again uses Shaddah on the Lam.
The Refrain — Verse 13
This is the most important verse to master in the entire surah. Once you know it perfectly, you have unlocked 31 verses — nearly half the surah. Focus on the long Madd before the hamzah in aalaa'i and the clear Shaddah on Rabbikumaa.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ
Fabi-ayyi aalaa'i Rabbikumaa tukadhdhibaan
So which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?
This verse is repeated 31 times in the surah — it is the defining refrain of Ar-Rahman. "Aalaa'i" contains a 4-6 count Madd (Madd Al-Muttasil) before the hamzah. "Rabbikumaa" — the double Ba uses Shaddah. "Tukadhdhibaan" ends with a 2-count Madd on the alif.
Memory tip: The refrain is always the same. After every few unique verses, this verse returns. Practise it until you can say it without looking — this is the foundation of memorising the entire surah.
Key Verses Throughout the Surah
Ar-Rahman covers themes of creation, the natural world, the Day of Judgement, and the rewards of Paradise. Below are the highlighted verses with transliteration and Tajweed notes. Open the reader at page 1065 to see the colour-coded Tajweed for each of these verses in context.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ
Fabi-ayyi aalaa'i Rabbikumaa tukadhdhibaan
So which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?
This verse is repeated 31 times in the surah — it is the defining refrain of Ar-Rahman. "Aalaa'i" contains a 4-6 count Madd (Madd Al-Muttasil) before the hamzah. "Rabbikumaa" — the double Ba uses Shaddah. "Tukadhdhibaan" ends with a 2-count Madd on the alif.
خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن صَلْصَـٰلٍۢ كَٱلْفَخَّارِ
Khalaqal-insaana min salsaalin kal-fakhkhaar
He created man from clay like that of pottery.
"Salsaalin" — the double Lam in "sal-saal" uses Shaddah and the word has a rhythmic quality. "Al-Fakhkhaar" uses Shaddah on the Kha. "Fakhkhaar" ends with a 2-count Madd.
رَبُّ ٱلْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ ٱلْمَغْرِبَيْنِ
Rabbul-mashriqayni wa rabbul-maghribayn
Lord of the two easts and Lord of the two wests.
The dual form "-ayni" and "-ayn" indicates two of something. The Sheen (ش) in "mashriq" is a soft hushing sound. Ghain (غ) in "maghrib" is a gargling sound from the back of the throat.
مَرَجَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ
Marajal-bahrayni yaltaqiyaan
He released the two seas, meeting side by side,
"Bahrayni" — the Ha (ح) is a light breathy sound from the throat. "Yaltaqiyaan" ends with a 2-count Madd. Flow this verse smoothly into the next verse about the barrier between them.
كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ
Kullu man 'alayhaa faan
Everyone upon the earth will perish,
A short but powerful verse. "Faan" ends with a tanween — pause slightly before the next verse. The Nun (ن) in "man" is clear and distinct. This verse and the next form a pair — do not rush.
وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ
Wa yabqaa wajhu Rabbika dhul-jalaali wal-ikraam
And the face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will remain forever.
"Yabqaa" ends with a 2-count Madd on the alif. "Dhul-Jalaali" — the Lam here is heavy (Lam Tafkheem). "Al-Ikraam" ends with a 2-count Madd. This verse is echoed again at verse 78 (the last verse).
يَـٰمَعْشَرَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ إِنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا۟ مِنْ أَقْطَارِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنفُذُوا۟ ۚ لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَـٰنٍ
Yaa ma'sharal-jinni wal-insi inis-tata'tum an tanfudhoo min aqtaaris-samaawaati wal-ardi fanfudhoo; laa tanfudhoona illaa bisultaan
O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority.
"Yaa" at the start is a call — lengthen it slightly. "Ma'sharal-jinni" — the Jeem (ج) is a hard J sound, not a soft one. "Samaawaati" contains a 2-count Madd. "Bisultaan" ends with a 2-count Madd. This is a long verse — take a breath at the kasrah after "fanfudhoo".
فِيهِنَّ خَيْرَٰتٌ حِسَانٌ
Feehinna khayraatun hisaan
In them are good and beautiful women.
"Khayraatun" — the Kha (خ) is a soft throat friction. "Hisaan" ends with tanween on the alif. Keep the verse light and clear.
تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِى ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ
Tabaarakasmu Rabbika dhil-jalaali wal-ikraam
Blessed is the name of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honour.
"Tabaaraka" opens with a 2-count Madd on "aa". The surah closes with the same phrase echoed from verse 27 — dhil-jalaali wal-ikraam. End with a pause (waqf) and a sense of completion. "Al-Ikraam" final Madd is 2 counts.
Tajweed Tips for Surah Ar-Rahman
Ar-Rahman is a rewarding surah for Tajweed practice. Here are the rules you will encounter most frequently as you work through it:
Madd Al-Muttasil (Extended Prolongation)
This is the most prominent Tajweed rule in the repeated refrain. In the word aalaa'i, the alif is followed by a hamzah within the same word — this requires a 4–5 count prolongation. You will hear this in every one of the 31 refrains. See the Tajweed rules guide for the full colour key.
Ghunnah (Nasalisation)
The Noon (ن) and Meem (م) with Shaddah produce a nasal hum for 2 counts. Watch for this in words like Ar-Rahmaan (the nasal quality in the Noon at the end) and in Rabbikumaa (the Meem). Practice by humming for 2 counts before releasing the sound.
Shaddah (Doubling)
Several words in Ar-Rahman have doubled consonants marked by a Shaddah sign. In Allama (He taught), the Lam is doubled — arrive at the letter and hold it for a moment before releasing. The same applies to Rabbikumaa(the Ba) and tukadhdhibaan (the Dhal). If in doubt, consult our Arabic pronunciation guide.
Qalqalah (Echoing Letters)
The Qalqalah letters — ق ط ب ج د — produce a gentle echo or bounce when they appear without a vowel (sukoon), especially at the end of a verse when you pause. You will hear this at the end of many Ar-Rahman verses. The Da (د) at the end of wa huwa haseer (Al-Mulk 4) is a classic example.
How to Memorise Surah Ar-Rahman
Ar-Rahman is actually one of the more accessible surahs to memorise, despite its length of 78 verses, because of the refrain. Here is a proven approach:
Master the refrain first
Before anything else, memorise verse 13 perfectly. Repeat it aloud 50 times over two days until it is automatic. Since it appears 31 times, this single verse accounts for nearly 40% of the surah.
Learn the opening four verses
Verses 1–4 are extremely short — just a few words each. Memorise them as a unit. They introduce the surah and set the tone. After verse 4, the first refrain (verse 13) follows — practice the flow: verses 1-4 then straight into the refrain.
Work through the surah in thematic blocks
Group the unique (non-refrain) verses by theme: creation of man and jinn (v14-16), the heavens and two seas (v17-25), the Day of Judgement (v26-36), and the Paradise sections (v37-78). Memorise one block before moving on.
Use the call-and-response technique
Practise with a partner or listen to a recitation and pause at each refrain to say it yourself. This mirrors how the surah was traditionally recited in congregation and is an extremely effective memorisation method.
Recite in daily prayer
Once you know sections well, recite them in your optional (nafl) prayers. There is no better test of memory than reciting in salah, where you cannot look at a page. After Ar-Rahman, try Surah Al-Mulk — another highly rewarding surah for regular recitation.
Once you have memorised Ar-Rahman, you will have established a strong foundation in Quranic memorisation. A natural next step is to read through Juz Amma — see our Last 10 Surahs transliteration guide which covers all the short surahs from Al-Fil (105) to An-Nas (114). For the most important surah to learn for daily prayer, see our Surah Al-Fatiha guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ar-Rahman mean?
Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) means "The Most Merciful" — one of the 99 names of Allah. It refers to His all-encompassing mercy that extends to all of creation. The surah opens with this single word as its very first verse, establishing mercy as the central theme of everything that follows.
How many times is "Fabi-ayyi aalaa'i" repeated?
The verse "So which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?" is repeated exactly 31 times in Surah Ar-Rahman. It appears after each mention of Allah's blessings, addressing both jinn and mankind. This repetition is deliberate — each time, the question is directed at a different blessing just described.
How many verses does Surah Ar-Rahman have?
Surah Ar-Rahman has 78 verses (ayat). It is the 55th surah of the Quran, found in the 27th Juz. It begins on page 1065 of the standard Mushaf. The surah was revealed in Madinah, making it a Medinan surah, though some scholars consider it Meccan based on its style and content.
What Tajweed rules appear most in Surah Ar-Rahman?
The most prominent Tajweed rules are: Madd Al-Muttasil — the extended prolongation (4–5 counts) in the word aalaa'i in the refrain, where the alif is followed by a hamzah; Ghunnah on nasalised Noon and Meem; Shaddah on doubled consonants like the Lam in Allama; and Qalqalah on echoing letters at verse endings. See our full Tajweed rules reference for the colour guide.
Can I learn Ar-Rahman using transliteration?
Yes. Transliteration writes Arabic sounds in English letters, so you can learn correct pronunciation without knowing the Arabic script. This guide gives you the transliteration for all the key verses. For the full surah, open the Quran reader at page 1065 where you will see the Arabic text with colour-coded Tajweed. Over time, reading the Arabic script directly will improve your fluency. See How to Read the Quran in English to understand the full transliteration system.
Ready to Recite?
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