Surah Al-Maun: Meaning, Translation, and Tafsir of Surah 107
Quick answer: Surah Al-Ma‘un is the 107th surah of the Quran. It has 7 short verses and is usually counted as Makkan. It describes a person who denies the Day of Judgment by his behaviour: he pushes away the orphan, does not encourage feeding the poor, prays without sincerity or care, shows off, and refuses small acts of help. The message is that real faith shows in prayer and in how we treat people.
Surah Al-Ma‘un at a Glance
- Names: Al-Ma‘un (small kindnesses), also called Ad-Din and Ara’aytal-ladhee
- Number: 107, in Juz 30
- Verses: 7
- Revealed in: Makkah according to most scholars (some say it is Madani, or that the last verses were revealed in Madinah)
- Main theme: Faith without mercy and sincere prayer is empty
Surah Al-Ma‘un in Arabic With Transliteration and Meaning
Verses 1 to 3: Denying the Judgment in practice
أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يُكَذِّبُ بِالدِّينِ ﴿١﴾ فَذَٰلِكَ الَّذِي يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ ﴿٢﴾ وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ ﴿٣﴾
Transliteration: Ara’aytal-ladhee yukadh-dhibu bid-deen. Fa dhaalikal-ladhee yadu‘‘ul-yateem. Wa laa yahuddu ‘alaa ta‘aamil-miskeen.
Meaning: Have you seen the one who denies the Judgment? That is the one who pushes the orphan away, and does not encourage the feeding of the poor.
Verses 4 to 7: Prayer without heart
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ ﴿٤﴾ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ ﴿٥﴾ الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ ﴿٦﴾ وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ ﴿٧﴾
Transliteration: Fa waylul-lil-musalleen. Alladheena hum ‘an salaatihim saahoon. Alladheena hum yuraa’oon. Wa yamna‘oonal-maa‘oon.
Meaning: So woe to those who pray, who are heedless of their prayer, who only show off, and who withhold small acts of kindness.
These are plain-language meanings, not a replacement for a full translation. Read a trusted translation and tafsir alongside them.
Tafsir: What Each Part Teaches
“Denies the Judgment”
The word ad-din here means the Day of Recompense. The surah does not only describe someone who says the words of denial. It describes someone whose actions show he does not expect to be held accountable. If a person truly believed in the Day of Judgment, he would be careful with the orphan and the poor.
“Pushes away the orphan”
The verb yadu‘‘u means to push away harshly. The orphan is the weakest member of society, and the Quran keeps returning to his rights. A similar duty is given in Surah Ad-Duha: “as for the orphan, do not oppress him.”
“Does not encourage feeding the poor”
The verse says he does not even encourage it. A person may not have the means to feed someone alone, but he can urge others and organise help. This is one reason community meals and charity drives are so valuable. See our guides on sadaqah and zakat.
“Woe to those who pray”
This does not condemn prayer. The next verse explains who is meant: those who are ‘an salatihim sahoon, heedless “of” their prayer. Many Companions and early scholars, including Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), are reported to have explained this as delaying prayers until their time has passed or treating them lightly. This is different from the ordinary slip of forgetting a rakah during prayer, which the Prophet ﷺ also experienced.
“Who show off”
Riya means doing good so that people will praise you. A report in Musnad Ahmad has the Prophet ﷺ calling riya the “lesser shirk,” and scholars warn that it can spoil an otherwise good deed. The remedy is to renew your intention and ask Allah for sincerity. See our guide on the importance of namaz.
“Withhold the ma‘un”
The ma‘un means small useful things that people normally lend or share. Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said it means things like a bucket, a pot or a tool. Others included zakat. Either way, the point is that a person who refuses even small help is far from the spirit of faith.
Lessons From Surah Al-Ma‘un
- Belief is shown by behaviour. Prayer and kindness go together.
- Protect the vulnerable. The orphan and the poor come first in this surah.
- Pray on time and with presence. Heedlessness is warned against. Learn how many rakats each prayer has in our Namaz Rakat guide.
- Check your intention. Seek forgiveness through istighfar if you notice show-off creeping in.
- Small help counts. Lending a tool, sharing food or giving a lift is part of faith.
How to Recite and Learn It
It has only 7 verses and is often one of the first surahs memorised. Learn the tajweed with a teacher or a trusted recording. There is no authentic hadith giving a special wazifa for this surah, so its benefit lies in understanding and acting on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many verses does Surah Al-Ma‘un have?
Seven verses.
Is Surah Al-Ma‘un Makkan or Madani?
Most scholars say Makkan. Some say it is Madani, or that part of it was revealed in Madinah.
What does Ma‘un mean?
It means small acts of help or small useful items that people share, such as household tools. Some scholars also include zakat in the meaning.
What is the main message of Surah Al-Ma‘un?
True belief in the Hereafter shows in caring for the orphan and the poor, praying with sincerity and not showing off.
Which Juz is Surah Al-Ma‘un in?
Juz 30.
Conclusion
Surah Al-Ma‘un is short, but it asks a direct question: does my belief change how I pray and how I treat people? Read it with its meaning, and do one small act of help today.
Continue with Surah As-Sajdah, Surah An-Naba and Surah Alam Nashrah, or find a gathering near you on our Islamic events page.
Please confirm the Arabic text and rulings with a qualified scholar or a printed mushaf.