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How to Teach Your Child Surah Abasa

By Nazeer AhmadFounder, QuranHub Online Quran AcademyM.A. Arabic & IslamiyatDars-e-Nizami (Tanzeem-ul-Madaris)10+ years teaching Quran and Islamic studies

Surah Abasa is the 80th surah of the Quran, and it has forty-two verses — which is why it is often one of the later short surahs a child learns, once the shorter ones are firm. A child learns it verse by verse: first the words, then the sounds, then the meaning, with a tutor or a parent reading each verse aloud and the child repeating it.

This guide gives the forty-two verses in Arabic with transliteration and plain English meaning, explains what each verse says in plain words, and shows how to teach the surah line by line at home. QuranHub teaches children from age 4, through Qaida, Nazra, Tajweed, and Hifz, and every lesson is shaped around the child in front of the tutor.

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The forty-two verses of Surah Abasa

Surah Abasa has forty-two verses, and each verse is one line. Read each verse aloud to your child, let the child repeat it, and then read it together — one verse at a time, until the child reads the verse alone. The Arabic below is the standard text of the surah, with a transliteration to help with the sounds and a plain English meaning for each verse.

Start with the first verse and stay with it until the child reads it without help, then add the second verse, then the third, and so on through the forty-second. A child who learns one verse well holds it; a child who is pushed through all 42 at once holds none of them firmly.

  • عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰۤ — 'Abasa wa tawallaa — He frowned and turned away.
  • أَن جَاۤءَهُ ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ — An jaa'ahul-a'maa — Because the blind man came to him.
  • وَمَا یُدۡرِیكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ یَزَّكَّىٰۤ — Wa maa yudreeka la'allahu yazzakkaa — But what would make you know that he might purify himself?
  • أَوۡ یَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰۤ — Aw yadhdhakkaru fatanfa'ahudh-dhikraa — Or be reminded and the reminder would benefit him?
  • أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ — Ammaa manis-taghnnaa — As for he who thinks himself free of need.
  • فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ — Fa'anta lahu tasaddaa — To him you give attention.
  • وَمَا عَلَیۡكَ أَلَّا یَزَّكَّىٰ — Wa maa 'alayka allaa yazzakkaa — And it is not on you if he will not purify himself.
  • وَأَمَّا مَن جَاۤءَكَ یَسۡعَىٰ — Wa ammaa man jaa'aka yas'aa — But as for he who came to you striving.
  • وَهُوَ یَخۡشَىٰ — Wa huwa yakhshaa — While he fears Allah.
  • فَأَنتَ عَنۡهُ تَلَهَّىٰ — Fa'anta 'anhu talahhaa — From him you are distracted.
  • كَلَّاۤ إِنَّهَا تَذۡكِرَةٌ — Kallaa innahaa tadhkirah — No! Indeed, these verses are a reminder.
  • فَمَن شَاۤءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ — Faman shaaa'a dhakarah — So whoever wills can remember it.
  • فِی صُحُفٍ مُّكَرَّمَةٍ — Fee suhufin mukarramah — In honored sheets.
  • مَّرۡفُوعَةٍ مُّطَهَّرَةِۭ — Marfoo'atin mutahharah — Exalted and purified.
  • بِأَیۡدِی سَفَرَةٍ — Bi'aydee safarah — In the hands of messenger-angels.
  • كِرَامِۭ بَرَرَةٍ — Kiraamin bararah — Noble and dutiful.
  • قُتِلَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ مَاۤ أَكۡفَرَهُۥ — Qutilal-insaanu maa akfarah — Cursed is man; how ungrateful he is!
  • مِنۡ أَیِّ شَیۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ — Min ayyi shay'in khalaqah — From what thing did He create him?
  • مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ — Min nutfatin khalaqahu faqaddarah — From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him.
  • ثُمَّ ٱلسَّبِیلَ یَسَّرَهُۥ — Thummas-sabeela yassarah — Then He eased the way for him.
  • ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُۥ فَأَقۡبَرَهُۥ — Thumma amaatahu fa'aqbarah — Then He caused him to die and put him in his grave.
  • ثُمَّ إِذَا شَاۤءَ أَنشَرَهُۥ — Thumma idhaa shaaa'a ansharah — Then when He wills, He will resurrect him.
  • كَلَّا لَمَّا یَقۡضِ مَاۤ أَمَرَهُۥ — Kallaa lammaa yaqdi maa amarah — No! Man has not yet accomplished what He commanded him.
  • فَلۡیَنظُرِ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِۦۤ — Falyanzuril-insaanu ilaa ta'aamih — Then let man look at his food.
  • أَنَّا صَبَبۡنَا ٱلۡمَاۤءَ صَبًّا — Annaa sababnal-maa'a sabbaa — How We poured down water in torrents.
  • ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا ٱلۡأَرۡضَ شَقًّا — Thumma shaqaqnal-arda shaqqaa — Then We broke open the earth, splitting it.
  • فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِیهَا حَبًّا — Fa'anbatnaa feehaa habbaa — And caused to grow within it grain.
  • وَعِنَبًا وَقَضۡبًا — Wa 'inaban wa qadbaa — And grapes and herbage.
  • وَزَیۡتُونًا وَنَخۡلًا — Wa zaytoonan wa nakhlaa — And olive and palm trees.
  • وَحَدَاۤىِٕقَ غُلۡبًا — Wa hadaa'iqa ghulbaa — And gardens of dense shrubbery.
  • وَفَـٰكِهَةً وَأَبًّا — Wa faakihatan wa abbaa — And fruit and grass.
  • مَّتَـٰعًا لَّكُمۡ وَلِأَنۡعَـٰمِكُمۡ — Mataa'an lakum wa li-an'aamikum — As provision for you and your livestock.
  • فَإِذَا جَاۤءَتِ ٱلصَّاۤخَّةُ — Fa'idhaa jaa'atis-saakhkhah — But when the Deafening Blast comes.
  • یَوۡمَ یَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِیهِ — Yawma yafirrul-mar'u min akheehi — The Day a man will flee from his brother.
  • وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِیهِ — Wa ummihi wa abeehi — And his mother and his father.
  • وَصَـٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِیهِ — Wa saahibatihi wa baneehi — And his wife and his children.
  • لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِئٍ مِّنۡهُمۡ یَوۡمَىِٕذٍ شَأۡنٌ یُغۡنِیهِ — Likulli imri'in minhum yawma'idhin sha'nun yughneehi — For every person among them that Day will be a matter to occupy him.
  • وُجُوهٌ یَوۡمَىِٕذٍ مُّسۡفِرَةٌ — Wujoohun yawma'idhin musfirah — Some faces that Day will be bright.
  • ضَاحِكَةٌ مُّسۡتَبۡشِرَةٌ — Daahikatun mustabshirah — Laughing, rejoicing.
  • وَوُجُوهٌ یَوۡمَىِٕذٍ عَلَیۡهَا غَبَرَةٌ — Wa wujoohun yawma'idhin 'alayhaa ghabarah — And other faces that Day will have dust upon them.
  • تَرۡهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ — Tarhaquhaa qatarah — Blackness will cover them.
  • أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَفَرَةُ ٱلۡفَجَرَةُ — Ulaa'ika humul-kafaratul-fajarah — Those are the disbelievers, the wicked doers.

What each verse says, in plain words

The meaning helps the child hold the words, so teach the meaning with the words, not after them. Read the verse, say what it means in plain words, and let the child say the meaning back in their own words — a child who knows what a verse says reads it with more care.

Keep the meaning plain and short. A young child does not need a long explanation; one clear sentence for each verse is enough, and the tutor or the parent repeats that sentence each time the verse is read.

  • Verse 1: He frowned and turned away.
  • Verse 2: Because the blind man came to him.
  • Verse 3: But what would make you know that he might purify himself?
  • Verse 4: Or be reminded and the reminder would benefit him?
  • Verse 5: As for he who thinks himself free of need.
  • Verse 6: To him you give attention.
  • Verse 7: And it is not on you if he will not purify himself.
  • Verse 8: But as for he who came to you striving.
  • Verse 9: While he fears Allah.
  • Verse 10: From him you are distracted.
  • Verse 11: No! Indeed, these verses are a reminder.
  • Verse 12: So whoever wills can remember it.
  • Verse 13: In honored sheets.
  • Verse 14: Exalted and purified.
  • Verse 15: In the hands of messenger-angels.
  • Verse 16: Noble and dutiful.
  • Verse 17: Cursed is man; how ungrateful he is!
  • Verse 18: From what thing did He create him?
  • Verse 19: From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him.
  • Verse 20: Then He eased the way for him.
  • Verse 21: Then He caused him to die and put him in his grave.
  • Verse 22: Then when He wills, He will resurrect him.
  • Verse 23: No! Man has not yet accomplished what He commanded him.
  • Verse 24: Then let man look at his food.
  • Verse 25: How We poured down water in torrents.
  • Verse 26: Then We broke open the earth, splitting it.
  • Verse 27: And caused to grow within it grain.
  • Verse 28: And grapes and herbage.
  • Verse 29: And olive and palm trees.
  • Verse 30: And gardens of dense shrubbery.
  • Verse 31: And fruit and grass.
  • Verse 32: As provision for you and your livestock.
  • Verse 33: But when the Deafening Blast comes.
  • Verse 34: The Day a man will flee from his brother.
  • Verse 35: And his mother and his father.
  • Verse 36: And his wife and his children.
  • Verse 37: For every person among them that Day will be a matter to occupy him.
  • Verse 38: Some faces that Day will be bright.
  • Verse 39: Laughing, rejoicing.
  • Verse 40: And other faces that Day will have dust upon them.
  • Verse 41: Blackness will cover them.
  • Verse 42: Those are the disbelievers, the wicked doers.

Teaching it line by line

Teach one verse at a time. Read the verse aloud slowly, let the child repeat it, then read it together — and only move to the next verse when the child reads the first one alone. If a sound is hard, say it slowly, break the word into its letters, and let the child build it again from the page.

When the child knows two verses, join them: read the first verse, then the second, in order, at the same even pace. Then add the third verse the same way, and then the fourth, and so on through the forty-second — so the child always reads from the start, in order, and the surah grows one verse at a time.

  • One verse at a time — move on only when the child reads the verse alone
  • Read aloud, let the child repeat, then read it together
  • Break a hard word into its letters and build it again from the page
  • Join the verses in order as each new verse is learned

Practising together at home

Read the surah aloud together for a few minutes each day, at the same time, in the same quiet room. The child reads to a listener, the listener hears a dropped sound sooner than the reader, and the page stays open so a slipped word can be checked at once.

Keep the practice short and steady: a few minutes of reading aloud, a short rest, and the page closed while the day goes on. A child who reads the surah a little every day meets each verse several times, and each meeting makes the verse firmer.

  • Read the surah aloud together for a few minutes each day
  • Same time, same quiet room, every day — a short, steady routine
  • The child reads to a listener, who hears a dropped sound first
  • Keep the page open so a slipped word can be checked at once

When the words slip: stay calm

A child who knew a verse yesterday and cannot find it today has not failed — the verse is fragile until it has been met several times, and forgetting is one of the most ordinary things in learning. Stay calm, go back one verse, and rebuild the slipped verse from the page.

Do not correct the child in a rush, and do not teach the verse yourself if the child has a tutor — the parent listens, and the tutor teaches. Tell the tutor which verse slipped, and the tutor re-teaches that verse in the next lesson, at the same even pace.

  • A slipped verse is normal — go back one verse and rebuild it from the page
  • Stay calm, and let the child find the words again without rushing
  • Do not teach the verse yourself — the parent listens, the tutor teaches
  • Tell the tutor which verse slipped so it is re-taught in the next lesson

Trying it free: three classes before you decide

Three real classes with a real tutor cost nothing — that is the free 3-day trial, and it is the honest way to see how a tutor teaches your child, including how the tutor teaches a surah line by line. The trial tutor watches how your child reads, which sounds come easily, and which ones need more care — and then shapes the lessons around what your child needs.

Booking takes a short message: your child's age, level, and the times that suit your family. A matched tutor is then arranged, and after the three classes there is no pressure to continue — you judge by how your child responded, and how they sounded in the lessons. Families who want a longer free start can also ask about the free one-month Qaida course, open to the first 50 students.

  • Three real classes with a real tutor, free, at your child's level
  • The trial tutor watches how your child reads and shapes lessons around them
  • Judge by how your child responded — no pressure to continue after the trial
  • Ask about the free one-month Qaida course for a longer free start

Frequently asked questions

How long is Surah Abasa?+

Forty-two verses. A child learns it verse by verse — first the words, then the sounds, then the meaning — one verse at a time.

Does my child need to know Arabic before learning Surah Abasa?+

No — the tutor teaches the sounds letter by letter from Qaida, and the child does not need to know any Arabic before starting. The transliteration in this guide helps with the sounds at home.

How do I teach the Arabic sounds at home?+

Read the verse aloud, let the child repeat it, and listen for each sound. Teach one verse at a time, break a hard word into its letters, and read the verse together until the child reads it alone.

Should I teach the meaning as well as the words?+

Yes — the meaning helps the child hold the words. Teach the words first, then the plain meaning of each verse, in the child's own language, and repeat that meaning each time the verse is read.

Can we try a lesson before deciding?+

Yes — the free 3-day trial gives three real classes with a real tutor, and the free one-month Qaida course is open to the first 50 students. Book the trial and share your child's level and the times that suit your family.