80. Surah 'Abasa (He Frowned)

Mecca Period


The Quranic text and Ali’s version


عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى ﴿١﴾ 

80: 1.     The (Prophet) frowned and turned away.

C5950.  See the Introduction to this Surah for the incident to which this refers.

The lesson is that neither spiritual worth nor the prospect of effective spiritual guidance is to be measured by a man's position in life. The poor, or the blind, the halt, or the maimed, may be more susceptible to the teaching of Allah's Word than men who are apparently gifted, but who suffer from arrogance and self-sufficiency.

أَن جَاءهُ الْأَعْمَى ﴿٢﴾ 

80: 2.     Because there came to him the blind man (interrupting).

وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ يَزَّكَّى ﴿٣﴾      

80: 3.     But what could tell thee but that perchance he might Grow (in spiritual understanding)? --

أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ الذِّكْرَى ﴿٤﴾ 

80: 4.     Or that he might receive admonition, and the teaching might profit him?

C5951.  It may be that the poor blind man might, on account of his will to learn, be more likely to grow in his own spiritual development or to profit by any lessons taught to him even in report than a self-sufficient leader. In fact it was so. For the blind man became a true and sincere Muslim and lived to become a governor of Madinah.

أَمَّا مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى ﴿٥﴾    

80: 5.     As to one who regards himself as self-sufficient,

C5952.  Such a one would be a Pagan Quraish leader, whom the holy Prophet was anxious to get into his fold, in order that the work of preaching Allah's Message might be facilitated. But such a Message works first amongst the simple and lowly, the poor and despised folk, and the mighty ones of the earth only come in when the stream rushes in with irresistible force.

فَأَنتَ لَهُ تَصَدَّى ﴿٦﴾    

80: 6.     To him dost thou attend;

وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّى ﴿٧﴾    

80: 7.     Though it is no blame to thee if he grow not (in spiritual understanding).

C5953.  Allah's Message is for all, but if the great ones arrogantly keep back from it, it is no fault of the preacher, so long as he has proclaimed the Message. He should attend to all, and specially to the humble and lowly.

وَأَمَّا مَن جَاءكَ يَسْعَى ﴿٨﴾    

80: 8.     But as to him who came to thee striving earnestly,

C5954.  The fear in the blind man's heart may have been two-fold.

وَهُوَ يَخْشَى ﴿٩﴾    

80: 9.     And with fear (in his heart),

فَأَنتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّى ﴿١٠﴾    

80: 10.  Of him wast thou unmindful.

كَلَّا إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌ ﴿١١﴾    

80: 11.  By no means (should it be so)! For it is indeed a Message of instruction:

C5955.  Allah's Message is a universal Message, from which no one is to be excluded, rich or poor, old or young, great or lowly, learned or ignorant. If anyone had the spiritual craving that needed satisfaction, he was to be given precedence if there was to be any question of precedence at all.

فَمَن شَاء ذَكَرَهُ ﴿١٢﴾    

80: 12.  Therefore let who will, keep it in remembrance.

فِي صُحُفٍ مُّكَرَّمَةٍ ﴿١٣﴾    

80: 13.  (It is) in Books held (greatly) in honor.

C5956.  At the time this Surah was revealed, there were perhaps only about 42 or 45 Surahs in the hands of the Muslims. But it was a sufficient body of Revelation of high spiritual value, to which the description given here could be applied. It was held in the highest honor; its place in the hearts of Muslims was more exalted than that of anything else; as Allah's Word, it was pure and sacred; and those who transcribed it were men who were honorable, just and pious.

The legend that the early Surahs were not carefully written down and preserved in books is a pure invention. The recensions made later in the time of the first and the third Khalifahs were merely to preserve the purity and safeguard the arrangement of the text at a time when the expansion of Islam among non-Arabic-speaking people made such precautions necessary.


Asad’s version


REVEALED at a very early stage of the Prophet's mission, this surah has always been designated by the predicate with which its first sentence opens. The immediate cause of the revelation of the first ten verses was an incident witnessed by a number of the Prophet's contemporaries (see verses 1-2 and the corresponding note 1 below).



LXXX ; 1 You frowned and turned away because the blind man came to see you? How do you know perchance the blind man has a pure heart? ……The one who feels independent, you seek him out on purpose ………but the one who comes running and fearing God, you do not heed him.

80: 1 [ Abasa (He Frowned) Mecca, 24 ]

Yusuf Ali The (Prophet) frowned and turned away.

Pickthall He frowned and turned away

Transliteration Abasa wa tawal-la_

80: 2

Yusuf Ali Because there came to him the blind man (interrupting).

Pickthall Because the blind man came unto him.

Transliteration An ja_ ahul ama_

80: 3

Yusuf Ali But what could tell thee but that perchance he might Grow (in spiritual understanding)?

Pickthall What could inform thee but that he might grow (in grace)

Transliteration Wa ma_ yudrika la'al lahu_ yazaka_

80: 4

Yusuf Ali Or that he might receive admonition and the teaching might profit him?

Pickthall Or take heed and so the reminder might avail him?

Transliteration Au yazakaru fatanfahuzikra_

80: 5

Yusuf Ali As to one who regards himself as self-sufficient

Pickthall As for him who thinketh himself independent,

Transliteration Ama_ manis tagna_

80: 6

Yusuf Ali To him dost thou attend;

Pickthall Unto him thou payest regard.

Transliteration Fa anta lahu_ tashada_

80: 7

Yusuf Ali Though it is no blame to thee if he grow not (in spiritual understanding).

Pickthall Yet it is not thy concern if he grow not (in grace).

Transliteration Wa ma_ alaika al la_ yazaka_

80: 8

Yusuf Ali But as to him who came to thee striving earnestly

Pickthall But as for him who cometh unto thee with earnest purpose

Transliteration Wa amma_ man ja_ aka yasa_

80: 9

Yusuf Ali And with fear (in his heart)

Pickthall And hath fear,

Transliteration Wahuwa yakhsyaya_

80: 10

Yusuf Ali Of him wast thou unmindful.

Pickthall From him thou art distracted.

Transliteration Fa anta anhu talah ha_

80: 11

Yusuf Ali By no means (should it be so)! For it is indeed a Message of instruction:

Pickthall Nay, but verily it is an Admonishment,

Transliteration Kala_ inaha_ tazkirah

80: 12

Yusuf Ali Therefore let who will keep it in remembrance.

Pickthall So let whosoever will pay heed to it,

Transliteration Faman sya_ a zakarah

80: 13

Yusuf Ali (It is) in Books held (greatly) in honor.

Pickthall On honored leaves

Transliteration Fi shuhufim mukar ramah


[ Ali’s notes : 5950 See the Introduction to this Sura for the incident to which this refers. The lesson is that neither spiritual worth nor the prospect of effective spiritual guidance is to be measured by a man's position in life. The poor, or the blind, the halt, or the maimed, may be more susceptible to the teaching of Allah's Word than men who are apparently gifted, but who suffer from arrogance and self-sufficiency. (80.1)

5951 It may be that the poor blind man might, on account of his will to learn, be more likely to grow in his own spiritual development or to profit by any lessons taught to him even in report than a self-sufficient leader. In fact it was so. For the blind man became a true and sincere Muslim and lived to become a governor of Madinah. (80.4)

5952 Such a one would be a Pagan Quraish leader, whom the holy Prophet was anxious to get into his fold, in order that the work of preaching Allah's Message might be facilitated. But such a Message works first amongst the simple and lowly, the poor and despised folk, and the mighty ones of the earth only come in when the stream rushes in with irresistible force. (80.5)

5953 Allah's Message is for all, but if the great ones arrogantly keep back from it, it is no fault of the preacher, so long as he has proclaimed the Message. He should attend to all, and specially to the humble and lowly. (80.7)

5954 The fear in the blind man's heart may have been two-fold. (1) He was humble and God-fearing, not arrogant and self-sufficient; (2) being poor and blind, he feared to intrude; yet his earnest desire to learn the Qur-an made him bold, and he came, perhaps unseasonably, but was yet worthy of encouragement, because of the purity of his heart. (80.9)

5955 Allah's Message is a universal Message, from which no one is to be excluded, rich or poor, old or young, great or lowly, learned or ignorant. If anyone had the spiritual craving that needed satisfaction, he was to be given precedence if there was to be any question of precedence at all. (80.11) ]