Living Quran

Surah Az-Zumar (The Troops)

Az-Zumar means "The Troops" or "The Groups," referring to the crowds in which people will be led toward Paradise or the Fire on the Day of Judgment, described near the surah's end.

Surah Az-Zumar is the thirty-ninth chapter of the Quran, a Meccan surah of 75 ayahs. It takes its name from the "troops" or groups in which humanity will be gathered and driven toward their final destinations in the Hereafter. A central and repeated concern of the surah is sincere, undivided devotion to God alone, calling people to worship Him with pure faith and rejecting the association of partners with Him. It draws attention to signs of God's power and mercy in creation — the alternation of night and day, the stages of human life, and the sending down of rain — as grounds for gratitude and reflection. The surah contrasts the grateful believer with the ungrateful, warns of the reckoning, and speaks movingly of God's boundless forgiveness, urging those who have wronged themselves not to despair of His mercy. It closes with a powerful scene of the resurrection and the sorting of people into groups.
Surah number
39
Revelation
Meccan
Ayahs
75
Arabic
الزمر

Read Surah Az-Zumar online — full Arabic text with the Pickthall English translation.

Main themes

  • Sincere, undivided worship of God alone (ikhlas)
  • Signs of God's power and mercy in creation
  • The contrast between the grateful believer and the ungrateful
  • God's vast forgiveness and the call not to despair of His mercy
  • The certainty of resurrection and accountability
  • People gathered in groups toward Paradise or the Fire

Why this surah matters

Az-Zumar is widely cherished for its emphasis on sincerity of faith and for its consoling message about God's mercy. One of its verses is among the most frequently cited passages of hope in the tradition, understood as an assurance that God's forgiveness embraces those who turn back to Him. Many Muslims turn to the surah's themes when reflecting on repentance and divine mercy. Its closing depiction of the resurrection and the two groups is regarded as one of the Quran's most vivid portrayals of the final reckoning.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it called "The Troops"?

The name refers to the groups or crowds in which people will be driven toward Paradise or the Fire on the Day of Judgment, a scene described toward the end of the surah. This imagery gives the chapter its name.

Is Surah Az-Zumar Meccan or Medinan?

It is commonly held to be Meccan, reflecting the Meccan focus on monotheism, sincere worship, and the reality of the Hereafter. Some scholars have discussed particular verses separately, but the surah is classified as Meccan.

What is the surah's main message?

A central theme is sincere devotion to God alone, coupled with a strong emphasis on His forgiveness and mercy for those who repent, and a reminder of resurrection and accountability.

Read Surah Az-Zumar

Read Surah Az-Zumar with the Pickthall translation and ask Noor about any ayah — ad-free and neutral across all five schools.

Get Living Quran free