Free lesson · Quran word by word
سُورَةُ الْكَوْثَرِ
The shortest surah in the Quran is only 10 words. Learn every one of them in a few minutes — then you'll understand it each time you recite it.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Bismillāhi-r-Rahmāni-r-Rahīm — In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ ١ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ٢ إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ ٣
Arabic text: Hafs ‘an ‘Asim. English translation of each ayah: Saheeh International, as published on the King Saud University Quran site (quran.ksu.edu.sa). The word-by-word meanings are a simple guide for learners.
Reading the transliteration: ā, ī, ū are long vowels. An apostrophe (’) marks a sound from the throat (hamza or ‘ayn). Listening to a teacher is the best way to get each sound right.
Ayah 1
إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ ١
Innā a'taynāka-l-kawthar
Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar.
| Arabic | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| إِنَّا | Innā | Indeed, We |
| أَعْطَيْنَاكَ | a'taynāka | We have given you |
| الْكَوْثَرَ | al-Kawthar | abundant good (a river in Paradise) |
Ayah 2
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ٢
Fa-salli li-Rabbika wanhar
So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].
| Arabic | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| فَصَلِّ | Fa-salli | So pray |
| لِرَبِّكَ | li-Rabbika | to your Lord |
| وَانْحَرْ | wanhar | and sacrifice |
Ayah 3
إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ ٣
Inna shāni'aka huwa-l-abtar
Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off.
| Arabic | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| إِنَّ | Inna | Indeed |
| شَانِئَكَ | shāni'aka | the one who hates you |
| هُوَ | huwa | he is |
| الْأَبْتَرُ | al-abtar | the one cut off |
The ending ـكَ (-ka) means “you / your” when speaking to a man. You can find it three times: in أَعْطَيْنَاكَ (a'taynāka), in لِرَبِّكَ (li-Rabbika) and in شَانِئَكَ (shāni'aka). Here the “you” is the Prophet ﷺ.
إِنَّا (innā) means “Indeed, We”, and the ending ـنَا (-nā) in أَعْطَيْنَاكَ also means “We”. This “We” of majesty is how Allah often speaks of Himself in the Quran.
Al-Kawthar (الْكَوْثَرُ) means abundant good. The Prophet ﷺ explained that it is a river in Paradise that his Lord promised him (Sahih Muslim 400).
Yes. Surah Al-Kawthar, surah 108, is the shortest surah: 3 ayahs and only 10 words.
Wanhar (وَانْحَرْ) means “and sacrifice” — offer your sacrifice for Allah alone, just as you pray to Him alone.
Al-abtar (الْأَبْتَرُ) means “the one cut off” — cut off from every good and from being remembered. The ayah promises that the Prophet's enemy, not the Prophet ﷺ, is the one cut off.
Start with the letters and harakat (short vowels). KALIMO teaches Arabic to beginners live in small groups — you can book a free 30-minute trial class on Telegram.
