Surah Name Spellings Explained: Ikhlas or Ikhlaas, Kausar or Kawthar?
Why surah names have so many English spellings — Kafirun or Kafiroon, Zalzalah or Zilzal, Kawthar or Kausar — how to pronounce them and the word Quran, with a table of common spellings.
Last updated: 2026-10-09
Search for a surah and you will find several spellings: Surah Ikhlas, Al-Ikhlas, Ikhlaas; Kawthar and Kausar; Kafirun and Kafiroon. They are the same surahs. The differences come from writing Arabic sounds with English letters — and from how Arabic is pronounced in different countries.
Five reasons the spellings differ
1. “Al-”, “An-”, “Ash-” and the other prefixes
Al means “the”. Before about half of the Arabic letters (the “sun letters”), the l is not pronounced and the next letter is doubled: al-Nas is said an-Nas, al-Shams is said ash-Shams, al-Tin is said at-Tin. Some people write the sound, some the letters, and many drop the article altogether — so Surah An-Nas, Al-Nas and Nas are one surah.
2. Long vowels
Arabic distinguishes short and long vowels. Some writers double the English vowel to show a long one (Ikhlaas, Naas, Kafiroon), others don’t (Ikhlas, Nas, Kafirun), and academic transliteration uses a line over the letter.
3. Letters English doesn’t have
The Arabic letter tha is the “th” of “think”: Kawthar, Takathur, Muddathir. Arabic qaf is a k pronounced deep in the throat, usually written q (Quraysh, Qadr). The letter ‘ayn, a sound made in the throat, is written with an apostrophe or left out — Ma’un or Maun, A’la or Ala.
4. Urdu, Persian and Turkish pronunciation
In Urdu and Persian, tha is pronounced like s, and the heavy dad like z. That gives the spellings Kausar, Takasur and Muddassir, and Zuha for Ad-Duha. “Surah e Yunus” and “Surah e Muhammad” come from the Persian and Urdu way of joining two words.
5. Different names for the same surah
Some surahs have more than one traditional name: Al-Masad is also called Lahab or Tabbat, Ash-Sharh is also called Inshirah or Alam Nashrah, and Al-Isra is also called Bani Isra’il. Read more in what is a surah.
Common spellings of short surah names
| No. | Name used on this site | Other spellings you will see |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al-Fatihah الفاتحة | Fatiha, Fatihah, Al Fatiha, Al-Fatiha |
| 93 | Ad-Duhaa الضحى | Duha, Ad Duha, Al Duha, Dhuha, Zuha |
| 94 | Ash-Sharh الشرح | Sharh, Inshirah, Alam Nashrah, Ash Sharh |
| 95 | At-Tin التين | Tin, Teen, At Tin, Al Tin |
| 96 | Al-'Alaq العلق | Alaq, Al Alaq, Iqra |
| 97 | Al-Qadr القدر | Qadr, Al Qadr, Laylatul Qadr |
| 99 | Az-Zalzalah الزلزلة | Zalzalah, Zilzal, Zalzala, Az Zalzalah |
| 101 | Al-Qari'ah القارعة | Qariah, Qari'ah, Al Qariah |
| 102 | At-Takathur التكاثر | Takathur, Takasur, At Takathur |
| 105 | Al-Fil الفيل | Fil, Feel, Al Fil |
| 106 | Quraysh قريش | Quraysh, Quraish, Quresh |
| 107 | Al-Ma'un الماعون | Ma'un, Maun, Maoon, Al Maun |
| 108 | Al-Kawthar الكوثر | Kawthar, Kausar, Kauthar, Al Kawthar |
| 109 | Al-Kafirun الكافرون | Kafirun, Kafiroon, Al Kafirun |
| 111 | Al-Masad المسد | Masad, Lahab, Tabbat |
| 112 | Al-Ikhlas الإخلاص | Ikhlas, Ikhlaas, Al Ikhlas |
| 113 | Al-Falaq الفلق | Falaq, Falak, Al Falaq |
| 114 | An-Nas الناس | Nas, Naas, An Nas, Al Nas |
Every surah page on this site lists the other spellings of its name. See the list of all 114 surahs.
How to pronounce “Quran”
The word is pronounced roughly kur-AAN: a short first syllable starting with the deep q sound, and a long, stressed second syllable. The older English spelling “Koran” tried to show the same sound. Read more in Koran or Quran?
Hear the names
The easiest way to learn Arabic sounds is to listen. In the video maker, the Online Recitations tab plays every surah by well-known reciters, so you can hear how each letter is pronounced. For the rules of Quran pronunciation, see what is tajweed.
Frequently asked questions
- Why are surah names spelled in so many ways?
- Arabic has sounds and long vowels that English letters don't match exactly, and there are several transliteration systems. Urdu and Persian speakers also pronounce some Arabic letters differently, which gives spellings such as Kausar or Takasur.
- Is Surah Ikhlas the same as Al-Ikhlas or Ikhlaas?
- Yes. Al- is the Arabic word for 'the', and a doubled vowel just marks a long vowel. All three are the same surah, number 112.
- How do you pronounce Quran?
- Roughly kur-AAN, with the stress on the long second syllable. The first letter is a q pronounced further back in the throat than an English k.
This article explains common understanding and history for general readers; it is not a religious ruling. For questions of practice, consult a qualified scholar. See the disclaimer.
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