An analysis is presented for the thermal radiation effect on the non-Darcy natural convection over a vertical flat plate in a fluid saturated porous medium. Forchheimer extension is considered in the flow equations. Rosseland approximation is used to describe the radiative heat flux in the energy equation. The nondimensional governing partial equations are solved by the finite element method. The resulting nonlinear integral equations are linearized and solved by the Newton-Raphson iteration. Results for the details of the stream function, velocity and temperature contours and profiles as well as heat transfer rate in terms of Nusselt number are shown graphically.