The Pen (Al-Qalam)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ Nun. By the pen and by that which they inscribe. 1 you are not, because of the favor of your Lord, mad. 2 Most surely, you will have a never ending reward. 3 Surely, you (Prophet Muhammad) are of a great morality. 4 You shall see and they will see 5 Which of you is afflicted with madness. 6 Surely your Lord knows well those who have strayed from His Way just as He knows well those who are on the Right Way. 7 Hence, defer not to [the likes and dislikes of] those who give the lie to the truth: 8 Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant. 9 Do not heed a contemptible swearer, 10 A slanderer, going about with calumnies, 11 obstructing virtues, a sinful transgressor, 12 Gross, and therewithal ignoble. 13 Because he possesses wealth and sons. 14 When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries! 15 Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout! 16 We have tried them as we tried the owners of a certain orchard, who vowed to harvest all its fruits the next morning, 17 But did not add: "If God may please." 18 Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep. 19 And by morning it lay as if it had already been harvested, a barren land. 20 They then called out to each other at daybreak. 21 Saying: go out betimes to your tilth if ye would reap. 22 So they went off, whispering to one another, 23 "Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day." 24 And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power (to prevent the poor taking anything of the fruits therefrom). 25 But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error! 26 rather, we are utterly ruined.” 27 A reasonable one among them said, "Did I not tell you that you should glorify God?" 28 They said, "Glory be to God, our Lord. We have surely done wrong." 29 Then they turned to each other reproaching. 30 They said: woe unto us! verily we! we have been arrogant. 31 May be our Lord will give us a better orchard in its stead; we turn to Him." 32 Such is the punishment; and indeed the punishment of the Hereafter is the greatest, if only they knew! 33