The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ Nun. By the pen and by what you write, 1 you are not, because of the favor of your Lord, mad. 2 There is surely reward unending for you, 3 And indeed, you are of a great moral character. 4 Soon wilt thou see, and they will see, 5 which of you was bereft of reason. 6 Surely thy Lord knows very well those who have gone astray from His way, and He knows very well those who are guided. 7 So do not yield to the rejecters. 8 They wish that in some way you may yield, so they too might soften their stand. 9 And obey not thou any swearer ignominous. 10 [And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip - 11 or to one who places obstacles in the way of good being done or to the wicked transgressor, 12 Crude, and above all, mean and infamous, 13 because he has wealth and sons. 14 When Our revelations are recited to him, he says, "These are ancient legends". 15 We shall brand him on the muzzle. 16 [As for such sinners,] behold, We [but] try them as We tried the owners of a certain garden who vowed that they would surely harvest its fruit on the morrow, 17 without adding to their swearing, (Allah willing, InshaAllah). 18 Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept 19 So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins). 20 Then they called out one to another as soon as the morning broke, 21 "Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits." 22 Thus they launched forth, whispering unto one another, 23 Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you. 24 – and early they went, strongly bent upon their purpose. 25 When they saw the garden, they said, "Surely we have lost our way. 26 No, rather, we have been prevented' 27 One who was temperate among them, said: "Did I not say: 'Why don't you priase God?'" 28 They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust. 29 and then they turned upon one another with mutual reproaches. 30 They said 'Woe to us, truly we were insolent' 31 Maybe our Lord will give us better than this. We turn to our Lord in supplication." 32 Such is the chastisement; and the chastisement of the world to come, is assuredly greater, did they but know. 33