The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
۞ NUN. I CALL to witness the pen and what they inscribe, 1 By the grace of your Lord, you are not a mad man. 2 There is surely reward unending for you, 3 And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character. 4 You will see, and they will see, 5 Which of you is the demented. 6 Verily your Lord knows those who have gone astray from His path, and He knows those who are guided on the way. 7 So obey thou not those who cry lies. 8 They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would be pliant. 9 And obey not thou any swearer ignominous. 10 Defamer, going about with slander 11 Hinderer of the good, trespasser; sinner. 12 Greedy therewithal, intrusive. 13 just because he has wealth and sons, 14 When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore. 15 We shall brand him on the muzzle. 16 Now We have tried them, even as We tried the owners of the garden when they swore they would pluck in the morning 17 And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor). 18 So an envoy from your Lord completed his round upon the garden, whilst they were sleeping. 19 so that by the morrow it became barren and bleak. 20 In the morning they called to one another, 21 'Come forth betimes upon your tillage, if you would pluck!' 22 And so they departed, whispering to one another: 23 "Indeed, no needy person shall enter it today [and come] upon you [unawares,]" 24 And they went forth early, determined upon their purpose. 25 But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way: 26 rather, we are utterly ruined.” 27 The most moderate of them said: said I not unto you, wherefore hallow him ye not! 28 They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust. 29 Then they approached one another, blaming each other. 30 They said, "O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors. 31 Maybe our Lord will give us better than this. We turn to our Lord in supplication." 32 Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter,- if only they knew! 33