The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ Nun. CONSIDER the pen, and all that they write [therewith]! 1 By the grace of your Lord, you are not a mad man. 2 And verily, for you (O Muhammad SAW) will be an endless reward. 3 And verily thou art of a high and noble disposition. 4 So you will see, and they will realise, 5 which of you is a prey to madness. 6 Your Lord knows best who has fallen by the wayside, and who has remained on the true path. 7 Therefore, do not obey those who belie, 8 They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you]. 9 And do not obey every mean swearer, 10 A slanderer, going about with calumnies, 11 One who excessively forbids the good, transgressor, sinner. 12 Gross, and therewithal ignoble. 13 because he has wealth and sons. 14 When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples." 15 [For this] We shall brand him with indelible disgrace! 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 ("if God wills"). 18 Then there passed by on the (garden) something (fire) from your Lord at night and burnt it while they were asleep. 19 and the garden was turned into a barren desert. 20 As the morning broke, they called out, one to another,- 21 'Come out to your tillage if you want to reap' 22 So they set out, while lowering their voices, 23 "Be sure to stop any poor person from entering the orchard today." 24 And they went forth early, determined upon their purpose. 25 But when they saw it they said: 'We have surely gone astray. 26 Nay! we are made to suffer privation. 27 Said the most moderate of them, 'Did I not say to you, "Why do you not give glory?"' 28 They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong-doers. 29 Some of them started to blame others. 30 They said, "Woe to us. We have been arrogant. 31 Belike our Lord may exchange for us better garden than this; verily we are unto our Lord beseechers. 32 Such is the chastisement; and the chastisement of the Hereafter is assuredly even greater, if only they knew. 33