The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ NUN. I CALL to witness the pen and what they inscribe, 1 Thou art not, by thy Sustainer's grace, a madman! 2 Indeed, there is an unfailing wage for you. 3 For you are truly of a sublime character. 4 So you shall see, and they (too) shall see, 5 Who is distracted. 6 Indeed, your Lord knows very well those who strayed from His Path, and those who are guided. 7 Therefore do not listen to the deniers. 8 Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise. 9 Heed not the type of despicable men,- ready with oaths, 10 backbiter, going about with slander, 11 obstructing virtues, a sinful transgressor, 12 Foul mouthed, and in addition to all this, of improper lineage. 13 (who so acts) simply because he has wealth and sons, 14 when Our revelations are recited to him, he says, "These are just ancient fables." 15 We shall brand him on the muzzle. 16 Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning 17 And they made not the exception. 18 Wherefore an encircling visitation visited it even as they slept on. 19 and so by morning the orchard lay as though it had been fully harvested. 20 At daybreak they called out to one another: 21 "Go early to your tilth if you want to harvest the fruit!" 22 So they set out, while lowering their voices, 23 "Let no beggar come to the garden". 24 – and early they went, strongly bent upon their purpose. 25 But when they saw it, they said, "We must have lost our way. 26 “In fact, we are unfortunate.” 27 The best among them said: "Did I not tell you: why do you not say: Insha' Allah (If Allah will)." 28 'Exaltations to Allah, our Lord' they said, 'We were truly harmdoers' 29 Then they began to heap reproaches on each other. 30 [In the end] they said: "Oh, woe unto us! Verily, we did behave outrageously! 31 May be our Lord will give us a better orchard in its stead; we turn to Him." 32 Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know. 33