The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
۞ Nun. By the pen and by what you write, 1 Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed. 2 Most surely, you will have a never ending reward. 3 And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character. 4 Anon thou wilt see and they will see. 5 which of you is the demented. 6 Verily thy Lord! He is the best Knower of him who strayeth from His path, and He is the best Knower of the guided one. 7 So do not yield to the rejecters. 8 they would wish you to be pliant so that they too may be pliant. 9 And do not obey every mean swearer, 10 A defamer, spreader abroad of slander. 11 (Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin, 12 Foul mouthed, and in addition to all this, of improper lineage. 13 Because he is a possessor of wealth and children, 14 When Our verses are recited to him, he says: 'They are but fairytales of the ancients' 15 We shall mark him upon his nose! 16 We have indeed tested them the way We had tested the owners of the garden when they swore that they would reap its harvest the next morning. 17 without making any allowance (for the will of Allah). 18 A calamity from your Lord befell the orchard as they slept. 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 That, “Go to your fields at early morn, if you want to harvest.” 22 So off they went, whispering to one another: 23 "Let no beggar come to the garden". 24 – and early they went, strongly bent upon their purpose. 25 Then when they saw it, they said, “We have indeed strayed.” 26 (Then they said): "Nay! Indeed we are deprived of (the fruits)!" 27 Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'" 28 They cried out: “Glory be to our Lord! Certainly we were sinners.” 29 and then they turned upon one another with mutual reproaches. 30 They said, "Woe to us. We have been arrogant. 31 It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord. 32 Such is the torment. And the torment of the Hereafter is far greater; if they but knew. 33