The Pen (Al-Qalam)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write, 1 You are not demented by the grace of your Lord. 2 and surely yours shall be a never-ending reward, 3 And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character. 4 So you shall see, and they (too) shall see, 5 #NAME? 6 Verily, your Lord knows better, who (among men) has gone astray from His Path, and He knows better those who are guided. 7 Wherefore obey not thou the beliers. 8 they would like thee to be soft [with them,] so that they might be soft [with thee]. 9 Nor ever listen to any excessive oath maker, ignoble person. 10 back-biting, gossiping, 11 or to one who places obstacles in the way of good being done or to the wicked transgressor, 12 the crude of low character 13 Is it because he is possessed of worldly goods and children 14 and whenever Our verses are rehearsed to him, he says: “These are fairy- tales of times gone by.” 15 Anon We shall brand him on snout. 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 But did not add: "If God may please." 18 whereupon a visitation for thy Sustainer came upon that [garden] while they were asleep, 19 Then in the morning it became as though it had been reaped. 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 they went off, saying one unto another in low tones: 23 [Saying], "There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person." 24 And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able. 25 But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error! 26 Rather, we have been deprived." 27 The best among them said, “Did I not tell you, ‘Why do you not proclaim His purity?’” 28 They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!" 29 Then they started blaming one another, 30 [In the end] they said: "Oh, woe unto us! Verily, we did behave outrageously! 31 Perhaps our Lord will replace it with a better garden. We turn in repentance to our Lord". 32 Such is the punishment; and indeed the punishment of the Hereafter is the greatest, if only they knew! 33