The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
۞ Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write, 1 Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed. 2 Surely thou shalt have a wage unfailing; 3 And indeed you possess an exemplary character. 4 You will see and they will also see 5 Which of you is the demented. 6 Surely your Lord knows well those who have strayed from His Way just as He knows well those who are on the Right Way. 7 Do not, then, yield to those who reject the Truth, decrying it as false; 8 they wish you would compromise, then, they would compromise. 9 And obey not thou any swearer ignominous. 10 back-biting, gossiping, 11 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor 12 Greedy therewithal, intrusive. 13 Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons. 14 When Our verses are recited to him, he says: 'They are but fairytales of the ancients' 15 Soon shall We brand him on his 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 and made no allowance [for the will of God]: 18 whereupon a visitation for thy Sustainer came upon that [garden] while they were asleep, 19 so that by the morrow it became barren and bleak. 20 (Then) in the morning they called out to one another, saying: 21 "Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits." 22 So they set out, while lowering their voices, 23 No needy man shall enter it to-day against you. 24 They went forth early, believing that they had the power (to gather the fruit). 25 Then when they beheld it, they said: verily we have strayed. 26 rather, we are utterly ruined.” 27 The best among them said: “Did I not say to you: why do you not give glory to (your Lord)?” 28 They said, "Glory be to God, our Lord. We have surely done wrong." 29 Then they began to reproach one another. 30 They said, “Woe to us – we were indeed rebellious.” 31 Maybe our Lord will give us better than this. We turn to our Lord in supplication." 32 Such is the torment. And the torment of the Hereafter is far greater; if they but knew. 33