The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful
۞ Nun. By the pen and by that which they inscribe. 1 Thou art not, through the grace of thy Lord, mad. 2 And verily, for you (O Muhammad SAW) will be an endless reward. 3 Surely, you (Prophet Muhammad) are of a great morality. 4 Soon you will see, as will they, 5 which of you has been afflicted by insanity. 6 Surely thy Lord knows very well those who have gone astray from His way, and He knows very well those who are guided. 7 Therefor obey not thou the rejecters 8 They wish that in some way you may yield, so they too might soften their stand. 9 And obey not thou any swearer ignominous. 10 or to any defamer or one who spreads slander, 11 One who excessively forbids the good, transgressor, sinner. 12 the crude of low character 13 Because he is owner of riches and children. 14 When Our signs are recited to him, he says, 'Fairy-tales of the ancients!' 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 without adding ("if God wills"). 18 A calamity from your Lord befell the orchard as they slept. 19 So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins). 20 At daybreak they called out to one another: 21 "If you want to gather the fruits, let us go early to the plantation." 22 So they set out, while lowering their voices, 23 'No needy person shall set foot in it today' 24 And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve. 25 But when they saw it they said: 'We have surely gone astray. 26 [and then,] "Nay, but we have been rendered destitute!" 27 The most moderate of them said: said I not unto you, wherefore hallow him ye not! 28 They said, “Purity is to our Lord – we have indeed been unjust.” 29 So they came towards each other, blaming. 30 They said, “Woe to us – we were indeed rebellious.” 31 It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord. 32 Such was their punishment. But the punishment of the Everlasting Life is much greater, if they but knew. 33