The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ Noon. By the Pen and that (the angels) write, 1 You are not, [O Muhammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman. 2 And verily, thine shall be a reward neverending 3 And verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) are on an exalted standard of character. 4 You will see, and they will see, 5 which of you is the demented. 6 Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright. 7 So do not comply with those who deny: 8 They wish that you should compromise (in religion out of courtesy) with them, so they (too) would compromise with you. 9 And obey not everyone who swears much, and is considered worthless, 10 the backbiter who goes about slandering, 11 Hinderer of the good, trespasser; sinner. 12 Gross, and therewithal ignoble. 13 Is it because he is possessed of worldly goods and children 14 When Our signs are recited to him, he says, 'Fairy-tales of the ancients!' 15 Soon We will brand him on the 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 adding ("if God wills"). 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 In the morning they called out to one another, 21 "Go early to your tilth if you want to harvest the fruit!" 22 They all left, whispering to one another, 23 “Make sure that no needy person enters your garden this day.” 24 They left early in the morning bent on this purpose. 25 When they saw the garden, they said, "Surely we have lost our way. 26 Nay! we are made to suffer privation. 27 The more upright of the two said, "Did I not bid you to glorify God?" 28 They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust. 29 Then they approached one another, blaming each other. 30 They said: woe unto us! verily we! we have been arrogant. 31 [But] it may be that our Sustainer will grant us something better instead: for, verily, unto our Sustainer do we turn with hope!" 32 Such was their punishment, [in this life]. But the punishment of the life to come is much more severe, if only they knew it! 33