The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ Nun. By the pen and what the scribes write. 1 You are not, [O Muhammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman. 2 And verily thine shall be a hire unending. 3 For you are verily born of sublime nature. 4 Soon wilt thou see, and they will see, 5 Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil]. 6 Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right course. 7 So obey thou not those who cry lies. 8 They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you]. 9 Nor ever listen to any excessive oath maker, ignoble person. 10 A slanderer, going about with calumnies, 11 those who hinder good, the guilty aggressor, 12 Ignoble, besides all that, base-born; 13 Because he is a possessor of wealth and children, 14 When Our revelations are rehearsed unto him, he saith: fables of the ancients. 15 We shall brand him over the nose! 16 Verily, We have tried them as We tried the people of the garden, when they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning, 17 But did not add: "If God may please." 18 Then, a visitation from your Lord came down upon it while they slept, 19 So it became as black, barren land. 20 At daybreak they called out to one another: 21 Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit). 22 So they departed, whispering together, 23 "Let no needy person come to you within it today." 24 They were resolved to repel the beggars. 25 But when they saw it they said: 'We have surely gone astray. 26 Nay, but we are desolate! 27 The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you not glorify (Allah)? 28 They said: "Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.)." 29 Then they turned to each other reproaching. 30 [In the end] they said: "Oh, woe unto us! Verily, we did behave outrageously! 31 Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it; surely to our Lord do we make our humble petition. 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