The Pen (Al-Qalam)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ Nun. By the pen, and all that they write! 1 By your Lord's Grace, you are not afflicted with madness, 2 Surely thou shalt have a wage unfailing; 3 For you are truly of a sublime character. 4 So thou shalt see, and they will see, 5 Which of you is afflicted with madness. 6 Verily, your Lord knows better, who (among men) has gone astray from His Path, and He knows better those who are guided. 7 Do not yield to those who reject the Truth. 8 they would wish you to be pliant so that they too may be pliant. 9 Do not yield to one persistent in swearing, 10 Defamer, going about with slander 11 hinderer of good, guilty aggressor, coarse-grained, 12 Violent (and cruel),- with all that, base-born,- 13 Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons. 14 When Our revelations are recited to him, he says, "These are ancient legends". 15 Anon We shall brand him on snout. 16 Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning, 17 and they added not the saving words. 18 A calamity from your Lord befell the orchard as they slept. 19 so that by the morrow it became barren and bleak. 20 At daybreak they called to each other: 21 'Come out to your tillage if you want to reap' 22 So they went, while they consulted together secretly, 23 "Indeed, no needy person shall enter it today [and come] upon you [unawares,]" 24 They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose. 25 When they saw (and did not recognise it) they said: "Surely we have lost the way. 26 [and then,] "Nay, but we have been rendered destitute!" 27 Said the most right-minded among them: "Did I not tell you, 'Will you not extol God's limitless glory?'" 28 They answered: "Limitless in His glory is our Sustainer! Verily, we were doing wrong!" 29 And they came blaming one another. 30 They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous. 31 Belike our Lord may exchange for us better garden than this; verily we are unto our Lord beseechers. 32 Such is the punishment; and indeed the punishment of the Hereafter is the greatest, if only they knew! 33