The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe, 1 You are not insane, by the munificence of your Lord. 2 and surely yours shall be a never-ending reward, 3 You have attained a high moral standard. 4 You will see and they will also 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 Hence, defer not to [the likes and dislikes of] those who give the lie to the truth: 8 Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise. 9 And yield not to any mean swearer 10 [And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip - 11 the hinderer of good, the transgressor, the sinful; 12 who is ignoble and besides all that, base-born; 13 Because he is a possessor of wealth and children, 14 When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples." 15 We shall brand him upon the muzzle! 16 We have tried them as we tried the owners of a certain orchard, who vowed to harvest all its fruits the next morning, 17 And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor). 18 whereupon a visitation for thy Sustainer came upon that [garden] while they were asleep, 19 So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered). 20 As the morning broke, they called out, one to another,- 21 Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the produce). 22 So they departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying), 23 “No destitute person shall enter it today.” 24 And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve. 25 Then when they saw it, they said, “We have indeed strayed.” 26 Indeed, we are utterly ruined!" 27 Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'" 28 They cried out: “Glory be to our Lord! Certainly we were sinners.” 29 Then some of them drew near unto others, self-reproaching. 30 They said: woe unto us! verily we! we have been arrogant. 31 Perhaps our Lord will replace it with a better garden. We turn in repentance to our Lord". 32 Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know. 33