The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
۞ Nun. CONSIDER the pen, and all that they write [therewith]! 1 you are not, because of the favor of your Lord, mad. 2 And verily, thine shall be a reward neverending 3 and you are certainly on the most exalted standard of moral excellence. 4 You shall see and they will see 5 #NAME? 6 Verily your Lord knows those who have gone astray from His path, and He knows those who are guided on the way. 7 Do not give in to the deniers of truth. 8 They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you]. 9 And yield not to any mean swearer 10 the backbiter who goes about slandering, 11 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor 12 Crude, and above all, mean and infamous, 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 Soon We will brand him on the nose. 16 [As for such sinners,] behold, We [but] try them as We tried the owners of a certain garden who vowed that they would surely harvest its fruit on the morrow, 17 And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor). 18 So there came upon the garden an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep. 19 So in the morning it became as if harvested. 20 And they called one another at morning, 21 “Hurry to your orchard if you would gather its fruit.” 22 So they went off, whispering to one another, 23 Let there not enter upon you today any needy man. 24 They set out early in the morning, thinking they had the power to prevent. 25 But when they saw the (garden), they said: "Verily, we have gone astray," 26 Indeed, we are utterly ruined!" 27 The most moderate of them said: said I not unto you, wherefore hallow him ye not! 28 They said: "Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.)." 29 Then they turned, one against another, in reproach. 30 They said, "Alas for us, our behaviour was beyond the pale. 31 “Hopefully, our Lord will give us a better replacement than this – we now incline towards our Lord.” 32 Such is the torment. And the torment of the Hereafter is far greater; if they but knew. 33