The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful
۞ Nun. By the pen, and all that they write! 1 You are not demented by the grace of your Lord. 2 and surely yours shall be a never-ending reward, 3 And verily thou art of a high and noble disposition. 4 Anon thou wilt see and they will see. 5 which of you is the demented. 6 Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided. 7 Therefore do not listen to the deniers. 8 Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise. 9 And obey not everyone who swears much, and is considered worthless, 10 back-biting, gossiping, 11 A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful, 12 Gross, and therewithal ignoble. 13 or that because he may possess wealth and children. 14 When Our revelations are recited to him, he says, "These are ancient legends". 15 We shall brand him on his nose. 16 We have tested them in the same way as we tested the dwellers of the garden (in Yemen) when they swore to pluck all the fruits of the garden in the morning, 17 And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor). 18 Wherefore an encircling visitation visited it even as they slept on. 19 So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins). 20 Then they cried out unto each other in the morning. 21 'Come forth betimes upon your tillage, if you would pluck!' 22 So they went off, while whispering to one another. 23 "Indeed, no needy person shall enter it today [and come] upon you [unawares,]" 24 They were resolved to repel the beggars. 25 But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost; 26 [and then,] "Nay, but we have been rendered destitute!" 27 (Whereupon) the best among them said: 'Did I not say to you to exalt (Allah)' 28 They said, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers." 29 And they advanced one upon another, blaming each other. 30 They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous. 31 Maybe our Lord will give us better than this. We turn to our Lord in supplication." 32 Such was their punishment. But the punishment of the Everlasting Life is much greater, if they but knew. 33