The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ NUN. I CALL to witness the pen and what they inscribe, 1 Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed. 2 And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted. 3 And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality. 4 Soon you will see, as will they, 5 Which of you is afflicted with madness. 6 Your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His path and who is rightly guided. 7 Therefore, do not obey those who belie, 8 they would wish you to be pliant so that they too may be pliant. 9 Heed not the type of despicable men,- ready with oaths, 10 A defamer, spreader abroad of slander. 11 One who excessively forbids the good, transgressor, sinner. 12 Cruel, after all that base-born (of illegitimate birth), 13 or that because he may possess wealth and children. 14 When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples." 15 We will brand him upon the snout. 16 We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden who had sworn that in the morning they would reap it, 17 without adding to their swearing, (Allah willing, InshaAllah). 18 So an envoy from your Lord completed his round upon the garden, whilst they were sleeping. 19 so that by the morrow it became barren and bleak. 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 And so they departed, whispering to one another: 23 'No needy person shall set foot in it today' 24 They were resolved to repel the beggars. 25 But when they saw it, they said, 'Surely we are gone astray; 26 Rather, we have been deprived." 27 The best among them said: “Did I not say to you: why do you not give glory to (your Lord)?” 28 'Exaltations to Allah, our Lord' they said, 'We were truly harmdoers' 29 Then some of them drew near unto others, self-reproaching. 30 They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous. 31 [But] it may be that our Sustainer will grant us something better instead: for, verily, unto our Sustainer do we turn with hope!" 32 Such is the torment if only they knew that the torment in the life hereafter will certainly be greater. 33