The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ Nuun* – by oath of the pen and by oath of what is written by it. (Alphabet of the Arabic language; Allah and to whomever He reveals, know their precise meanings.) 1 Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed. 2 And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing. 3 For you are truly of a sublime character. 4 So you will soon see, and they too will see, 5 which of you has been afflicted by insanity. 6 Verily thy Lord! He is the best Knower of him who strayeth from His path, and He is the best Knower of the guided one. 7 Do not give in to the deniers of truth. 8 They wish that you should compromise (in religion out of courtesy) with them, so they (too) would compromise with you. 9 Heed not the type of despicable men,- ready with oaths, 10 or to any defamer or one who spreads slander, 11 [or] the withholder of good, [or] the sinful aggressor, 12 Cruel, after all that base-born (of illegitimate birth), 13 just because he has wealth and sons, 14 When Our revelations are rehearsed unto him, he saith: fables of the ancients. 15 We shall brand him over the nose! 16 Verily, We have tried them as We tried the people of the garden, when they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning, 17 And made no exception (for the Will of Allah); 18 Then a calamity from your Lord fell upon it, but they remained fast asleep. 19 So in the morning it became as if harvested. 20 At daybreak they called out to one another: 21 That, “Go to your fields at early morn, if you want to harvest.” 22 So they set out, while lowering their voices, 23 Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you. 24 And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able. 25 But when they saw it, they said, 'Surely we are 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 began to reproach one another. 30 They said: woe unto us! verily we! we have been arrogant. 31 "It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!" 32 Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater, did they but know! 33