The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, 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 you are not, because of the favor of your Lord, mad. 2 and surely yours shall be a never-ending reward, 3 for, behold, thou keepest indeed to a sublime way of life; 4 So you will soon see, and they too will see, 5 Which of you is afflicted with madness. 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 Therefor obey not thou the rejecters 8 they would wish you to be pliant so that they too may be pliant. 9 Do not heed a contemptible swearer, 10 Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders, 11 (Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin, 12 ill-mannered, and moraly corrupt 13 (who so acts) simply because he has wealth and sons, 14 When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore. 15 We shall mark him upon his nose! 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 they made not the exception. 18 So an envoy from your Lord completed his round upon the garden, whilst they were sleeping. 19 and so by morning the orchard lay as though it had been fully harvested. 20 And they called one another at morning, 21 'Come out to your tillage if you want to reap' 22 So they went off, while whispering to one another. 23 No needy man shall enter it to-day against you. 24 And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able. 25 But as soon as they beheld the orchard, (they cried out): “We have certainly lost the way; 26 "Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!" 27 The best among them said: "Did I not tell you: why do you not say: Insha' Allah (If Allah will)." 28 They said: hallowed be Our Lord! verily we have been wrong-doers. 29 Then they turned to each other reproaching. 30 They said: “Woe to us! We had indeed transgressed. 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 torment. And the torment of the Hereafter is far greater; if they but knew. 33