The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
۞ Nun. By the Pen, and what they inscribe, 1 (Muhammad), you are not insane, thanks to the bounty of your Lord. 2 And indeed for you is an unlimited reward. 3 And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character. 4 You will see, and they will see, 5 which of you is the demented. 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 Wherefore obey not thou the beliers. 8 They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you]. 9 Do not heed a contemptible swearer, 10 The excessively insulting one, spreader of spite. 11 [or] the withholder of good, [or] the sinful aggressor, 12 moreover ignoble, 13 because he has wealth and sons. 14 When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore. 15 We will brand him on the nose. 16 Verily We! We have proved them even as We proved the fellows of a garden when they sware that they would surely reap it in the morning. 17 And they made not the exception. 18 Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep. 19 So in the morning it became as if harvested. 20 In the morning they called to one another, 21 'Come out to your tillage if you want to reap' 22 So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones: 23 'No needy person shall set foot in it today' 24 They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose. 25 But when they saw it they said: 'We have surely gone astray. 26 Indeed, we are utterly ruined!" 27 The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you not glorify (Allah)? 28 They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust. 29 Then they turned to each other reproaching. 30 They said 'Woe to us, truly we were insolent' 31 Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous." 32 SUCH is the suffering [with which We try some people in this world]; but greater by far will be the suffering [which sinners shall have to bear] in the life to come - if they but knew it! 33