The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
۞ Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe, 1 By your Lord's Grace, you are not afflicted with madness, 2 and surely yours shall be a never-ending reward, 3 For you are verily born of sublime nature. 4 So you will see and they will see 5 which of you has been afflicted by insanity. 6 Verily it is thy Lord that knoweth best, which (among men) hath strayed from His Path: and He knoweth best those who receive (true) Guidance. 7 Therefore do not listen to the deniers. 8 They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you]. 9 Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger, 10 backbiter, going about with slander, 11 or to one who places obstacles in the way of good being done or to the wicked transgressor, 12 Foul mouthed, and in addition to all this, of improper lineage. 13 just because he has wealth and sons, 14 When Our verses are recited to him, he says, “These are stories of earlier people.” 15 We shall brand him on the muzzle. 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 without making any allowance (for the will of Allah). 18 Then a calamity from your Lord fell upon it, but they remained fast asleep. 19 Then in the morning it became as though it had been reaped. 20 And they called out to each other in the morning, 21 [Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit." 22 So off they went, whispering to one another: 23 "Let no needy person come to you within it today." 24 They set out early in the morning, thinking they had the power to prevent. 25 Then when they saw it, they said, “We have indeed strayed.” 26 Aye! it is we who are deprived! 27 One who was temperate among them, said: "Did I not say: 'Why don't you priase God?'" 28 They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!" 29 Then they started blaming one another, 30 They said, "Alas for us, our behaviour was beyond the pale. 31 It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord. 32 Such is Our chastisement; and the punishment of the Hereafter will be greater, if only they knew! 33