The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful
۞ Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe, 1 You are not insane, by the munificence of your Lord. 2 Most surely, you will have a never ending reward. 3 Surely, you (Prophet Muhammad) are of a great morality. 4 So you will soon see, and they too will see, 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 Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise. 9 And yield not to any mean swearer 10 Defamer, going about with slander 11 One who excessively forbids the good, transgressor, sinner. 12 Cruel, after all that base-born (of illegitimate birth), 13 Is it because he is possessed of worldly goods and children 14 that, whenever Our messages are conveyed to him, such a one says, "Fables of ancient times"? 15 We shall brand him upon the muzzle! 16 Now We have tried them, even as We tried the owners of the garden when they swore they would pluck in the morning 17 And they made not the exception. 18 A visitor from your Lord circled around the garden during the night while they were asleep 19 and so by morning the orchard lay as though it had been fully harvested. 20 As the morning broke, they called out, one to another,- 21 Saying: go out betimes to your tilth if ye would reap. 22 So off they went, whispering to one another: 23 "Let no beggar come to the garden". 24 And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able. 25 But when they saw it, they said, "We must have lost our way. 26 Rather, we have been deprived." 27 (Whereupon) the best among them said: 'Did I not say to you to exalt (Allah)' 28 "Glory to our Lord," they said; we were really in the wrong." 29 Then they started blaming one another, 30 They said 'Woe to us, truly we were insolent' 31 It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord. 32 Such was their punishment. But the punishment of the Everlasting Life is much greater, if they but knew. 33