The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ Nun. By the pen and by what you write, 1 By your Lord's Grace, you are not afflicted with madness, 2 Surely thou shalt have a wage unfailing; 3 surely thou art upon a mighty morality. 4 So you will soon see, and they too will see, 5 which of you is the demented. 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 So obey thou not those who cry lies. 8 They wish that in some way you may yield, so they too might soften their stand. 9 Furthermore, defer not to the contemptible swearer of oaths, 10 The excessively insulting one, spreader of spite. 11 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor 12 Foul mouthed, and in addition to all this, of improper lineage. 13 just because he has wealth and sons, 14 and whenever Our verses are rehearsed to him, he says: “These are fairy- tales of times gone by.” 15 Soon shall We brand him on his snout. 16 Verily We have tried them as We tried the People of the Garden, when they resolved to gather the fruits of the (garden) in the morning. 17 And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor). 18 A visitor from your Lord circled around the garden during the night while they were asleep 19 and the garden was turned into a barren desert. 20 Now when they rose at early morn, they called unto one another, 21 saying, "Be quick to reach your orchard, if you want to gather all your fruits." 22 Thus they launched forth, whispering unto one another, 23 No Miskin (poor man) shall enter upon you into it today. 24 And they went forth early, determined upon their purpose. 25 But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error! 26 "Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!" 27 (Whereupon) the best among them said: 'Did I not say to you to exalt (Allah)' 28 They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong-doers. 29 Then they turned, one against another, in reproach. 30 They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed! 31 It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord. 32 Such is the chastisement; and the chastisement of the world to come, is assuredly greater, did they but know. 33