The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ Nun. By the pen and by that which they inscribe. 1 By the grace of your Lord you are not mad. 2 And indeed for you is an unlimited reward. 3 for, behold, thou keepest indeed to a sublime way of life; 4 You shall 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 thou shouldst compromise, then they would compromise. 9 And obey thou not every mean swearer, 10 the backbiter who goes about slandering, 11 those who hinder good, the guilty aggressor, 12 Violent (and cruel),- with all that, base-born,- 13 (He was so) because he had wealth and children. 14 When Our signs are recited to him, he says, 'Fairy-tales of the ancients!' 15 We shall brand him on the nose. 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 But did not add: "If God may please." 18 Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping. 19 So in the morning it became as if harvested. 20 Now when they rose at early morn, they called unto one another, 21 "Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits." 22 So they departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying), 23 "Let no beggar come to the garden". 24 They went forth early, believing that they had the power (to gather the fruit). 25 Then when they beheld it, they said: verily we have strayed. 26 [and then,] "Nay, but we have been rendered destitute!" 27 The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah)? 28 They said, “Purity is to our Lord – we have indeed been unjust.” 29 Then they turned to each other reproaching. 30 They said, "Alas for us, our behaviour was beyond the pale. 31 Perhaps our Lord will replace it with a better garden. We turn in repentance to our Lord". 32 Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater, did they but know! 33