The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
۞ Nun. CONSIDER the pen, and all that they write [therewith]! 1 You are not insane, by the munificence of your Lord. 2 and surely yours shall be a never-ending reward, 3 For you are verily born of sublime nature. 4 You shall see and they will see 5 which of you is afflicted with madness. 6 Surely your Lord knows well those who have strayed from His Way just as He knows well those who are on the Right Way. 7 Therefore do not listen to the deniers. 8 They want you to make concessions to them and then they will reciprocate. 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 Is it because he is possessed of worldly goods and children 14 and whenever Our verses are rehearsed to him, he says: “These are fairy- tales of times gone by.” 15 We shall brand him on the muzzle. 16 We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden who had sworn that in the morning they would reap it, 17 But did not add: "If God may please." 18 Then there passed by on the (garden) something (fire) from your Lord at night and burnt it while they were asleep. 19 and the garden was turned into a barren desert. 20 (Then) in the morning they called out to one another, saying: 21 [Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit." 22 So they went off speaking to each other in a low voice. 23 “No destitute person shall enter it today.” 24 They went forth early, believing that they had the power (to gather the fruit). 25 But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost; 26 [and then,] "Nay, but we have been rendered destitute!" 27 Said the most moderate of them, 'Did I not say to you, "Why do you not give glory?"' 28 They said: hallowed be Our Lord! verily we have been wrong-doers. 29 Then they began to reproach one another. 30 They said, 'Woe, alas for us! Truly, we were insolent. 31 [But] it may be that our Sustainer will grant us something better instead: for, verily, unto our Sustainer do we turn with hope!" 32 Such is the punishment (in this life), but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they but knew. 33