The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
۞ Nun. CONSIDER the pen, and all that they write [therewith]! 1 By your Lord's Grace, you are not afflicted with madness, 2 You will certainly receive a never-ending reward. 3 And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character. 4 So very soon, you will see and they too will realise – 5 #NAME? 6 Indeed, your Lord knows very well those who strayed from His Path, and those who are guided. 7 Hence, defer not to [the likes and dislikes of] those who give the lie to the truth: 8 They would like you to relent to them so that they could also relent towards you. 9 And obey thou not every mean swearer, 10 backbiter, going about with slander, 11 Hinderer of the good, trespasser; sinner. 12 the coarse-grained, and above all mean and ignoble; 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 (the beast) on the snout! 16 Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning, 17 But did not add: "If God may please." 18 Then a visitation from thy Lord visited it, while they were sleeping, 19 and so by morning the orchard lay as though it had been fully harvested. 20 In the morning they called out to one another, 21 Saying: go out betimes to your tilth if ye would reap. 22 So they departed, whispering together, 23 "Be sure to stop any poor person from entering the orchard today." 24 They set out early in the morning, thinking they had the power to prevent. 25 But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error! 26 No, rather, we have been prevented' 27 The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah)? 28 They said: hallowed be Our Lord! verily we have been wrong-doers. 29 and then they turned upon one another with mutual reproaches. 30 They said, 'Woe, alas for us! Truly, we were insolent. 31 Maybe our Lord will give us a better orchard in its place; to our Lord do we penitently turn.” 32 SUCH is the suffering [with which We try some people in this world]; but greater by far will be the suffering [which sinners shall have to bear] in the life to come - if they but knew it! 33