The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ Nun. By the pen and by what you write, 1 You are not demented by the grace of your Lord. 2 And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted. 3 And indeed, you are of a great moral character. 4 So very soon, you will see and they too will realise – 5 which of you is the demented. 6 Surely thy Lord knows very well those who have gone astray from His way, and He knows very well those who are guided. 7 Therefor obey not thou the rejecters 8 They only want that you should relent, so that they may come to terms. 9 Do not yield to any contemptible swearer of oaths, 10 back-biting, gossiping, 11 obstructing virtues, a sinful transgressor, 12 Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender. 13 Simply because he possesses wealth and children. 14 That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old. 15 Soon shall We brand him on his 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 and made no allowance [for the will of God]: 18 Thereupon a calamity from your Lord passed over it while they were asleep, 19 So by the morning it seemed as though picked clean. 20 And they called one another at morning, 21 'Come out to your tillage if you want to reap' 22 And so they departed, whispering to one another: 23 "Be sure to stop any poor person from entering the orchard today." 24 And they left at early morn, assuming they were in control of their purpose. 25 But as soon as they beheld the orchard, (they cried out): “We have certainly lost the way; 26 Nay, but we are desolate! 27 The best among them said: "Did I not tell you: why do you not say: Insha' Allah (If Allah will)." 28 They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!" 29 Then some of them drew near unto others, self-reproaching. 30 They said 'Woe to us, truly we were insolent' 31 It may be that our Lord will give us better than it in exchange. To our Lord we humbly turn' 32 Such is the chastisement; and the chastisement of the world to come, is assuredly greater, did they but know. 33