The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ Nun. By the Pen, and what they inscribe, 1 By the grace of your Lord you are not mad. 2 And verily, thine shall be a reward neverending 3 And indeed you possess an exemplary character. 4 So thou shalt see, and they will see, 5 which of you is afflicted with madness. 6 Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided. 7 So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth). 8 They would like you to relent to them so that they could also relent towards you. 9 Nor ever listen to any excessive oath maker, ignoble person. 10 Or backbiter, calumniator, slanderer, 11 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, sinful, 12 moreover ignoble, 13 It is because he is possessed of wealth and children 14 When Our signs are recited to him, he says, 'Fairy-tales of the ancients!' 15 Soon shall We brand him on his snout. 16 Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning 17 And they made not the exception. 18 Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping. 19 and in the morning it was if the garden had been reaped. 20 Then they cried out unto each other in the morning. 21 "Go early to your tilth if you want to harvest the fruit!" 22 So they went off, whispering to one another, 23 'No needy man shall enter it today against your will.' 24 And they went forth early, determined upon their purpose. 25 Then when they saw it, they said, “We have indeed strayed.” 26 nay, rather we have been robbed!' 27 The best among them said: “Did I not say to you: why do you not give glory to (your Lord)?” 28 They said, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers." 29 And they advanced one upon another, blaming each other. 30 They said: woe unto us! verily we! we have been arrogant. 31 “Hopefully, our Lord will give us a better replacement than this – we now incline towards our Lord.” 32 Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater, did they but know! 33