The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
۞ Nun. By the pen and by what you write, 1 By the grace of your Lord you are not mad. 2 Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing: 3 And verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) are on an exalted standard of character. 4 So you shall see, and they (too) shall see, 5 Which of you is afflicted with madness. 6 Verily, your Lord knows better, who (among men) has gone astray from His Path, and He knows better those who are guided. 7 Then do not obey the deniers. 8 They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you]. 9 Furthermore, defer not to the contemptible swearer of oaths, 10 A slanderer, going about with calumnies, 11 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor 12 the crude of low character 13 Simply because he possesses wealth and children. 14 When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore. 15 Soon shall We brand him on his snout. 16 We have put them [i.e., the Makkans] to test even as We put to test the owners of the orchard when they vowed that they would gather the fruit of their orchard in the morning, 17 Without making exception. 18 Then there passed by on the (garden) something (fire) from your Lord at night and burnt it while they were asleep. 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 Saying: "Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits." 22 So they departed, talking in low voices: 23 "Let no needy person come to you within it today." 24 And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able. 25 When they saw the garden, they said, "Surely we have lost our way. 26 Nay! we are made to suffer privation. 27 The best among them said: “Did I not say to you: why do you not give glory to (your Lord)?” 28 They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong-doers. 29 And they advanced one upon another, blaming each other. 30 They said 'Woe to us, truly we were insolent' 31 Perhaps our Lord will replace it with a better garden. We turn in repentance to our Lord". 32 Such is the torment. And the torment of the Hereafter is far greater; if they but knew. 33