The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe, 1 Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman. 2 There is surely reward unending for you, 3 for, behold, thou keepest indeed to a sublime way of life; 4 So you will soon see, and they too will see, 5 which of you is a prey to madness. 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 Do not, then, yield to those who reject the Truth, decrying it as false; 8 they would wish you to be pliant so that they too may be pliant. 9 And obey not thou any swearer ignominous. 10 [or to] the slanderer that goes about with defaming tales, 11 Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful, 12 who is ignoble and besides all that, base-born; 13 Simply because he possesses wealth and children. 14 that, whenever Our messages are conveyed to him, such a one says, "Fables of ancient times"? 15 We shall brand him on the muzzle. 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 it became as though reaped. 20 At daybreak they called out to one another: 21 Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the produce). 22 So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying)- 23 'No needy person shall set foot in it today' 24 And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve. 25 But as soon as they beheld the orchard, (they cried out): “We have certainly lost the way; 26 No. In fact we have been deprived of it." 27 Said the most moderate of them, 'Did I not say to you, "Why do you not give glory?"' 28 They said, 'Glory be to God, our Lord; truly, we were evildoers.' 29 Then they turned to each other reproaching. 30 They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous. 31 Maybe our Lord will give us better than this. We turn to our Lord in supplication." 32 Such was their punishment, [in this life]. But the punishment of the life to come is much more severe, if only they knew it! 33