The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
۞ Noon. By the Pen and that (the angels) write, 1 Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman. 2 And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted. 3 surely thou art upon a mighty morality. 4 Soon you will see, as will they, 5 which of you is a prey to madness. 6 Verily your Lord knows those who have gone astray from His path, and He knows those who are guided on the way. 7 Then do not obey the deniers. 8 They wish that in some way you may yield, so they too might soften their stand. 9 Do not yield to one persistent in swearing, 10 Defamer, going about with slander 11 those who hinder good, the guilty aggressor, 12 Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender. 13 (who so acts) simply because he has wealth and sons, 14 When Our signs are recited to him, he says, 'Fairy-tales of the ancients!' 15 Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout! 16 Now We have tried them, even as We tried the owners of the garden when they swore they would pluck in the morning 17 without making any allowance (for the will of Allah). 18 A visitor from your Lord circled around the garden during the night while they were asleep 19 and the garden was turned into a barren desert. 20 Then they called out one to another as soon as the morning broke, 21 'Come forth betimes upon your tillage, if you would pluck!' 22 So they went off, while whispering to one another. 23 "Let no beggar come to the garden". 24 They went forth early, believing that they had the power (to gather the fruit). 25 When they saw (and did not recognise it) they said: "Surely we have 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 'Exaltations to Allah, our Lord' they said, 'We were truly harmdoers' 29 Then they turned, one against another, in reproach. 30 They said, "Woe to us. We have been arrogant. 31 We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to our Lord (wishing for good that He may forgive our sins, and reward us in the Hereafter)." 32 Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew. 33