The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ Noon. By the Pen and that (the angels) write, 1 Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed. 2 and surely yours shall be a never-ending reward, 3 And indeed you possess an exemplary character. 4 So you shall see, and they (too) shall see, 5 which of you has been afflicted by insanity. 6 Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right course. 7 Therefore, do not obey those who belie, 8 they would wish you to be pliant so that they too may be pliant. 9 And obey thou not every mean swearer, 10 backbiter, going about with slander, 11 obstructing virtues, a sinful transgressor, 12 Gross, and therewithal ignoble. 13 Because he is owner of riches and children. 14 when Our revelations are recited to him, he says, "These are just ancient fables." 15 We will brand him upon the snout. 16 Verily, We have tried them as We tried the people of the garden, when they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning, 17 Without making exception. 18 whereupon a visitation for thy Sustainer came upon that [garden] while they were asleep, 19 So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins). 20 So they called out to each other at the break of dawn, 21 'Come out to your tillage if you want to reap' 22 So they went off, while whispering to one another. 23 No Miskin (poor man) shall enter upon you into it today. 24 And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power (to prevent the poor taking anything of the fruits therefrom). 25 But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error! 26 “In fact, we are unfortunate.” 27 The best among them said, “Did I not tell you, ‘Why do you not proclaim His purity?’” 28 They said: "Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.)." 29 and then they turned upon one another with mutual reproaches. 30 They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous. 31 [But] it may be that our Sustainer will grant us something better instead: for, verily, unto our Sustainer do we turn with hope!" 32 Such is the chastisement; and the chastisement of the Hereafter is assuredly even greater, if only they knew. 33