Surah Al-Qalam · The Pen

نٓ ۚ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ۝١

noon wal-qalami wamā yasṭurūn

Nūn. By the pen and what they inscribe,

مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ ۝٢

mā anta biniʿ'mati rabbika bimajnūn

You are not, [O Muḥammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.

وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ ۝٣

wa-inna laka la-ajran ghayra mamnūn

And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ۝٤

wa-innaka laʿalā khuluqin ʿaẓīm

And indeed, you are of a great moral character.

فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ ۝٥

fasatub'ṣiru wayub'ṣirūn

So you will see and they will see.

بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلْمَفْتُونُ ۝٦

bi-ayyikumu l-maftūn

Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil].

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ ۝٧

inna rabbaka huwa aʿlamu biman ḍalla ʿan sabīlihi wahuwa aʿlamu bil-muh'tadīn

Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.

فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ۝٨

falā tuṭiʿi l-mukadhibīn

Then do not obey the deniers.

وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ ۝٩

waddū law tud'hinu fayud'hinūn

They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].

وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ ۝١٠

walā tuṭiʿ kulla ḥallāfin mahīn

And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer

هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍ ۝١١

hammāzin mashāin binamīm

[And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip -

مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ ۝١٢

mannāʿin lil'khayri muʿ'tadin athīm

A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,

عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ ۝١٣

ʿutullin baʿda dhālika zanīm

Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.

أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ ۝١٤

an kāna dhā mālin wabanīn

Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,

إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ ۝١٥

idhā tut'lā ʿalayhi āyātunā qāla asāṭīru l-awalīn

When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."

سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ ۝١٦

sanasimuhu ʿalā l-khur'ṭūm

We will brand him upon the snout.

إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ ۝١٧

innā balawnāhum kamā balawnā aṣḥāba l-janati idh aqsamū layaṣrimunnahā muṣ'biḥīn

Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning

وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ ۝١٨

walā yastathnūn

Without making exception.

فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ ۝١٩

faṭāfa ʿalayhā ṭāifun min rabbika wahum nāimūn

So there came upon it [i.e., the garden] an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep.

فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ ۝٢٠

fa-aṣbaḥat kal-ṣarīm

And it became as though reaped.

فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ ۝٢١

fatanādaw muṣ'biḥīn

And they called one another at morning,

أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰرِمِينَ ۝٢٢

ani igh'dū ʿalā ḥarthikum in kuntum ṣārimīn

[Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit."

فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ ۝٢٣

fa-inṭalaqū wahum yatakhāfatūn

So they set out, while lowering their voices,

أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ ۝٢٤

an lā yadkhulannahā l-yawma ʿalaykum mis'kīn

[Saying], "There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person."

وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَـٰدِرِينَ ۝٢٥

waghadaw ʿalā ḥardin qādirīn

And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able.

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ ۝٢٦

falammā ra-awhā qālū innā laḍāllūn

But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost;

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ ۝٢٧

bal naḥnu maḥrūmūn

Rather, we have been deprived."

قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ ۝٢٨

qāla awsaṭuhum alam aqul lakum lawlā tusabbiḥūn

The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not exalt [Allāh]?'"

قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ ۝٢٩

qālū sub'ḥāna rabbinā innā kunnā ẓālimīn

They said, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."

فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَـٰوَمُونَ ۝٣٠

fa-aqbala baʿḍuhum ʿalā baʿḍin yatalāwamūn

Then they approached one another, blaming each other.

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَـٰغِينَ ۝٣١

qālū yāwaylanā innā kunnā ṭāghīn

They said, "O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors.

عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ ۝٣٢

ʿasā rabbunā an yub'dilanā khayran min'hā innā ilā rabbinā rāghibūn

Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous."

كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ۝٣٣

kadhālika l-ʿadhābu walaʿadhābu l-ākhirati akbaru law kānū yaʿlamūn

Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.

إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ ۝٣٤

inna lil'muttaqīna ʿinda rabbihim jannāti l-naʿīm

Indeed, for the righteous with their Lord are the Gardens of Pleasure.

أَفَنَجْعَلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ كَٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ ۝٣٥

afanajʿalu l-mus'limīna kal-muj'rimīn

Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?

مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ ۝٣٦

mā lakum kayfa taḥkumūn

What is [the matter] with you? How do you judge?

أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَـٰبٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ ۝٣٧

am lakum kitābun fīhi tadrusūn

Or do you have a scripture in which you learn

إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ ۝٣٨

inna lakum fīhi lamā takhayyarūn

That indeed for you is whatever you choose?

أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَـٰنٌ عَلَيْنَا بَـٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ ۝٣٩

am lakum aymānun ʿalaynā bālighatun ilā yawmi l-qiyāmati inna lakum lamā taḥkumūn

Or do you have oaths [binding] upon Us, extending until the Day of Resurrection, that indeed for you is whatever you judge?

سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ ۝٤٠

salhum ayyuhum bidhālika zaʿīm

Ask them which of them, for that [claim], is responsible.

أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ صَـٰدِقِينَ ۝٤١

am lahum shurakāu falyatū bishurakāihim in kānū ṣādiqīn

Or do they have partners? Then let them bring their partners, if they should be truthful.

يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ۝٤٢

yawma yuk'shafu ʿan sāqin wayud'ʿawna ilā l-sujūdi falā yastaṭīʿūn

The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but they [i.e., the disbelievers] will not be able,

خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَـٰلِمُونَ ۝٤٣

khāshiʿatan abṣāruhum tarhaquhum dhillatun waqad kānū yud'ʿawna ilā l-sujūdi wahum sālimūn

Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.

فَذَرْنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۝٤٤

fadharnī waman yukadhibu bihādhā l-ḥadīthi sanastadrijuhum min ḥaythu lā yaʿlamūn

So leave Me, [O Muḥammad], with [the matter of] whoever denies this statement [i.e., the Qur’ān]. We will progressively lead them [to punishment] from where they do not know.

وَأُمْلِى لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِى مَتِينٌ ۝٤٥

wa-um'lī lahum inna kaydī matīn

And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm.

أَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ ۝٤٦

am tasaluhum ajran fahum min maghramin muth'qalūn

Or do you ask of them a payment, so they are by debt burdened down?

أَمْ عِندَهُمُ ٱلْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ ۝٤٧

am ʿindahumu l-ghaybu fahum yaktubūn

Or have they [knowledge of] the unseen, so they write [it] down?

فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ ۝٤٨

fa-iṣ'bir liḥuk'mi rabbika walā takun kaṣāḥibi l-ḥūti idh nādā wahuwa makẓūm

Then be patient for the decision of your Lord, [O Muḥammad], and be not like the companion of the fish [i.e., Jonah] when he called out while he was distressed.

لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ ۝٤٩

lawlā an tadārakahu niʿ'matun min rabbihi lanubidha bil-ʿarāi wahuwa madhmūm

If not that a favor [i.e., mercy] from his Lord overtook him, he would have been thrown onto the naked shore while he was censured.

فَٱجْتَبَـٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ ۝٥٠

fa-ij'tabāhu rabbuhu fajaʿalahu mina l-ṣāliḥīn

And his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.

وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجْنُونٌ ۝٥١

wa-in yakādu alladhīna kafarū layuz'liqūnaka bi-abṣārihim lammā samiʿū l-dhik'ra wayaqūlūna innahu lamajnūn

And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes [i.e., looks] when they hear the message, and they say, "Indeed, he is mad."

وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ۝٥٢

wamā huwa illā dhik'run lil'ʿālamīn

But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.