القلم

Noon waalqalami wama yasturoona

Nūn[1]. By the pen and what they [i.e., the angels] write [in the Records of deeds],

Ma anta biniAAmati rabbika bimajnoonin

By the grace of your Lord [O Prophet], you are not a madman.

Wainna laka laajran ghayra mamnoonin

You will surely have a never-ending reward.

Wainnaka laAAala khuluqin AAatheemin

Indeed, you are of a great moral character.

Fasatubsiru wayubsiroona

Soon you will see and they will see,

Biayyikumu almaftoonu

which of you is afflicted with madness.

Inna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu biman dalla AAan sabeelihi wahuwa aAAlamu bialmuhtadeena

Indeed, your Lord alone knows best who has strayed from His way and those who are rightly guided.

Fala tutiAAi almukaththibeena

So do not obey the deniers.

Waddoo law tudhinu fayudhinoona

They wish that you would compromise so they would too compromise.

Wala tutiAA kulla hallafin maheenin

And do not obey every disgraceful swearer,

Hammazin mashshain binameemin

backbiter, gossip-monger,

MannaAAin lilkhayri muAAtadin atheemin

withholder of good, transgressor, sinful,

AAutullin baAAda thalika zaneemin

coarse, and furthermore, an illegitimate child[2].

An kana tha malin wabaneena

Simply because he has wealth and children,

Itha tutla AAalayhi ayatuna qala asateeru alawwaleena

When Our verses are recited to him, he says, “Ancient fables!”

Sanasimuhu AAala alkhurtoomi

We will soon brand him on the snout[3].

Inna balawnahum kama balawna ashaba aljannati ith aqsamoo layasrimunnaha musbiheena

Indeed, We have tested them [i.e., the Makkans] as We tested the people of the garden when they swore to harvest its fruits in the early morning,

Wala yastathnoona

and made no exception [by saying: if Allah wills][4].

Fatafa AAalayha taifun min rabbika wahum naimoona

Then it was struck by an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep,

Faasbahat kaalssareemi

and it turned to ashes [as black as night].

Fatanadaw musbiheena

Then in the early morning they called out to one another:

Ani ighdoo AAala harthikum in kuntum sarimeena

“Go early to your garden if you really wish to harvest.”

Faintalaqoo wahum yatakhafatoona

So they set out, whispering to one another,

An la yadkhulannaha alyawma AAalaykum miskeenun

“Not a single poor person should enter your garden today.”

Waghadaw AAala hardin qadireena

And they left early, fully determined to stick to their plan[5].

Falamma raawha qaloo inna ladalloona

But when they saw the garden, they said, “We must have lost our way!

Bal nahnu mahroomoona

Rather, we have been deprived.”

Qala awsatuhum alam aqul lakum lawla tusabbihoona

The best among them said, “Did I not say to you to glorify Allah[6]?”

Qaloo subhana rabbina inna kunna thalimeena

They said, “Glory be to our Lord! We were truly wrongdoers.”

Faaqbala baAAduhum AAala baAAdin yatalawamoona

Then they turned to one another, throwing blame.

Qaloo ya waylana inna kunna tagheena

They said, “Woe to us! We were surely transgressors.

AAasa rabbuna an yubdilana khayran minha inna ila rabbina raghiboona

Our Lord may give us something better than this. We certainly turn to our Lord in hope[7].”

Kathalika alAAathabu walaAAathabu alakhirati akbaru law kanoo yaAAlamoona

Such is the punishment [in this world]; but the punishment of the Hereafter is far worse, if only they knew.

Inna lilmuttaqeena AAinda rabbihim jannati alnnaAAeemi

Indeed, the righteous will have gardens of bliss with their Lord.

AfanajAAalu almuslimeena kaalmujrimeena

Should We then treat Muslims like the wicked?

Ma lakum kayfa tahkumoona

What is the matter with you that you make such a judgment?

Am lakum kitabun feehi tadrusoona

Or do you have a scripture in which you read

Inna lakum feehi lama takhayyaroona

that you will be given whatever you choose?

Am lakum aymanun AAalayna balighatun ila yawmi alqiyamati inna lakum lama tahkumoona

Or do you have a solemn promise binding upon Us until the Day of Resurrection, that you will have whatever you decide for yourselves?

Salhum ayyuhum bithalika zaAAeemun

Ask them which of them can guarantee that.

Am lahum shurakao falyatoo bishurakaihim in kanoo sadiqeena

Or do they have associate-gods? Then let them bring forth their associate-gods[8], if they are truthful.

Yawma yukshafu AAan saqin wayudAAawna ila alssujoodi fala yastateeAAoona

On the Day when the Shin [of Allah] will be uncovered[9], and they are invited to prostrate, but they will not be able to do so.

KhashiAAatan absaruhum tarhaquhum thillatun waqad kanoo yudAAawna ila alssujoodi wahum salimoona

Their eyes will be downcast, overwhelmed with humiliation, for they were invited to prostrate when they were capable[10] [but they refused].

Fatharnee waman yukaththibu bihatha alhadeethi sanastadrijuhum min haythu la yaAAlamoona

So leave to Me those who reject this message [O Prophet]. We will gradually lead them to their ruin in ways that they do not perceive[11].

Waomlee lahum inna kaydee mateenun

I will give them respite, but My plan is firm.

Am tasaluhum ajran fahum min maghramin muthqaloona

Or are you asking them for a reward, so they find it too burdensome?

Am AAindahumu alghaybu fahum yaktuboona

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

Faisbir lihukmi rabbika wala takun kasahibi alhooti ith nada wahuwa makthoomun

So be patient with the decree of your Lord, and do not be like the man of the Whale [i.e., Jonah], when he cried out in anguish[12].

Lawla an tadarakahu niAAmatun min rabbihi lanubitha bialAAarai wahuwa mathmoomun

Had it not been for the grace that he received from his Lord, he would have surely been thrown onto the barren shore, blameworthy[13].

Faijtabahu rabbuhu fajaAAalahu mina alssaliheena

But his Lord chose him and made him one of the righteous.

Wain yakadu allatheena kafaroo layuzliqoonaka biabsarihim lamma samiAAoo alththikra wayaqooloona innahu lamajnoonun

The disbelievers would almost strike you down with their malicious gazes when they hear the Reminder, and they say, “He is certainly mad.”

Wama huwa illa thikrun lilAAalameena

But it is nothing other than a reminder to the whole world.