Sourate Al-Qalam (68) unvowelled

In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Benevolent. Nun.i 1

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ن

By the pen and what they write! You are not, by the grace of your Guardian, insane. And you shall have a reward that will never end. And you are indeed of a tremendous character.i 4

والقلم وما يسطرون ما انت بنعمة ربك بمجنون وان لك لاجرا غير ممنون وانك لعلى خلق عظيم

You will see, and they will see, which of you is afflicted with madness. 6

فستبصر ويبصرون باييكم المفتون

Your Guardian knows best who has strayed from His path, 7

ان ربك هو اعلم بمن ضل عن سبيله

and He knows best those who are rightly guided. 7

وهو اعلم بالمهتدين

So do not obey the deniers. 8

فلا تطع المكذبين

They would like you to compromise, so that they too might compromise. 9

ودوا لو تدهن فيدهنون

And do not obey every contemptible swearer of oaths, backbiter, spreader of slander, hinderer of good, transgressor, characterized offender, coarse and, moreover, a social parasite — merely because he has wealth and sons. When Our signs are recited to him, he says: 'Legends of the ancients!'i 15

ولا تطع كل حلاف مهين هماز مشاء بنميم مناع للخير معتد اثيم عتل بعد ذلك زنيم ان كان ذا مال وبنين اذا تتلى عليه ءايتنا قال اسطير الاولين

We will brand him on the snout. 16

سنسمه على الخرطوم

We tried them as We tried the owners of the garden, when they swore they would gather its fruit in the morning, without exception, 18

انا بلونهم كما بلونا اصحب الجنة اذ اقسموا ليصرمنها مصبحين ولا يستثنون

and a visitation from your Guardian swept over it while they slept, so that it became like a blackened wasteland. 20

فطاف عليها طايف من ربك وهم نايمون فاصبحت كالصريم

They called one another in the morning: 'Go out early to your crop, if you mean to harvest it.' 22

فتنادوا مصبحين ان اغدوا على حرثكم ان كنتم صرمين

So they set out, whispering to one another: 'Let no destitute person enter it upon you today.' 24

فانطلقوا وهم يتخفتون ان لا يدخلنها اليوم عليكم مسكين

And they went early, determined, thinking themselves capable. 25

وغدوا على حرد قدرين

But when they saw it, they said: 'We have surely lost our way; rather, we are deprived of everything.' 27

فلما راوها قالوا انا لضالون بل نحن محرومون

The most just among them said: 'Did I not tell you: why do you not glorify [God]?' 28

قال اوسطهم الم اقل لكم لولا تسبحون

They said: 'Glory be to our Guardian! We have indeed been wrongdoers.' 29

قالوا سبحن ربنا انا كنا ظلمين

And they turned to one another, blaming each other. 30

فاقبل بعضهم على بعض يتلومون

They said: 'Woe to us! We have indeed been transgressors. It may be that our Guardian will give us a better one in exchange; to our Guardian we turn in hope.' 32

قالوا يويلنا انا كنا طغين عسى ربنا ان يبدلنا خيرا منها انا الى ربنا رغبون

Such is the punishment [of this world]. 33

كذلك العذاب

But the punishment of the Hereafter is greater still, if only they knew. 33

ولعذاب الءاخرة اكبر لو كانوا يعلمون

For those who are mindful [of God], there are, with their Guardian, the gardens of bliss. 34

ان للمتقين عند ربهم جنت النعيم

Shall We then treat those true to God alone like the severed? 35

افنجعل المسلمين كالمجرمين

What is the matter with you? 36

ما لكم

How do you judge? 36

كيف تحكمون

Or do you have a scripture in which you study, wherein you would find whatever you choose?i 38

ام لكم كتب فيه تدرسون ان لكم فيه لما تخيرون

Or do you have oaths binding upon Us, extending to the Day of Appearance, guaranteeing you whatever you decide?i 39

ام لكم ايمن علينا بلغة الى يوم القيمة ان لكم لما تحكمون

Ask them which of them stands guarantor for that. 40

سلهم ايهم بذلك زعيم

Or do they have partners? Then let them bring their partners, if they are truthful. 41

ام لهم شركاء فلياتوا بشركايهم ان كانوا صدقين

On the day when the true state of things is uncovered, and they are called to prostrate, they will not be able, 42

يوم يكشف عن ساق ويدعون الى السجود فلا يستطيعون

their eyes lowered, humiliation covering them, 43

خشعة ابصرهم ترهقهم ذلة

though they used to be called to prostrate while they were sound [and fully able]. 43

وقد كانوا يدعون الى السجود وهم سلمون

So leave Me with whoever denies this discourse. 44

فذرني ومن يكذب بهذا الحديث

We will draw them gradually [toward ruin] from where they do not know, and I grant them respite. 45

سنستدرجهم من حيث لا يعلمون واملي لهم

My plan is firm. 45

ان كيدي متين

Or do you ask them for a payment, so that they are burdened with debt? 46

ام تسلهم اجرا فهم من مغرم مثقلون

Or do they possess what escapes the senses, so that they write it down?i 47

ام عندهم الغيب فهم يكتبون

So be patient with the judgment of your Guardian, and do not be like the companion of the fish, when he called out while distressed.i 48

فاصبر لحكم ربك ولا تكن كصاحب الحوت اذ نادى وهو مكظوم

Had a grace from his Guardian not reached him, he would have been cast onto the bare shore, blamed. 49

لولا ان تدركه نعمة من ربه لنبذ بالعراء وهو مذموم

But his Guardian chose him and made him one of the righteous. 50

فاجتبه ربه فجعله من الصلحين

Those who deny would almost strike you down with their glances when they hear the Reminder, and they say: 'He is certainly insane.'i 51

وان يكاد الذين كفروا ليزلقونك بابصرهم لما سمعوا الذكر ويقولون انه لمجنون

Yet it is nothing but a Reminder for all beings.i 52

وما هو الا ذكر للعلمين