Al-Qalam

Nun.

ن

By the pen and what they inscribe in lines! You are not, by the blessing of your Guardian, deranged. And you shall surely have a reward never held over you. And you are surely of an immense character.

وٱلقلم وما يسطرون مآ أنت بنعمة ربك بمجنون وإن لك لأجرا غير ممنون وإنك لعلى خلق عظيم

You will see clearly, and they will see clearly, which of you is the one put to trial.

فستبصر ويبصرون بأييكم ٱلمفتون

and He knows best those who let themselves be guided.

وهو أعلم بٱلمهتدين

So do not defer to the deniers.

فلا تطع ٱلمكذبين

They would like you to be complaisant: then they would be complaisant.

ودوا لو تدهن فيدهنون

And do not defer to every contemptible oath-monger, stinging slanderer, spreader of slander, hinderer of good, crosser of limits, transgressor, coarse and, moreover, a social parasite — because he has goods and sons. When Our signs are recited to him, he says: "Legends of the ancients!"

ولا تطع كل حلاف مهين هماز مشآء بنميم مناع للخير معتد أثيم عتل بعد ذلك زنيم أن كان ذا مال وبنين إذا تتلى عليه ءايتنا قال أسطير ٱلأولين

We will brand him on the snout.

سنسمه على ٱلخرطوم

We tested them as We tested the companions of the garden, when they swore that, in the morning, they would gather it in, without exception,

إنا بلونهم كما بلونآ أصحب ٱلجنة إذ أقسموا ليصرمنها مصبحين ولا يستثنون

and a round from your Guardian went over it while they slept, so that it became like scorched land.

فطاف عليها طآئف من ربك وهم نآئمون فأصبحت كٱلصريم

They called one another in the morning: "Go out early to your tilth, if you mean to gather it in."

فتنادوا مصبحين أن ٱغدوا على حرثكم إن كنتم صرمين

So they set out, talking to one another in undertones: "Let no destitute person enter it upon you today."

فٱنطلقوا وهم يتخفتون أن لا يدخلنها ٱليوم عليكم مسكين

And they went early, headstrong, capable.

وغدوا على حرد قدرين

But when they saw it, they said: "We are surely astray; rather, we are deprived!"

فلما رأوها قالوا إنا لضآلون بل نحن محرومون

The most just among them said: "Did I not tell you: why do you not glorify?"

قال أوسطهم ألم أقل لكم لولا تسبحون

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

قالوا سبحن ربنآ إنا كنا ظلمين

And they turned to one another, censuring each other.

فأقبل بعضهم على بعض يتلومون

They said: "Woe to us! We have indeed exceeded all measure. It may be that our Guardian will give us a better one in exchange; it is indeed to our Guardian that we turn in yearning."

قالوا يويلنآ إنا كنا طغين عسى ربنآ أن يبدلنا خيرا منهآ إنآ إلى ربنا رغبون

And the punishment of the last life is greater, if only they knew.

ولعذاب ٱلءاخرة أكبر لو كانوا يعلمون

For those who guard themselves, there are indeed, with their Guardian, the gardens of bliss.

إن للمتقين عند ربهم جنت ٱلنعيم

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

أفنجعل ٱلمسلمين كٱلمجرمين

How do you judge?

كيف تحكمون

Or do you have a scripture in which you study, wherein you would surely find whatever you opt for?

أم لكم كتب فيه تدرسون إن لكم فيه لما تخيرون

Or do you have oaths upon Us, reaching to the Day of Appearance: that you shall surely have whatever you judge?

أم لكم أيمن علينا بلغة إلى يوم ٱلقيمة إن لكم لما تحكمون

Ask them which of them stands guarantor for that.

سلهم أيهم بذلك زعيم

Or do they have associates? Then let them bring their associates, if they are veracious.

أم لهم شركآء فليأتوا بشركآئهم إن كانوا صدقين

On the day when a leg is bared, and they are called to prostrate, they cannot,

يوم يكشف عن ساق ويدعون إلى ٱلسجود فلا يستطيعون

though they used to be called to prostrate while they were intact.

وقد كانوا يدعون إلى ٱلسجود وهم سلمون

So leave Me with whoever denies this discourse.

فذرني ومن يكذب بهذا ٱلحديث

for My scheme is solid.

إن كيدي متين

Or do you ask them for a reward, so that they are heavily laden with debt?

أم تسلهم أجرا فهم من مغرم مثقلون

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

أم عندهم ٱلغيب 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 holding himself in.

فٱصبر لحكم ربك ولا تكن كصاحب ٱلحوت إذ نادى وهو مكظوم

Had a blessing from his Guardian not overtaken him, he would have been cast onto bare ground as one reproved.

لولآ أن تدركه نعمة من ربه لنبذ بٱلعرآء وهو مذموم

But his Guardian elected him and made him one of those who are sound.

فٱجتبه ربه فجعله من ٱلصلحين

And those who disown would surely almost trip you up with their sights when they hear the Reminder, and they say: "He is surely deranged."

وإن يكاد ٱلذين كفروا ليزلقونك بأبصرهم لما سمعوا ٱلذكر ويقولون إنه لمجنون

Yet it is nothing but a reminder for all beings.

وما هو إلا ذكر للعلمين