Chapter 68, 52 verses
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith),
Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write,
نٓ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ
Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman.
By the grace of your Lord you are not mad.
مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ
And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing.
And most surely you shall have a reward never to be cut off.
وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ
And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.
And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality.
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
And thou wilt see and they will see
So you shall see, and they (too) shall see,
فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ
Which of you is the demented.
Which of you is afflicted with madness.
بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلْمَفْتُونُ
Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.
Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right course.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
Therefor obey not thou the rejecters
So do not yield to the rejecters.
فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise.
They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would be pliant.
وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ
Neither obey thou each feeble oath - monger,
And yield not to any mean swearer
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ
Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,
Defamer, going about with slander
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍ
Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor
Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ
Greedy therewithal, intrusive.
Ignoble, besides all that, base - born;
عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ
It is because he is possessed of wealth and children
Because he possesses wealth and sons.
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ
That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old.
When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore.
إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
We shall brand him on the nose.
We will brand him on the nose.
سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ
Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning,
Surely We will try them as We tried the owners of the garden, when they swore that they would certainly cut off the produce in the morning,
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ
And made no exception (for the Will of Allah);
And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor).
وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ
Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept
Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping.
فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ
And in the morning it was as if plucked.
So it became as black, barren land.
فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ
And they cried out one unto another in the morning,
And they called out to each other in the morning,
فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ
Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit).
Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the produce).
أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰرِمِينَ
So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones:
So they went, while they consulted together secretly,
فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَٰفَتُونَ
No needy man shall enter it to - day against you.
Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you.
أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ
They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose.
And in the morning they went, having the power to prevent.
وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَٰدِرِينَ
But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error!
But when they saw it, they said: Most surely we have gone astray
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ
Nay, but we are desolate!
Nay! we are made to suffer privation.
بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ
The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah) ?
The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you not glorify (Allah)?
قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ
They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong - doers.
They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust.
قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ
Then some of them drew near unto others, self - reproaching.
Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other.
فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ
They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous.
Said they: O woe to us! surely we were inordinate:
قَالُوا۟ يَٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَٰغِينَ
It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord.
Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it; surely to our Lord do we make our humble petition.
عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ
Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know.
Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater, did they but know!
كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ
Lo! for those who keep from evil are gardens of bliss with their Lord.
Surely those who guard (against evil) shall have with their Lord gardens of bliss.
إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
Shall We then treat those who have surrendered as We treat the guilty ?
What! shall We then make (that is, treat) those who submit as the guilty?
أَفَنَجْعَلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ كَٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ
What aileth you ? How foolishly ye judge!
What has happened to you? How do you judge?
مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ
Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn
Or have you a book wherein you read,
أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَٰبٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ
That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose ?
That you have surely therein what you choose?
إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ
Or have ye a covenant on oath from Us that reacheth to the Day of Judgment, that yours shall be all that ye ordain ?
Or have you received from Us an agreement confirmed by an oath extending to the day of resurrection that you shall surely have what you demand?
أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَٰنٌ عَلَيْنَا بَٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ
Ask them (O Muhammad) which of them will vouch for that!
Ask them which of them will vouch for that,
سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ
Or have they other gods ? Then let them bring their other gods if they are truthful
Or have they associates if they are truthful.
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ صَٰدِقِينَ
On the day when it befalleth in earnest, and they are ordered to prostrate themselves but are not able,
On the day when there shall be a severe affliction, and they shall be called upon to make obeisance, but they shall not be able,
يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ
With eyes downcast, abasement stupefying them. And they had been summoned to prostrate themselves while they were yet unhurt.
Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them; and they were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe.
خَٰشِعَةً أَبْصَٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ وَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَٰلِمُونَ
Leave Me (to deal) with those who give the lie to this pronouncement. We shall lead them on by steps from whence they know not.
So leave Me and him who rejects this announcement; We will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive not:
فَذَرْنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Yet I bear with them, for lo! My scheme is firm.
And I do bear with them, surely My plan is firm.
وَأُمْلِى لَهُمْ إِنَّ كَيْدِى مَتِينٌ
Or dost thou (Muhammad) ask a fee from them so that they are heavily taxed ?
Or do you ask from them a reward, so that they are burdened with debt?
أَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ
Or is the Unseen theirs that they can write (thereof) ?
Or have they (the knowledge of) the unseen, so that they write (it) down?
أَمْ عِندَهُمُ ٱلْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ
But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of the fish, who cried out in despair.
So wait patiently for the judgment of your Lord, and be not like the companion of the fish, when he cried while he was in distress.
فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ
Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him he surely had been cast into the wilderness while he was reprobate.
Were it not that favor from his Lord had overtaken him, he would certainly have been cast down upon the naked Found while he was blamed.
لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ
But his Lord chose him and placed him among the righteous.
Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the good.
فَٱجْتَبَٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ
And lo! those who disbelieve would fain disconcert thee with their eyes when they hear the Reminder, and they say: Lo! he is indeed mad;
And those who disbelieve would almost smite you with their eyes when they hear the reminder, and they say: Most surely he is mad.
وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَٰرِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجْنُونٌ
When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation.
And it is naught but a reminder to the nations.
وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ