Al Qalam

1 Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write,

1 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Nun. [These letters (Nun, etc.) are one of the miracles of the Qur'an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]. By the pen and by what they (the angels) write (in the Records of men).

1 Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe,

2 By the grace of your Lord you are not mad.

2 You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), by the Grace of your Lord, are not mad.

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

3 And most surely you shall have a reward never to be cut off.

3 And Verily, for you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) will be an endless reward.

3 And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.

4 And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality.

4 And Verily, you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) are on an exalted (standard of) character.

4 And indeed, you are of a great moral character.

5 So you shall see, and they (too) shall see,

5 You will see, and they will see,

5 So you will see and they will see

6 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

6 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

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

7 Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right course.

7 Verily, your Lord is the Best Knower of him who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Knower of those who are guided.

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

8 So do not yield to the rejecters.

8 So (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) obey you not the deniers [(of Islamic Monotheism - those who belie the Verses of Allah), the Oneness of Allah, and the Messengership of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم]

8 Then do not obey the deniers.

9 They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would be pliant.

9 They wish that you should compromise (in religion out of courtesy) with them: so they (too) would compromise with you.

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

10 And yield not to any mean swearer

10 And (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) obey you not everyone Hallaf Mahin (the one who swears much and is a liar or is worthless). [Tafsir At-Tabari]

10 And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer

11 Defamer, going about with slander

11 A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

11 [And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip -

12 Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,

12 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, sinful,

12 A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,

13 Ignoble, besides all that, base - born;

13 Cruel, and moreover base-born (of illegitimate birth).

13 Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.

14 Because he possesses wealth and sons.

14 (He was so) because he had wealth and children.

14 Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,

15 When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore.

15 When Our Verses (of the Qur'an) are recited to him, he says: "Tales of the men of old!"

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

16 We will brand him on the nose.

16 We shall brand him on the snout (nose)!

16 We will brand him upon the snout.

17 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,

17 Verily, We have tried them as We tried the people of the garden, when they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning,

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

18 And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor).

18 Without saying: Insha' Allah (If Allah wills).

18 Without making exception.

19 Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping.

19 Then there passed by on the (garden) a visitation (fire) from your Lord at night and burnt it while they were asleep.

19 So there came upon the garden an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep.

20 So it became as black, barren land.

20 So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins).

20 And it became as though reaped.

21 And they called out to each other in the morning,

21 Then they called out one to another as soon as the morning broke.

21 And they called one another at morning,

22 Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the produce).

22 Saying: "Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits."

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

23 So they went, while they consulted together secretly,

23 So they departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying):

23 So they set out, while lowering their voices,

24 Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you.

24 "No Miskin (poor man) shall enter upon you into it today."

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

25 And in the morning they went, having the power to prevent.

25 And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power (to prevent the poor taking anything of the fruits therefrom).

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

26 But when they saw it, they said: Most surely we have gone astray

26 But when they saw the (garden), they said: "Verily, we have gone astray."

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

27 Nay! we are made to suffer privation.

27 (Then they said): "Nay! Indeed we are deprived of (the fruits)!"

27 Rather, we have been deprived."

28 The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you not glorify (Allah)?

28 The best among them said: "Did I not tell you: why say you not: Insha' Allah (If Allah wills)."

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

29 They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust.

29 They said: "Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been Zalimun (wrong-doers)."

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

30 Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other.

30 Then they turned one against another, blaming.

30 Then they approached one another, blaming each other.

31 Said they: O woe to us! surely we were inordinate:

31 They said: "Woe to us! Verily, we were Taghun (transgressors and disobedient)

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

32 Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it; surely to our Lord do we make our humble petition.

32 We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to our Lord (wishing for good that He may forgive our sins and reward us in the Hereafter).

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

33 Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater, did they but know!

33 Such is the punishment (in this life), but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they but knew.

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

34 Surely those who guard (against evil) shall have with their Lord gardens of bliss.

34 Verily, for the Muttaqun (the pious - See V.2:2) are Gardens of delight (Paradise) with their Lord.

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

35 What! shall We then make (that is, treat) those who submit as the guilty?

35 Shall We then treat the Muslims (believers of Islamic Monotheism, doers of righteous deeds) like the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists and disbelievers, etc.)?

35 Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?

36 What has happened to you? How do you judge?

36 What is the matter with you? How judge you?

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

37 Or have you a book wherein you read,

37 Or have you a Book wherein you learn,

37 Or do you have a scripture in which you learn

38 That you have surely therein what you choose?

38 That you shall therein have all that you choose?

38 That indeed for you is whatever you choose?

39 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?

39 Or have you oaths from Us, reaching to the Day of Resurrection, that yours will be what you judge?

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

40 Ask them which of them will vouch for that,

40 Ask them, which of them will stand surety for that!

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

41 Or have they associates if they are truthful.

41 Or have they "partners"? Then let them bring their "partners" if they are truthful!

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

42 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,

42 (Remember) the Day when the Shin shall be laid bare (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) and they shall be called to prostrate themselves (to Allah), but they (hypocrites) shall not be able to do so.

42 The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but the disbelievers will not be able,

43 Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them; and they were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe.

43 Their eyes will be cast down and ignominy will cover them; they used to be called to prostrate themselves (offer prayers), while they were healthy and good (in the life of the world, but they did not).

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

44 So leave Me and him who rejects this announcement; We will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive not:

44 Then leave Me Alone with such as belie this Qur'an. We shall punish them gradually from directions they perceive not.

44 So leave Me, [O Muhammad], with [the matter of] whoever denies the Qur'an. We will progressively lead them [to punishment] from where they do not know.

45 And I do bear with them, surely My plan is firm.

45 And I will grant them a respite. Verily, My Plan is strong.

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

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

46 Or is it that you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) ask them a wage, so that they are heavily burdened with debt?

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

47 Or have they (the knowledge of) the unseen, so that they write (it) down?

47 Or that the Ghaib (the Unseen - here in this Verse it means Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz) is in their hands, so that they can write it down?

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

48 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.

48 So wait with patience for the Decision of your Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish - when he cried out (to Us) while he was in deep sorrow. (See the Qur'an, Verse 21:87).

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

49 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.

49 Had not a Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been (left in the stomach of the fish, but We forgave him): so he was cast off on the naked shore, while he was to be blamed.

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

50 Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the good.

50 Then his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.

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

51 And those who disbelieve would almost smite you with their eyes when they hear the reminder, and they say: Most surely he is mad.

51 And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes (through hatred) when they hear the Reminder (the Qur'an), and they say: "Verily, he (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) is a madman!"

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

52 And it is naught but a reminder to the nations.

52 But it is nothing else than a Reminder to all the 'Alamin (mankind, and jinn).

52 But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.