Chapter 68, 52 verses
Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write,
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ن ۚ وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith),
By the grace of your Lord you are not mad.
مَا أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ
Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman.
And most surely you shall have a reward never to be cut off.
وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ
And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing.
And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality.
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.
So you shall see, and they (too) shall see,
فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ
And thou wilt see and they will see
Which of you is afflicted with madness.
بِأَييِّكُمُ الْمَفْتُونُ
Which of you is the demented.
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 سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ
Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.
So do not yield to the rejecters.
فَلَا تُطِعِ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ
Therefor obey not thou the rejecters
They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would be pliant.
وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ
Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise.
And yield not to any mean swearer
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ
Neither obey thou each feeble oath - monger,
Defamer, going about with slander
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّاءٍ بِنَمِيمٍ
Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,
Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ
Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor
Ignoble, besides all that, base - born;
عُتُلٍّ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ
Greedy therewithal, intrusive.
Because he possesses wealth and sons.
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ
It is because he is possessed of wealth and children
When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore.
إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ
That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old.
We will brand him on the nose.
سَنَسِمُهُ عَلَى الْخُرْطُومِ
We shall brand him on the nose.
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 بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ
Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning,
And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor).
وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ
And made no exception (for the Will of Allah);
Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping.
فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ
Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept
So it became as black, barren land.
فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ
And in the morning it was as if plucked.
And they called out to each other in the morning,
فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِينَ
And they cried out one unto another in the morning,
Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the produce).
أَنِ اغْدُوا عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَارِمِينَ
Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit).
So they went, while they consulted together secretly,
فَانطَلَقُوا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَ
So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones:
Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you.
أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ
No needy man shall enter it to - day against you.
And in the morning they went, having the power to prevent.
وَغَدَوْا عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَادِرِينَ
They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose.
But when they saw it, they said: Most surely we have gone astray
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ
But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error!
Nay! we are made to suffer privation.
بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ
Nay, but we are desolate!
The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you not glorify (Allah)?
قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ
The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah) ?
They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust.
قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ
They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong - doers.
Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other.
فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَاوَمُونَ
Then some of them drew near unto others, self - reproaching.
Said they: O woe to us! surely we were inordinate:
قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغِينَ
They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous.
Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it; surely to our Lord do we make our humble petition.
عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَا أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ
It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord.
Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater, did they but know!
كَذَٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know.
Surely those who guard (against evil) shall have with their Lord gardens of bliss.
إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ
Lo! for those who keep from evil are gardens of bliss with their Lord.
What! shall We then make (that is, treat) those who submit as the guilty?
أَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَالْمُجْرِمِينَ
Shall We then treat those who have surrendered as We treat the guilty ?
What has happened to you? How do you judge?
مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ
What aileth you ? How foolishly ye judge!
Or have you a book wherein you read,
أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَابٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ
Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn
That you have surely therein what you choose?
إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ
That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose ?
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 أَيْمَانٌ عَلَيْنَا بَالِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ
Or have ye a covenant on oath from Us that reacheth to the Day of Judgment, that yours shall be all that ye ordain ?
Ask them which of them will vouch for that,
سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ
Ask them (O Muhammad) which of them will vouch for that!
Or have they associates if they are truthful.
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا بِشُرَكَائِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ
Or have they other gods ? Then let them bring their other gods if they are truthful
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 السُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ
On the day when it befalleth in earnest, and they are ordered to prostrate themselves but are not able,
Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them; and they were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe.
خَاشِعَةً أَبْصَارُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى السُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَالِمُونَ
With eyes downcast, abasement stupefying them. And they had been summoned to prostrate themselves while they were yet unhurt.
So leave Me and him who rejects this announcement; We will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive not:
فَذَرْنِي وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
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.
And I do bear with them, surely My plan is firm.
وَأُمْلِي لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِي مَتِينٌ
Yet I bear with them, for lo! My scheme is firm.
Or do you ask from them a reward, so that they are burdened with debt?
أَمْ تَسْأَلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ
Or dost thou (Muhammad) ask a fee from them so that they are heavily taxed ?
Or have they (the knowledge of) the unseen, so that they write (it) down?
أَمْ عِندَهُمُ الْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ
Or is the Unseen theirs that they can write (thereof) ?
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.
فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ الْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ
But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of the fish, who cried out in despair.
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.
لَّوْلَا أَن تَدَارَكَهُ نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ لَنُبِذَ بِالْعَرَاءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ
Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him he surely had been cast into the wilderness while he was reprobate.
Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the good.
فَاجْتَبَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَجَعَلَهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
But his Lord chose him and placed him among the righteous.
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 الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا الذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ لَمَجْنُونٌ
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 it is naught but a reminder to the nations.
وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation.