Al Qalam

1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith),

1 Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write, -

2 Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman.

2 Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.

3 And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing.

3 Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:

4 And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.

4 And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.

5 And thou wilt see and they will see

5 Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,

6 Which of you is the demented.

6 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

7 Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.

7 Verily it is thy Lord that knoweth best, which (among men) hath strayed from His Path: and He knoweth best those who receive (true) Guidance.

8 Therefor obey not thou the rejecters

8 So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).

9 Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise.

9 Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.

10 Neither obey thou each feeble oath - monger,

10 Heed not the type of despicable men, - ready with oaths,

11 Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,

11 A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

12 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor

12 (Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,

13 Greedy therewithal, intrusive.

13 Violent (and cruel), - with all that, base - born, -

14 It is because he is possessed of wealth and children

14 Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.

15 That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old.

15 When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries!

16 We shall brand him on the nose.

16 Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!

17 Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning,

17 Verily We have tried them as We tried the People of the Garden, when they resolved to gather the fruits of the (garden) in the morning.

18 And made no exception (for the Will of Allah);

18 But made no reservation, ("If it be Allah's Will").

19 Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept

19 Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.

20 And in the morning it was as if plucked.

20 So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).

21 And they cried out one unto another in the morning,

21 As the morning broke, they called out, one to another, -

22 Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit).

22 "Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."

23 So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones:

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

24 No needy man shall enter it to - day against you.

24 "Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."

25 They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose.

25 And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.

26 But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error!

26 But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:

27 Nay, but we are desolate!

27 "Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"

28 The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah) ?

28 Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'"

29 They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong - doers.

29 They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"

30 Then some of them drew near unto others, self - reproaching.

30 Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.

31 They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous.

31 They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!

32 It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord.

32 "It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"

33 Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know.

33 Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter, - if only they knew!

34 Lo! for those who keep from evil are gardens of bliss with their Lord.

34 Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.

35 Shall We then treat those who have surrendered as We treat the guilty ?

35 Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?

36 What aileth you ? How foolishly ye judge!

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

37 Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn

37 Or have ye a book through which ye learn -

38 That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose ?

38 That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?

39 Or have ye a covenant on oath from Us that reacheth to the Day of Judgment, that yours shall be all that ye ordain ?

39 Or have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?

40 Ask them (O Muhammad) which of them will vouch for that!

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

41 Or have they other gods ? Then let them bring their other gods if they are truthful

41 Or have they some "Partners" (in Allahhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are truthful!

42 On the day when it befalleth in earnest, and they are ordered to prostrate themselves but are not able,

42 The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able, -

43 With eyes downcast, abasement stupefying them. And they had been summoned to prostrate themselves while they were yet unhurt.

43 Their eyes will be cast down, - ignominy will cover them; seeing that they had been summoned aforetime to bow in adoration, while they were whole, (and had refused).

44 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.

44 Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.

45 Yet I bear with them, for lo! My scheme is firm.

45 A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan.

46 Or dost thou (Muhammad) ask a fee from them so that they are heavily taxed ?

46 Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt? -

47 Or is the Unseen theirs that they can write (thereof) ?

47 Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down?

48 But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of the fish, who cried out in despair.

48 So wait with patience for the Command of thy Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish, - when he cried out in agony.

49 Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him he surely had been cast into the wilderness while he was reprobate.

49 Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.

50 But his Lord chose him and placed him among the righteous.

50 Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.

51 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;

51 And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"

52 When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation.

52 But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.