Al Qalam

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

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

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

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

3 Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:

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

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

4 And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.

5 Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,

5 And thou wilt see and they will see

6 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

6 Which of you is the demented.

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.

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

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

8 Therefor obey not thou the rejecters

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

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

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

10 Neither obey thou each feeble oath - monger,

11 A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

11 Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,

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

12 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor

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

13 Greedy therewithal, intrusive.

14 Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.

14 It is because he is possessed of wealth and children

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

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

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

16 We shall brand him on the nose.

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.

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,

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

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

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

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

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

20 And in the morning it was as if plucked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27 Nay, but we are desolate!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

36 What aileth you ? How foolishly ye judge!

37 Or have ye a book through which ye learn -

37 Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn

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

38 That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose ?

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

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 ?

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

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

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

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

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, -

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

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).

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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;

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

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