Al Qalam

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

1 Noon waalqalami wama yasturoona

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 Ma anta biniAAmati rabbika bimajnoonin

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

3 Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:

3 Wainna laka laajran ghayra mamnoonin

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

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

4 Wainnaka laAAala khuluqin AAatheemin

4 And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.

5 Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,

5 Fasatubsiru wayubsiroona

5 And thou wilt see and they will see

6 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

6 Biayyikumu almaftoonu

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 Inna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu biman dalla AAan sabeelihi wahuwa aAAlamu bialmuhtadeena

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 Fala tutiAAi almukaththibeena

8 Therefor obey not thou the rejecters

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

9 Waddoo law tudhinu fayudhinoona

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

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

10 Wala tutiAA kulla hallafin maheenin

10 Neither obey thou each feeble oath - monger,

11 A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

11 Hammazin mashshain binameemin

11 Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,

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

12 MannaAAin lilkhayri muAAtadin atheemin

12 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor

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

13 AAutullin baAAda thalika zaneemin

13 Greedy therewithal, intrusive.

14 Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.

14 An kana tha malin wabaneena

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 Itha tutla AAalayhi ayatuna qala asateeru alawwaleena

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 Sanasimuhu AAala alkhurtoomi

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 Inna balawnahum kama balawna ashaba aljannati ith aqsamoo layasrimunnaha musbiheena

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 Wala yastathnoona

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 Fatafa AAalayha taifun min rabbika wahum naimoona

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 Faasbahat kaalssareemi

20 And in the morning it was as if plucked.

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

21 Fatanadaw musbiheena

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 Ani ighdoo AAala harthikum in kuntum sarimeena

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

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

23 Faintalaqoo wahum yatakhafatoona

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 An la yadkhulannaha alyawma AAalaykum miskeenun

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

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

25 Waghadaw AAala hardin qadireena

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

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

26 Falamma raawha qaloo inna ladalloona

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 Bal nahnu mahroomoona

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 Qala awsatuhum alam aqul lakum lawla tusabbihoona

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 Qaloo subhana rabbina inna kunna thalimeena

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

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

30 Faaqbala baAAduhum AAala baAAdin yatalawamoona

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

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

31 Qaloo ya waylana inna kunna tagheena

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 AAasa rabbuna an yubdilana khayran minha inna ila rabbina raghiboona

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 Kathalika alAAathabu walaAAathabu alakhirati akbaru law kanoo yaAAlamoona

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 Inna lilmuttaqeena AAinda rabbihim jannati alnnaAAeemi

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 AfanajAAalu almuslimeena kaalmujrimeena

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 Ma lakum kayfa tahkumoona

36 What aileth you ? How foolishly ye judge!

37 Or have ye a book through which ye learn -

37 Am lakum kitabun feehi tadrusoona

37 Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn

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

38 Inna lakum feehi lama takhayyaroona

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 Am lakum aymanun AAalayna balighatun ila yawmi alqiyamati inna lakum lama tahkumoona

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 Salhum ayyuhum bithalika zaAAeemun

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 Am lahum shurakao falyatoo bishurakaihim in kanoo sadiqeena

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 Yawma yukshafu AAan saqin wayudAAawna ila alssujoodi fala yastateeAAoona

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 KhashiAAatan absaruhum tarhaquhum thillatun waqad kanoo yudAAawna ila alssujoodi wahum salimoona

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 Fatharnee waman yukaththibu bihatha alhadeethi sanastadrijuhum min haythu la yaAAlamoona

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 Waomlee lahum inna kaydee mateenun

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 Am tasaluhum ajran fahum min maghramin muthqaloona

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 Am AAindahumu alghaybu fahum yaktuboona

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 Faisbir lihukmi rabbika wala takun kasahibi alhooti ith nada wahuwa makthoomun

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 Lawla an tadarakahu niAAmatun min rabbihi lanubitha bialAAarai wahuwa mathmoomun

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 Faijtabahu rabbuhu fajaAAalahu mina alssaliheena

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 Wain yakadu allatheena kafaroo layuzliqoonaka biabsarihim lamma samiAAoo alththikra wayaqooloona innahu lamajnoonun

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 Wama huwa illa thikrun lilAAalameena

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