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),

1 Noon waalqalami wama yasturoona

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.

2 Ma anta biniAAmati rabbika bimajnoonin

3 Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:

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

3 Wainna laka laajran ghayra mamnoonin

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

4 And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.

4 Wainnaka laAAala khuluqin AAatheemin

5 Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,

5 And thou wilt see and they will see

5 Fasatubsiru wayubsiroona

6 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

6 Which of you is the demented.

6 Biayyikumu almaftoonu

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.

7 Inna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu biman dalla AAan sabeelihi wahuwa aAAlamu bialmuhtadeena

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

8 Therefor obey not thou the rejecters

8 Fala tutiAAi almukaththibeena

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.

9 Waddoo law tudhinu fayudhinoona

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

10 Neither obey thou each feeble oath - monger,

10 Wala tutiAA kulla hallafin maheenin

11 A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

11 Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,

11 Hammazin mashshain binameemin

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

12 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor

12 MannaAAin lilkhayri muAAtadin atheemin

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

13 Greedy therewithal, intrusive.

13 AAutullin baAAda thalika zaneemin

14 Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.

14 It is because he is possessed of wealth and children

14 An kana tha malin wabaneena

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.

15 Itha tutla AAalayhi ayatuna qala asateeru alawwaleena

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

16 We shall brand him on the nose.

16 Sanasimuhu AAala alkhurtoomi

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,

17 Inna balawnahum kama balawna ashaba aljannati ith aqsamoo layasrimunnaha musbiheena

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

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

18 Wala yastathnoona

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

19 Fatafa AAalayha taifun min rabbika wahum naimoona

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.

20 Faasbahat kaalssareemi

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

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

21 Fatanadaw musbiheena

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).

22 Ani ighdoo AAala harthikum in kuntum sarimeena

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

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

23 Faintalaqoo wahum yatakhafatoona

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.

24 An la yadkhulannaha alyawma AAalaykum miskeenun

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

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

25 Waghadaw AAala hardin qadireena

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!

26 Falamma raawha qaloo inna ladalloona

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

27 Nay, but we are desolate!

27 Bal nahnu mahroomoona

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) ?

28 Qala awsatuhum alam aqul lakum lawla tusabbihoona

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.

29 Qaloo subhana rabbina inna kunna thalimeena

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

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

30 Faaqbala baAAduhum AAala baAAdin yatalawamoona

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

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

31 Qaloo ya waylana inna kunna tagheena

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.

32 AAasa rabbuna an yubdilana khayran minha inna ila rabbina raghiboona

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.

33 Kathalika alAAathabu walaAAathabu alakhirati akbaru law kanoo yaAAlamoona

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.

34 Inna lilmuttaqeena AAinda rabbihim jannati alnnaAAeemi

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 ?

35 AfanajAAalu almuslimeena kaalmujrimeena

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

36 What aileth you ? How foolishly ye judge!

36 Ma lakum kayfa tahkumoona

37 Or have ye a book through which ye learn -

37 Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn

37 Am lakum kitabun feehi tadrusoona

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

38 That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose ?

38 Inna lakum feehi lama takhayyaroona

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 ?

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

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!

40 Salhum ayyuhum bithalika zaAAeemun

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

41 Am lahum shurakao falyatoo bishurakaihim in kanoo sadiqeena

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,

42 Yawma yukshafu AAan saqin wayudAAawna ila alssujoodi fala yastateeAAoona

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.

43 KhashiAAatan absaruhum tarhaquhum thillatun waqad kanoo yudAAawna ila alssujoodi wahum salimoona

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.

44 Fatharnee waman yukaththibu bihatha alhadeethi sanastadrijuhum min haythu la yaAAlamoona

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.

45 Waomlee lahum inna kaydee mateenun

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 ?

46 Am tasaluhum ajran fahum min maghramin muthqaloona

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) ?

47 Am AAindahumu alghaybu fahum yaktuboona

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.

48 Faisbir lihukmi rabbika wala takun kasahibi alhooti ith nada wahuwa makthoomun

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.

49 Lawla an tadarakahu niAAmatun min rabbihi lanubitha bialAAarai wahuwa mathmoomun

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.

50 Faijtabahu rabbuhu fajaAAalahu mina alssaliheena

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;

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

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

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

52 Wama huwa illa thikrun lilAAalameena