68. Al-Qalam

نٓ ۚ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ

Nūn.1 By the pen and what they inscribe,

noon wal-qalami wamā yasṭurūna

مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ

You are not, [O Muḥammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.

mā anta biniʿ'mati rabbika bimajnūnin

وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ

And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.

wa-inna laka la-ajran ghayra mamnūnin

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ

And indeed, you are of a great moral character.

wa-innaka laʿalā khuluqin ʿaẓīmin

فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ

So you will see and they will see.

fasatub'ṣiru wayub'ṣirūna

بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلْمَفْتُونُ

Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil].

bi-ayyikumu l-maftūnu

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ

Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.

inna rabbaka huwa aʿlamu biman ḍalla ʿan sabīlihi wahuwa aʿlamu bil-muh'tadīna

فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

Then do not obey the deniers.

falā tuṭiʿi l-mukadhibīna

وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ

They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].

waddū law tud'hinu fayud'hinūna

وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ

And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer

walā tuṭiʿ kulla ḥallāfin mahīnin

هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍ

[And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip -

hammāzin mashāin binamīmin

مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ

A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,

mannāʿin lil'khayri muʿ'tadin athīmin

عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ

Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.1

ʿutullin baʿda dhālika zanīmin

أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ

Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,

an kāna dhā mālin wabanīna

إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."

idhā tut'lā ʿalayhi āyātunā qāla asāṭīru l-awalīna

سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ

We will brand him upon the snout.1

sanasimuhu ʿalā l-khur'ṭūmi

إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ

Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning

innā balawnāhum kamā balawnā aṣḥāba l-janati idh aqsamū layaṣrimunnahā muṣ'biḥīna

وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ

Without making exception.1

walā yastathnūna

فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ

So there came upon it [i.e., the garden] an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep.

faṭāfa ʿalayhā ṭāifun min rabbika wahum nāimūna

فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ

And it became as though reaped.

fa-aṣbaḥat kal-ṣarīmi

فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ

And they called one another at morning,

fatanādaw muṣ'biḥīna

أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰرِمِينَ

[Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit."

ani igh'dū ʿalā ḥarthikum in kuntum ṣārimīna

فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ

So they set out, while lowering their voices,

fa-inṭalaqū wahum yatakhāfatūna

أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ

[Saying], "There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person."

an lā yadkhulannahā l-yawma ʿalaykum mis'kīnun

وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَـٰدِرِينَ

And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able.1

waghadaw ʿalā ḥardin qādirīna

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ

But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost;

falammā ra-awhā qālū innā laḍāllūna

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ

Rather, we have been deprived."

bal naḥnu maḥrūmūna

قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ

The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not exalt [Allāh]?'"1

qāla awsaṭuhum alam aqul lakum lawlā tusabbiḥūna

قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ

They said, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."

qālū sub'ḥāna rabbinā innā kunnā ẓālimīna

فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَـٰوَمُونَ

Then they approached one another, blaming each other.

fa-aqbala baʿḍuhum ʿalā baʿḍin yatalāwamūna

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَـٰغِينَ

They said, "O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors.

qālū yāwaylanā innā kunnā ṭāghīna

عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ

Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous."1

ʿasā rabbunā an yub'dilanā khayran min'hā innā ilā rabbinā rāghibūna

كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ

Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.

kadhālika l-ʿadhābu walaʿadhābu l-ākhirati akbaru law kānū yaʿlamūna

إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

Indeed, for the righteous with their Lord are the Gardens of Pleasure.

inna lil'muttaqīna ʿinda rabbihim jannāti l-naʿīmi

أَفَنَجْعَلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ كَٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ

Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?

afanajʿalu l-mus'limīna kal-muj'rimīna

مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ

What is [the matter] with you? How do you judge?

mā lakum kayfa taḥkumūna

أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَـٰبٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ

Or do you have a scripture in which you learn

am lakum kitābun fīhi tadrusūna

إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ

That indeed for you is whatever you choose?

inna lakum fīhi lamā takhayyarūna

أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَـٰنٌ عَلَيْنَا بَـٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ

Or do you have oaths [binding] upon Us, extending until the Day of Resurrection, that indeed for you is whatever you judge?

am lakum aymānun ʿalaynā bālighatun ilā yawmi l-qiyāmati inna lakum lamā taḥkumūna

سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ

Ask them which of them, for that [claim], is responsible.

salhum ayyuhum bidhālika zaʿīmun

أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ صَـٰدِقِينَ

Or do they have partners?1 Then let them bring their partners, if they should be truthful.

am lahum shurakāu falyatū bishurakāihim in kānū ṣādiqīna

يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ

The Day the shin will be uncovered1 and they are invited to prostration but they [i.e., the disbelievers] will not be able,

yawma yuk'shafu ʿan sāqin wayud'ʿawna ilā l-sujūdi falā yastaṭīʿūna

خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَـٰلِمُونَ

Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.1

khāshiʿatan abṣāruhum tarhaquhum dhillatun waqad kānū yud'ʿawna ilā l-sujūdi wahum sālimūna

فَذَرْنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

So leave Me, [O Muḥammad], with [the matter of] whoever denies this statement [i.e., the Qur’ān]. We will progressively lead them [to punishment] from where they do not know.1

fadharnī waman yukadhibu bihādhā l-ḥadīthi sanastadrijuhum min ḥaythu lā yaʿlamūna

وَأُمْلِى لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِى مَتِينٌ

And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm.

wa-um'lī lahum inna kaydī matīnun

أَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ

Or do you ask of them a payment, so they are by debt burdened down?

am tasaluhum ajran fahum min maghramin muth'qalūna

أَمْ عِندَهُمُ ٱلْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ

Or have they [knowledge of] the unseen, so they write [it] down?

am ʿindahumu l-ghaybu fahum yaktubūna

فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ

Then be patient for the decision of your Lord, [O Muḥammad], and be not like the companion of the fish [i.e., Jonah] when he called out while he was distressed.

fa-iṣ'bir liḥuk'mi rabbika walā takun kaṣāḥibi l-ḥūti idh nādā wahuwa makẓūmun

لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ

If not that a favor [i.e., mercy] from his Lord overtook him, he would have been thrown onto the naked shore while he was censured.1

lawlā an tadārakahu niʿ'matun min rabbihi lanubidha bil-ʿarāi wahuwa madhmūmun

فَٱجْتَبَـٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ

And his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.

fa-ij'tabāhu rabbuhu fajaʿalahu mina l-ṣāliḥīna

وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجْنُونٌ

And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes [i.e., looks] when they hear the message, and they say, "Indeed, he is mad."

wa-in yakādu alladhīna kafarū layuz'liqūnaka bi-abṣārihim lammā samiʿū l-dhik'ra wayaqūlūna innahu lamajnūnun

وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.

wamā huwa illā dhik'run lil'ʿālamīna