The Holy Qur'an: Al-Qalam (The Pen)

Mc
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Legend: R = Revelational Circumstance | X = Abrogated | C = Commentary
E = Contradiction | Mc = Meccan Surah | Md = Medinan Surah | No. = Chronological Order

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

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

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

³ Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:

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

⁵ Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,

⁶ Which of you is afflicted with madness.

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

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

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

¹¹ A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

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

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

¹⁴ Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

³⁷ Or have ye a book through which ye learn-

³⁸ That ye shall have, through it whatever 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?

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

⁴¹ Or have they some "Partners" (in Allah.ead)? Then let them produce their "partners", 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,-

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

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

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

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

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.^X

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

⁵⁰ Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of 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!"

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

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