Surah The Pen [Al-Qalam] in English

NUN. I CALL to witness the pen and what they inscribe,

You are not demented by the grace of your Lord.

There is surely reward unending for you,

For you are verily born of sublime nature.

So you will see, and they will realise,

Who is distracted.

Verily your Lord knows those who have gone astray from His path, and He knows those who are guided on the way.

So do not comply with those who deny:

They only want that you should relent, so that they may come to terms.

Do not heed a contemptible swearer,

Or backbiter, calumniator, slanderer,

Who hinders men from (doing) good, the transgressor, the iniquitous,

Crude, and above all, mean and infamous,

Simply because he possesses wealth and children.

When you recite Our revelations to him, he says: \"These are fables of long ago.\"

We shall brand him on the muzzle.

We have tried you as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed to gather the fruits in the morning

But did not add: \"If God may please.\"

Then a calamity from your Lord fell upon it, but they remained fast asleep.

So by the morning it seemed as though picked clean.

At daybreak they called to each other:

\"If you want to gather the fruits, let us go early to the plantation.\"

So they departed, talking in low voices:

\"Let no needy person come to you within it today.\"

They left early in the morning bent on this purpose.

When they saw (and did not recognise it) they said: \"Surely we have lost the way.

No. In fact we have been deprived of it.\"

One who was temperate among them, said: \"Did I not say: 'Why don't you priase God?'\"

\"Glory to our Lord,\" they said; we were really in the wrong.\"

Then they started blaming one another,

Saying: \"Alas the woe, we were iniquitous.

Maybe our Lord will give us better than this. We turn to our Lord in supplication.\"

Such is Our chastisement; and the punishment of the Hereafter will be greater, if only they knew!

For those who fear God there are pleasure gardens with their Lord.

Should We treat those who submit and obey in the same way as those who are culpable?

What has come upon you that you judge in such a wise?

Or have you a Book in which you read

That you can surely have whatever you choose?

Or have you taken a binding promise from Us which would hold till the Day of Judgement, that you will get whatever you demand?

Ask them: \"Which of you is able to vouch for this?\"

Or have they any partners? Let them bring their partners then, if what they say is true.

On the day the great calamity befalls, and they are called to bow in homage, they will not be able to do so.

Lowered will be their eyes, disgrace overwhelming them. They had indeed been called to bow in homage when they were free of blame.

So leave those who deny this Discourse to Me. We shall lead them step by step to (ruin) in a way they will not know.

Yet I will give them respite: Surely My plan is compact.

Do you ask for any compensation from them that they are burdened with want?

Or do they have knowledge of the unknown which they copy down?

So wait with patience for the judgement of your Lord, and do not be like (onah) of the fish who called (to his Lord) when he was choked with anger.

Had it not been for a favour from his Lord he would have been cast blame-worthy on a barren plain.

Then his Lord chose him and placed him among the upright.

But the unbelievers would like to stare you out of balance when they hear the warning, and say: \"Surely he is possessed;\"