Al-Qalam

نٓ ۚ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ

Noon walqalami wama yasturoon

Nun By the pen! By all they write!

مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ

Ma anta biniAAmati rabbika bimajnoon

Your Lord’s grace does not make you [Prophet] a madman:

وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ

Wa-inna laka laajran ghayra mamnoon

you will have a never-ending reward––

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ

Wa-innaka laAAala khuluqin AAatheem

truly you have a strong character––

فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ

Fasatubsiru wayubsiroon

and soon you will see, as will they,

بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلْمَفْتُونُ

Bi-ayyikumu almaftoon

which of you is afflicted with madness.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ

Inna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu biman dallaAAan sabeelihi wahuwa aAAlamu bilmuhtadeen

Your Lord knows best who strays from His path and who is rightly guided.

فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

Fala tutiAAi almukaththibeen

So do not yield to those who deny the truth––

وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ

Waddoo law tudhinu fayudhinoon

they want you to compromise with them and then they will compromise with you––

وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ

Wala tutiAA kulla hallafinmaheen

do not yield to any contemptible swearer,

هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍ

Hammazin mashsha-in binameem

to any backbiter, slander-monger,

مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ

MannaAAin lilkhayri muAAtadin atheem

or hinderer of good, to anyone who is sinful, aggressive,

عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ

AAutullin baAAda thalika zaneem

coarse, and on top of all that, an imposter.

أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ

An kana tha malinwabaneen

Just because he has wealth and sons,

إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

Itha tutla AAalayhi ayatunaqala asateeru al-awwaleen

when our revelations are recited to him, he says, ‘These are just ancient fables.’

سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ

Sanasimuhu AAala alkhurtoom

We shall brand him on the snout!

إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ

Inna balawnahum kamabalawna as-haba aljannati ith aqsamoolayasrimunnaha musbiheen

We have tried them as We tried the owners of a certain garden, who swore that they would harvest its fruits in the morning

وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ

Wala yastathnoon

and made no allowance [for the Will of God]:

فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ

Fatafa AAalayha ta-ifunmin rabbika wahum na-imoon

a disaster from your Lord struck the garden as they slept

فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ

Faasbahat kassareem

and by morning it was stripped bare, a desolate land.

فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ

Fatanadaw musbiheen

Still they called each other at daybreak,

أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰرِمِينَ

Ani ighdoo AAala harthikum inkuntum sarimeen

‘Go early to your field if you wish to gather all its fruits,’

فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ

Fantalaqoo wahum yatakhafatoon

and went off, whispering,

أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ

An la yadkhulannaha alyawmaAAalaykum miskeen

‘Make sure no poor person enters the garden today!’––

وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَـٰدِرِينَ

Waghadaw AAala hardin qadireen

they left early, bent on their purpose-

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ

Falamma raawha qalooinna ladalloon

but when they saw the garden, they said, ‘We must have lost our way!

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ

Bal nahnu mahroomoon

No- we are ruined!’

قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ

Qala awsatuhum alam aqul lakumlawla tusabbihoon

The wisest of them said, ‘Did I not say to you, “Will you not glorify God?”’-

قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ

Qaloo subhana rabbinainna kunna thalimeen

they said, ‘Glory be to God, Our Lord! Truly, we were doing wrong!’-

فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَـٰوَمُونَ

Faaqbala baAAduhum AAala baAAdinyatalawamoon

and then they turned to each other in mutual reproach.

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَـٰغِينَ

Qaloo ya waylana innakunna tagheen

They said, ‘Alas for us! We have done terrible wrong,

عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ

AAasa rabbuna an yubdilanakhayran minha inna ila rabbina raghiboon

but maybe our Lord will give us something better in its place: we truly turn to Him in hope.’

كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ

Kathalika alAAathabu walaAAathabual-akhirati akbaru law kanoo yaAAlamoon

Such is the punishment [in this life], but greater still is the punishment in the Hereafter, if only they knew.

إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

Inna lilmuttaqeena AAinda rabbihim jannatiannaAAeem

There will be Gardens of bliss for those who are mindful of God.

أَفَنَجْعَلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ كَٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ

AfanajAAalu almuslimeena kalmujrimeen

Should We treat those who submit to Us as We treat those who do evil?

مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ

Ma lakum kayfa tahkumoon

What is the matter with you? On what basis do you judge?

أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَـٰبٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ

Am lakum kitabun feehi tadrusoon

Do you have a Scripture that tells you

إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ

Inna lakum feehi lama takhayyaroon

that you will be granted whatever you choose?

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

Am lakum aymanun AAalayna balighatunila yawmi alqiyamati inna lakum lama tahkumoon

Have you received from Us solemn oaths, binding to the Day of Resurrection, that you will get whatever you yourselves decide?

سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ

Salhum ayyuhum bithalika zaAAeem

Ask them [Prophet] which of them will guarantee this.

أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ صَـٰدِقِينَ

Am lahum shurakao falya/too bishuraka-ihimin kanoo sadiqeen

Do they have ‘partners’ [besides God]? Let them produce their ‘partners’, if what they say is true.

يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ

Yawma yukshafu AAan saqin wayudAAawnaila assujoodi fala yastateeAAoon

On the Day when matters become dire, they will be invited to prostrate themselves but will be prevented from doing so,

خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَـٰلِمُونَ

KhashiAAatan absaruhumtarhaquhum thillatun waqad kanoo yudAAawna ilaassujoodi wahum salimoon

and their eyes will be downcast and they will be overwhelmed with shame: they were invited to prostrate themselves when they were safe [but refused].

فَذَرْنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

Fatharnee waman yukaththibubihatha alhadeethi sanastadrijuhum min haythula yaAAlamoon

So [Prophet] leave those who reject this revelation to Me: We shall lead them on, step by step, in ways beyond their knowledge;

وَأُمْلِى لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِى مَتِينٌ

Waomlee lahum inna kaydee mateen

I will allow them more time, for My plan is powerful.

أَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ

Am tas-aluhum ajran fahum min maghraminmuthqaloon

Do you demand some reward from them that would burden them with debt?

أَمْ عِندَهُمُ ٱلْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ

Am AAindahumu alghaybu fahum yaktuboon

Do they have knowledge of the unseen that enables them to write it down?

فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ

Fasbir lihukmi rabbikawala takun kasahibi alhooti ith nadawahuwa makthoom

Wait patiently [Prophet] for your Lord’s judgement: do not be like the man in the whale who called out in distress:

لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ

Lawla an tadarakahu niAAmatunmin rabbihi lanubitha bilAAara-i wahuwa mathmoom

if his Lord’s grace had not reached him, he would have been left, abandoned and blameworthy, on the barren shore,

فَٱجْتَبَـٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ

Fajtabahu rabbuhu fajaAAalahumina assaliheen

but his Lord chose him and made him one of the Righteous.

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

Wa-in yakadu allatheenakafaroo layuzliqoonaka bi-absarihim lamma samiAAooaththikra wayaqooloona innahu lamajnoon

The disbelievers almost strike you down with their looks when they hear the Quran. They say, ‘He must be mad!’

وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

Wama huwa illa thikrunlilAAalameen

but truly it is nothing other than a Reminder for all peoples.