Al-Qalam

نٓۚ وَٱلۡقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسۡطُرُونَ ١

Nūn, wal-qalami wa mā yasṭurūn.

Nūn.¹ By the pen and what they inscribe,

مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجۡنُونٖ ٢

Mā anta biniʿmati rabbika bimajnūn.

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

وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجۡرًا غَيۡرَ مَمۡنُونٖ ٣

Wa inna laka laʾajran ghayra mamnūn.

And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٖ ٤

Wa innaka laʿalā khuluqin ʿaẓīm.

And indeed, you are of a great moral character.

فَسَتُبۡصِرُ وَيُبۡصِرُونَ ٥

Fasatubṣiru wa yubṣirūn.

So you will see and they will see

بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلۡمَفۡتُونُ ٦

Biʾayyikumul-maftūn.

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

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ ٧

Inna rabbaka huwa aʿlamu biman ḍalla ʿan sabīlihī wa huwa aʿlamu bil-muhtadīn.

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

فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ ٨

Falā tuṭiʿil-mukadhdhibīn.

Then do not obey the deniers.

وَدُّواْ لَوۡ تُدۡهِنُ فَيُدۡهِنُونَ ٩

Waddū law tudhinu fayudhinūn.

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

وَلَا تُطِعۡ كُلَّ حَلَّافٖ مَّهِينٍ ١٠

Wa lā tuṭiʿ kulla ḥallāfim mahīn.

And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer

هَمَّازٖ مَّشَّآءِۭ بِنَمِيمٖ ١١

Hammāzim mashshāʾim binamīm.

[And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip -

مَّنَّاعٖ لِّلۡخَيۡرِ مُعۡتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ ١٢

Mannāʿil lil-khayri muʿtadin athīm.

A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,

عُتُلِّۭ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ ١٣

ʿUtullim baʿda dhālika zanīm.

Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.¹

أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٖ وَبَنِينَ ١٤

An kāna dhā māliw wa banīn.

Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,

إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ١٥

Idhā tutlā ʿalayhi āyātunā qāla asāṭīrul-awwalīn.

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

سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلۡخُرۡطُومِ ١٦

Sanasimuhū ʿalal-khurṭūm.

We will brand him upon the snout.¹

إِنَّا بَلَوۡنَٰهُمۡ كَمَا بَلَوۡنَآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ إِذۡ أَقۡسَمُواْ لَيَصۡرِمُنَّهَا مُصۡبِحِينَ ١٧

Innā balawnāhum kamā balawnā aṣḥābal-jannati idh aqsamū layaṣrimunnahā muṣbiḥīn.

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

وَلَا يَسۡتَثۡنُونَ ١٨

Wa lā yastathnūn.

Without making exception.¹

فَطَافَ عَلَيۡهَا طَآئِفٞ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمۡ نَآئِمُونَ ١٩

Faṭāfa ʿalayhā ṭāʾifum mir rabbika wa hum nāʾimūn.

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

فَأَصۡبَحَتۡ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ ٢٠

Fa aṣbaḥat kaṣ-ṣarīm.

And it became as though reaped.

فَتَنَادَوۡاْ مُصۡبِحِينَ ٢١

Fatanādaw muṣbiḥīn.

And they called one another at morning,

أَنِ ٱغۡدُواْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡثِكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰرِمِينَ ٢٢

Anighdū ʿalā ḥarthikum in kuntum ṣārimīn.

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

فَٱنطَلَقُواْ وَهُمۡ يَتَخَٰفَتُونَ ٢٣

Fanṭalaqū wa hum yatakhāfatūn.

So they set out, while lowering their voices,

أَن لَّا يَدۡخُلَنَّهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّسۡكِينٞ ٢٤

Al lā yadkhulannahal-yawma ʿalaykum miskīn.

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

وَغَدَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡدٖ قَٰدِرِينَ ٢٥

Wa ghadaw ʿalā ḥardin qādirīn.

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

فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡهَا قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ ٢٦

Falammā raʾawhā qālū innā laḍāllūn.

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

بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ ٢٧

Bal naḥnu maḥrūmūn.

Rather, we have been deprived."

قَالَ أَوۡسَطُهُمۡ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ لَوۡلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ ٢٨

Qāla awsaṭuhum alam aqul lakum lawlā tusabbiḥūn.

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

قَالُواْ سُبۡحَٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ ٢٩

Qālū subḥāna rabbinā innā kunnā ẓālimīn.

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

فَأَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖ يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ ٣٠

Fa aqbala baʿḍuhum ʿalā baʿḍiy yatalāwamūn.

Then they approached one another, blaming each other.

قَالُواْ يَٰوَيۡلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَٰغِينَ ٣١

Qālū yāwaylanā innā kunnā ṭāghīn.

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

عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبۡدِلَنَا خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ ٣٢

ʿAsā rabbunā ay yubdilanā khayram minhā innā ilā rabbinā rāghibūn.

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

كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡعَذَابُۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ أَكۡبَرُۚ لَوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٣٣

Kadhālikal-ʿadhāb, wa laʿadhābul-ākhirati akbar, law kānū yaʿlamūn.

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

إِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ ٣٤

Inna lil-muttaqīna ʿinda rabbihim jannātin-naʿīm.

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

أَفَنَجۡعَلُ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ كَٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ ٣٥

Afanajʿalul-muslimīna kal-mujrimīn.

Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?

مَا لَكُمۡ كَيۡفَ تَحۡكُمُونَ ٣٦

Mā lakum kayfa taḥkumūn.

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

أَمۡ لَكُمۡ كِتَٰبٞ فِيهِ تَدۡرُسُونَ ٣٧

Am lakum kitābun fīhi tadrusūn.

Or do you have a scripture in which you learn

إِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ ٣٨

Inna lakum fīhi lamā takhayyarūn.

That indeed for you is whatever you choose?

أَمۡ لَكُمۡ أَيۡمَٰنٌ عَلَيۡنَا بَٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ إِنَّ لَكُمۡ لَمَا تَحۡكُمُونَ ٣٩

Am lakum aymānun ʿalaynā bālighatun ilā yawmil-qiyāmati inna lakum lamā taḥkumūn.

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

سَلۡهُمۡ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ ٤٠

Salhum ayyuhum bidhālika zaʿīm.

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

أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شُرَكَآءُ فَلۡيَأۡتُواْ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمۡ إِن كَانُواْ صَٰدِقِينَ ٤١

Am lahum shurakāʾu falyaʾtū bishurakāʾihim in kānū ṣādiqīn.

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

يَوۡمَ يُكۡشَفُ عَن سَاقٖ وَيُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ ٤٢

Yawma yukshafu ʿan sāqiw wa yudʿawna ilas-sujūdi falā yastaṭīʿūn.

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

خَٰشِعَةً أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ تَرۡهَقُهُمۡ ذِلَّةٞۖ وَقَدۡ كَانُواْ يُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمۡ سَٰلِمُونَ ٤٣

Khāshiʿatan abṣāruhum tarhaquhum dhillah, wa qad kānū yudʿawna ilas-sujūdi wa hum sālimūn.

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

فَذَرۡنِي وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِۖ سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٤٤

Fadharnī wa may yukadhdhibu bihādhal-ḥadīth, sanastadrijuhum min ḥaythu lā yaʿlamūn.

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

وَأُمۡلِي لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ كَيۡدِي مَتِينٌ ٤٥

Wa umlī lahum, inna kaydī matīn.

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

أَمۡ تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡ أَجۡرٗا فَهُم مِّن مَّغۡرَمٖ مُّثۡقَلُونَ ٤٦

Am tasʾaluhum ajran fahum mim maghramim muthqalūn.

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

أَمۡ عِندَهُمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبُ فَهُمۡ يَكۡتُبُونَ ٤٧

Am ʿindahumul-ghaybu fahum yaktubūn.

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

فَٱصۡبِرۡ لِحُكۡمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلۡحُوتِ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكۡظُومٞ ٤٨

Faṣbir liḥukmi rabbika wa lā takun kaṣāḥibil-ḥūti idh nādā wa huwa makẓūm.

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.

لَّوۡلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعۡمَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذۡمُومٞ ٤٩

Lawlā an tadārakahū niʿmatum mir rabbihī lanubidha bil-ʿarāʾi wa huwa madhmūm.

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

فَٱجۡتَبَٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ٥٠

Fajtabāhu rabbuhū fajaʿalahū minaṣ-ṣāliḥīn.

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

وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَيُزۡلِقُونَكَ بِأَبۡصَٰرِهِمۡ لَمَّا سَمِعُواْ ٱلذِّكۡرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجۡنُونٞ ٥١

Wa iy yakādul-ladhīna kafarū layuzliqūnaka biʾabṣārihim lammā samiʿudh-dhikra wa yaqūlūna innahū lamajnūn.

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."

وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٥٢

Wa mā huwa illā dhikrul lil-ʿālamīn.

But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.