68. Al-Qalam

1 Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith)

2 Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman

3 And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing

4 And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature

5 And thou wilt see and they will see

6 Which of you is the demented

7 Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright

8 Therefor obey not thou the rejecters

9 Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise

10 Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger

11 Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders

12 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor

13 Greedy therewithal, intrusive

14 It is because he is possessed of wealth and children

15 That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old

16 We shall brand him on the nose

17 Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning

18 And made no exception (for the Will of Allah)

19 Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept

20 And in the morning it was as if plucked

21 And they cried out one unto another in the morning

22 Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit)

23 So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones

24 No needy man shall enter it to-day against you

25 They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose

26 But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error

27 Nay, but we are desolate

28 The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah)

29 They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong-doers

30 Then some of them drew near unto others, self-reproaching

31 They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous

32 It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord

33 Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know

34 Lo! for those who keep from evil are gardens of bliss with their Lord

35 Shall We then treat those who have surrendered as We treat the guilty

36 What aileth you? How foolishly ye judge

37 Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn

38 That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose

39 Or have ye a covenant on oath from Us that reacheth to the Day of Judgment, that yours shall be all that ye ordain

40 Ask them (O Muhammad) which of them will vouch for that

41 Or have they other gods? Then let them bring their other gods if they are truthful

42 On the day when it befalleth in earnest, and they are ordered to prostrate themselves but are not able

43 With eyes downcast, abasement stupefying them. And they had been summoned to prostrate themselves while they were yet unhurt

44 Leave Me (to deal) with those who give the lie to this pronouncement. We shall lead them on by steps from whence they know not

45 Yet I bear with them, for lo! My scheme is firm

46 Or dost thou (Muhammad) ask a fee from them so that they are heavily taxed

47 Or is the Unseen theirs that they can write (thereof)

48 But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of the fish, who cried out in despair

49 Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him he surely had been cast into the wilderness while he was reprobate

50 But his Lord chose him and placed him among the righteous

51 And lo! those who disbelieve would fain disconcert thee with their eyes when they hear the Reminder, and they say: Lo! he is indeed mad

52 When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation