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Surah Al-Qalam ( The Pen )

English - Yusuf Ali

Surah Al-Qalam ( The Pen ) - Aya count 52

نٓۚ وَٱلۡقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسۡطُرُونَ ﰀ ﴿١﴾

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

مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجۡنُونٖ ﰁ ﴿٢﴾

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

وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجۡرًا غَيۡرَ مَمۡنُونٖ ﰂ ﴿٣﴾

Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٖ ﰃ ﴿٤﴾

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

فَسَتُبۡصِرُ وَيُبۡصِرُونَ ﰄ ﴿٥﴾

Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,

بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلۡمَفۡتُونُ ﰅ ﴿٦﴾

Which of you is afflicted with madness.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ ﰆ ﴿٧﴾

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.

فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ ﰇ ﴿٨﴾

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

وَدُّواْ لَوۡ تُدۡهِنُ فَيُدۡهِنُونَ ﰈ ﴿٩﴾

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

وَلَا تُطِعۡ كُلَّ حَلَّافٖ مَّهِينٍ ﰉ ﴿١٠﴾

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

هَمَّازٖ مَّشَّآءِۭ بِنَمِيمٖ ﰊ ﴿١١﴾

A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

مَّنَّاعٖ لِّلۡخَيۡرِ مُعۡتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ ﰋ ﴿١٢﴾

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

عُتُلِّۭ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ ﰌ ﴿١٣﴾

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

أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٖ وَبَنِينَ ﰍ ﴿١٤﴾

Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.

إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ﰎ ﴿١٥﴾

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

سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلۡخُرۡطُومِ ﰏ ﴿١٦﴾

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

إِنَّا بَلَوۡنَٰهُمۡ كَمَا بَلَوۡنَآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ إِذۡ أَقۡسَمُواْ لَيَصۡرِمُنَّهَا مُصۡبِحِينَ ﰐ ﴿١٧﴾

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.

وَلَا يَسۡتَثۡنُونَ ﰑ ﴿١٨﴾

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

فَطَافَ عَلَيۡهَا طَآئِفٞ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمۡ نَآئِمُونَ ﰒ ﴿١٩﴾

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

فَأَصۡبَحَتۡ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ ﰓ ﴿٢٠﴾

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

فَتَنَادَوۡاْ مُصۡبِحِينَ ﰔ ﴿٢١﴾

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

أَنِ ٱغۡدُواْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡثِكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰرِمِينَ ﰕ ﴿٢٢﴾

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

فَٱنطَلَقُواْ وَهُمۡ يَتَخَٰفَتُونَ ﰖ ﴿٢٣﴾

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

أَن لَّا يَدۡخُلَنَّهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّسۡكِينٞ ﰗ ﴿٢٤﴾

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

وَغَدَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡدٖ قَٰدِرِينَ ﰘ ﴿٢٥﴾

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

فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡهَا قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ ﰙ ﴿٢٦﴾

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

بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ ﰚ ﴿٢٧﴾

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

قَالَ أَوۡسَطُهُمۡ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ لَوۡلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ ﰛ ﴿٢٨﴾

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

قَالُواْ سُبۡحَٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ ﰜ ﴿٢٩﴾

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

فَأَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖ يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ ﰝ ﴿٣٠﴾

Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.

قَالُواْ يَٰوَيۡلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَٰغِينَ ﰞ ﴿٣١﴾

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

عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبۡدِلَنَا خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ ﰟ ﴿٣٢﴾

"It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"

كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡعَذَابُۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ أَكۡبَرُۚ لَوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ ﰠ ﴿٣٣﴾

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

إِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ ﰡ ﴿٣٤﴾

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

أَفَنَجۡعَلُ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ كَٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ ﰢ ﴿٣٥﴾

ShallWe then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?

مَا لَكُمۡ كَيۡفَ تَحۡكُمُونَ ﰣ ﴿٣٦﴾

What is the matter with you? How judge ye?

أَمۡ لَكُمۡ كِتَٰبٞ فِيهِ تَدۡرُسُونَ ﰤ ﴿٣٧﴾

Or have ye a book through which ye learn-

إِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ ﰥ ﴿٣٨﴾

That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?

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

Or have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?

سَلۡهُمۡ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ ﰧ ﴿٤٠﴾

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

أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شُرَكَآءُ فَلۡيَأۡتُواْ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمۡ إِن كَانُواْ صَٰدِقِينَ ﰨ ﴿٤١﴾

Or have they some "Partners" (in Allahhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are truthful!

يَوۡمَ يُكۡشَفُ عَن سَاقٖ وَيُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ ﰩ ﴿٤٢﴾

The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able,-

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

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).

فَذَرۡنِي وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِۖ سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ﰫ ﴿٤٤﴾

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

وَأُمۡلِي لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ كَيۡدِي مَتِينٌ ﰬ ﴿٤٥﴾

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

أَمۡ تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡ أَجۡرٗا فَهُم مِّن مَّغۡرَمٖ مُّثۡقَلُونَ ﰭ ﴿٤٦﴾

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

أَمۡ عِندَهُمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبُ فَهُمۡ يَكۡتُبُونَ ﰮ ﴿٤٧﴾

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

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

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.

لَّوۡلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعۡمَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذۡمُومٞ ﰰ ﴿٤٩﴾

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

فَٱجۡتَبَٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ﰱ ﴿٥٠﴾

Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.

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

And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"

وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ﰳ ﴿٥٢﴾

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