سورة القلم

68. Surah Al-Qalam
The Pen

In the name of God, the Almighty, the Merciful.

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّح۪يمِ

Bismi Allahi arrahmani arraheem

nūn By the pen, and what they inscribe!

نٓ وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَۙ

Noon walqalami wama yasturoon

Thou art not, by the favour of thy Lord, possessed;

مَٓا اَنْتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍۚ

Ma anta biniAAmati rabbika bimajnoon

And for thee is a reward unending.

وَاِنَّ لَكَ لَاَجْراً غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍۚ

Wa-inna laka laajran ghayra mamnoon

And thou art upon a tremendous tradition.

وَاِنَّكَ لَعَلٰى خُلُقٍ عَظ۪يمٍ

Wa-innaka laAAala khuluqin AAatheem

And thou wilt see, and they will see

فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَۙ

Fasatubsiru wayubsiroon

Which of you is mad.

بِاَيِّكُمُ الْمَفْتُونُ

Bi-ayyikumu almaftoon

Thy Lord best knows who has strayed from His path, and He best knows the guided.

اِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَب۪يلِه۪ۖ وَهُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَد۪ينَ

Inna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu biman dallaAAan sabeelihi wahuwa aAAlamu bilmuhtadeen

Then obey thou not the deniers

فَلَا تُطِعِ الْمُكَذِّب۪ينَ

Fala tutiAAi almukaththibeen

(They wish that thou shouldst compromise, then would they compromise)

وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ

Waddoo law tudhinu fayudhinoon

Neither obey thou every despised swearer of oaths,

وَلَا تُطِـعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَه۪ينٍۙ

Wala tutiAA kulla hallafinmaheen

Backbiter, going about with calumny,

هَمَّازٍ مَشَّٓاءٍ بِنَم۪يمٍۙ

Hammazin mashsha-in binameem

Hinderer of good, transgressor, sinful,

مَنَّاعٍ لِلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ اَث۪يمٍۙ

MannaAAin lilkhayri muAAtadin atheem

Relentless and useless,

عُتُلٍّ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ زَن۪يمٍۙ

AAutullin baAAda thalika zaneem

Because he is possessed of wealth and sons.

اَنْ كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَن۪ينَۜ

An kana tha malinwabaneen

When Our proofs are recited to him, he says: “Legends of the former peoples!”

اِذَا تُتْلٰى عَلَيْهِ اٰيَاتُنَا قَالَ اَسَاط۪يرُ الْاَوَّل۪ينَ

Itha tutla AAalayhi ayatunaqala asateeru al-awwaleen

We will brand him on the snout.

سَنَسِمُهُ عَلَى الْخُرْطُومِ

Sanasimuhu AAala alkhurtoom

We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore they would reap its fruit in the morning,

اِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَٓا اَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِۚ اِذْ اَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِح۪ينَۙ

Inna balawnahum kamabalawna as-haba aljannati ith aqsamoolayasrimunnaha musbiheen

And made no allowance.

وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ

Wala yastathnoon

Then an itinerant from thy Lord went about it while they slept,

فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَٓائِفٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَٓائِمُونَ

Fatafa AAalayha ta-ifunmin rabbika wahum na-imoon

And in the morning it was as if reaped.

فَاَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّر۪يمِ

Faasbahat kassareem

Then called they to one another in the morning:

فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِح۪ينَۙ

Fatanadaw musbiheen

“Go early to your tilth, if you would be reaping!”

اَنِ اغْدُوا عَلٰى حَرْثِكُمْ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَارِم۪ينَ

Ani ighdoo AAala harthikum inkuntum sarimeen

So they departed, whispering together:

فَانْطَلَقُوا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَۙ

Fantalaqoo wahum yatakhafatoon

“No needy one will enter it this day against your will.”

اَنْ لَا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِسْك۪ينٌ

An la yadkhulannaha alyawmaAAalaykum miskeen

And they went early, determined upon their purpose.

وَغَدَوْا عَلٰى حَرْدٍ قَادِر۪ينَ

Waghadaw AAala hardin qadireen

Then when they saw it they said: “We have gone astray!

فَلَمَّا رَاَوْهَا قَالُٓوا اِنَّا لَضَٓالُّونَۙ

Falamma raawha qalooinna ladalloon

“Nay, we have been deprived!”

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ

Bal nahnu mahroomoon

Said the most moderate of them: “Said I not to you: ‘Oh, that you did but give glory!’”

قَالَ اَوْسَطُهُمْ اَلَمْ اَقُلْ لَـكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ

Qala awsatuhum alam aqul lakumlawla tusabbihoon

They said: “Glory be to our Lord! We were wrongdoers!”

قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَٓا اِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِم۪ينَ

Qaloo subhana rabbinainna kunna thalimeen

Then they approached one other, blaming one another.

فَاَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ يَتَلَاوَمُونَ

Faaqbala baAAduhum AAala baAAdinyatalawamoon

They said: “Woe is us! We transgressed all bounds.

قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَٓا اِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغ۪ينَ

Qaloo ya waylana innakunna tagheen

“It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange better than it; to our Lord do we turn in hope.”

عَسٰى رَبُّنَٓا اَنْ يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْراً مِنْهَٓا اِنَّٓا اِلٰى رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ

AAasa rabbuna an yubdilanakhayran minha inna ila rabbina raghiboon

Thus is the punishment — and the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, had they but known.

كَذٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُۜ وَلَعَذَابُ الْاٰخِرَةِ اَكْبَرُۢ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ۟

Kathalika alAAathabu walaAAathabual-akhirati akbaru law kanoo yaAAlamoon

For those of prudent fear, with their Lord are the Gardens of Bliss.

اِنَّ لِلْمُتَّق۪ينَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتِ النَّع۪يمِ

Inna lilmuttaqeena AAinda rabbihim jannatiannaAAeem

Shall We then make those submitting like the lawbreakers?

اَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِم۪ينَ كَالْمُجْرِم۪ينَۜ

AfanajAAalu almuslimeena kalmujrimeen

What ails you? How judge you?

مَا لَـكُمْ۠ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَۚ

Ma lakum kayfa tahkumoon

If you have a Writ wherein you study: —

اَمْ لَـكُمْ كِتَابٌ ف۪يهِ تَدْرُسُونَۙ

Am lakum kitabun feehi tadrusoon

“You have therein whatever you choose!”

اِنَّ لَـكُمْ ف۪يهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَۚ

Inna lakum feehi lama takhayyaroon

Or if you have oaths binding upon Us reaching to the Day of Resurrection: — “You have whatever you decide!”

اَمْ لَـكُمْ اَيْمَانٌ عَلَيْنَا بَالِغَةٌ اِلٰى يَوْمِ الْقِيٰمَةِۙ اِنَّ لَـكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَۚ

Am lakum aymanun AAalayna balighatunila yawmi alqiyamati inna lakum lama tahkumoon

Ask thou them which of them is, for that, guarantor!

سَلْهُمْ اَيُّهُمْ بِذٰلِكَ زَع۪يمٌۚۛ

Salhum ayyuhum bithalika zaAAeem

If they have partners: then let them bring their partners, if they be truthful.

اَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَٓاءُۚۛ فَلْيَأْتُوا بِشُرَكَٓائِهِمْ اِنْ كَانُوا صَادِق۪ينَ

Am lahum shurakao falya/too bishuraka-ihimin kanoo sadiqeen

The day the shin is uncovered — and they are invited to the Submission, but they are not able —

يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَنْ سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ اِلَى السُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَط۪يعُونَۙ

Yawma yukshafu AAan saqin wayudAAawnaila assujoodi fala yastateeAAoon

Their eyes will be humbled, humiliation covering them, for they had been invited to the Submission when they were whole.

خَاشِعَةً اَبْصَارُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌۜ وَقَدْ كَانُوا يُدْعَوْنَ اِلَى السُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَالِمُونَ

KhashiAAatan absaruhumtarhaquhum thillatun waqad kanoo yudAAawna ilaassujoodi wahum salimoon

So leave thou Me with those who deny this narrative. We will lead them by degrees, whence they know not;

فَذَرْن۪ي وَمَنْ يُكَذِّبُ بِهٰذَا الْحَد۪يثِۜ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَۙ

Fatharnee waman yukaththibubihatha alhadeethi sanastadrijuhum min haythula yaAAlamoon

And I will grant them respite — My plan is firm.

وَاُمْل۪ي لَهُمْۜ اِنَّ كَيْد۪ي مَت۪ينٌ

Waomlee lahum inna kaydee mateen

If thou askest of them a reward: then are they burdened by debt!

اَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ اَجْراً فَهُمْ مِنْ مَغْرَمٍ مُثْقَلُونَۚ

Am tas-aluhum ajran fahum min maghraminmuthqaloon

If the Unseen be with them: then are they writing!

اَمْ عِنْدَهُمُ الْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ

Am AAindahumu alghaybu fahum yaktuboon

And be thou patient for the judgment of thy Lord; and be thou not like the companion of the fish when he called and was angry.

فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُنْ كَصَاحِبِ الْحُوتِۢ اِذْ نَادٰى وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌۜ

Fasbir lihukmi rabbikawala takun kasahibi alhooti ith nadawahuwa makthoom

Had not favour from his Lord overtaken him, he would have been cast on the bare shore when he was condemned.

لَوْلَٓا اَنْ تَدَارَكَهُ نِعْمَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّه۪ لَنُبِذَ بِالْعَرَٓاءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ

Lawla an tadarakahu niAAmatunmin rabbihi lanubitha bilAAara-i wahuwa mathmoom

But his Lord chose him, and made him of the righteous.

فَاجْتَبٰيهُ رَبُّهُ فَجَعَلَهُ مِنَ الصَّالِح۪ينَ

Fajtabahu rabbuhu fajaAAalahumina assaliheen

And those who ignore warning almost cause thee to slip with their eyes when they hear the remembrance, and they say: “He is possessed.”

وَاِنْ يَكَادُ الَّذ۪ينَ كَفَرُوا لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِاَبْصَارِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا الذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ اِنَّهُ لَمَجْنُونٌۢ

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

But it is only a reminder to all mankind.

وَمَا هُوَ اِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِلْعَالَم۪ينَ

Wama huwa illa thikrunlilAAalameen