Al-Qalam

نٓ ۚ وَٱلۡقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسۡطُرُونَ

Nûn. [These letters (Nun, etc.) are one of the miracles of the Qur’an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]. By the pen and by what they (the angels) write (in the Records of men).

مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجۡنُونٍۢ

You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), by the Grace of your Lord, are not mad.

وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجۡرًا غَيۡرَ مَمۡنُونٍۢ

And Verily, for you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) will be an endless reward.

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍۢ

And Verily, you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) are on an exalted (standard of) character.

فَسَتُبۡصِرُ وَيُبۡصِرُونَ

You will see, and they will see,

بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلۡمَفۡتُونُ

Which of you is afflicted with madness.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ

Verily, your Lord is the Best Knower of him who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Knower of those who are guided.

فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

So (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) obey you not the deniers [(of Islâmic Monotheism - those who belie the Verses of Allâh), the Oneness of Allâh, and the Messengership of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم][1]

وَدُّوا۟ لَوۡ تُدۡهِنُ فَيُدۡهِنُونَ

They wish that you should compromise (in religion out of courtesy) with them: so they (too) would compromise with you.

وَلَا تُطِعۡ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍۢ مَّهِينٍ

And (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) obey you not everyone Hallaf Mahîn (the one who swears much and is a liar or is worthless). [Tafsir At-Tabari]

هَمَّازٍۢ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍۢ

A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

مَّنَّاعٍۢ لِّلۡخَيۡرِ مُعۡتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ

Hinderer of the good, transgressor, sinful,

عُتُلٍّۭ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ

Cruel, and moreover base-born (of illegitimate birth).

أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍۢ وَبَنِينَ

(He was so) because he had wealth and children.

إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ

When Our Verses (of the Qur’ân) are recited to him, he says: "Tales of the men of old!"

سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلۡخُرۡطُومِ

We shall brand him on the snout (nose)!

إِنَّا بَلَوۡنَـٰهُمۡ كَمَا بَلَوۡنَآ أَصۡحَـٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ إِذۡ أَقۡسَمُوا۟ لَيَصۡرِمُنَّهَا مُصۡبِحِينَ

Verily, We have tried them as We tried the people of the garden, when they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning,

وَلَا يَسۡتَثۡنُونَ

Without saying: Inshâ’ Allâh (If Allâh wills).

فَطَافَ عَلَيۡهَا طَآئِفٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمۡ نَآئِمُونَ

Then there passed by on the (garden) a visitation (fire) from your Lord at night and burnt it while they were asleep.

فَأَصۡبَحَتۡ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ

So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins).

فَتَنَادَوۡا۟ مُصۡبِحِينَ

Then they called out one to another as soon as the morning broke.

أَنِ ٱغۡدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرۡثِكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰرِمِينَ

Saying: "Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits."

فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمۡ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ

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

أَن لَّا يَدۡخُلَنَّهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّسۡكِينٌۭ

"No Miskîn (poor man) shall enter upon you into it today."

وَغَدَوۡا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرۡدٍۢ قَـٰدِرِينَ

And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power (to prevent the poor taking anything of the fruits therefrom).

فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ

But when they saw the (garden), they said: "Verily, we have gone astray."

بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ

(Then they said): "Nay! Indeed we are deprived of (the fruits)!"

قَالَ أَوۡسَطُهُمۡ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ لَوۡلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ

The best among them said: "Did I not tell you: why say you not: Inshâ’ Allâh (If Allâh wills)."

قَالُوا۟ سُبۡحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ

They said: "Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been Zâlimûn (wrong-doers)."

فَأَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٍۢ يَتَلَـٰوَمُونَ

Then they turned one against another, blaming.

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيۡلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَـٰغِينَ

They said: "Woe to us! Verily, we were Tâghûn (transgressors and disobedient)

عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبۡدِلَنَا خَيۡرًۭا مِّنۡهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ

We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to our Lord (wishing for good that He may forgive our sins and reward us in the Hereafter).

كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكۡبَرُ ۚ لَوۡ كَانُوا۟ يَعۡلَمُونَ

Such is the punishment (in this life), but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they but knew.

إِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

Verily, for the Muttaqûn (the pious - See V.2:2) are Gardens of delight (Paradise) with their Lord.

أَفَنَجۡعَلُ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ كَٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ

Shall We then treat the Muslims (believers of Islamic Monotheism, doers of righteous deeds) like the Mujrimûn (criminals, polytheists and disbelievers, etc.)?

مَا لَكُمۡ كَيۡفَ تَحۡكُمُونَ

What is the matter with you? How judge you?

أَمۡ لَكُمۡ كِتَـٰبٌۭ فِيهِ تَدۡرُسُونَ

Or have you a Book wherein you learn,

إِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ

That you shall therein have all that you choose?

أَمۡ لَكُمۡ أَيۡمَـٰنٌ عَلَيۡنَا بَـٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمۡ لَمَا تَحۡكُمُونَ

Or have you oaths from Us, reaching to the Day of Resurrection, that yours will be what you judge?

سَلۡهُمۡ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ

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

أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شُرَكَآءُ فَلۡيَأۡتُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمۡ إِن كَانُوا۟ صَـٰدِقِينَ

Or have they "partners"? Then let them bring their "partners" if they are truthful!

يَوۡمَ يُكۡشَفُ عَن سَاقٍۢ وَيُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ

(Remember) the Day when the Shin[2] shall be laid bare (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) and they shall be called to prostrate themselves (to Allâh), but they (hypocrites) shall not be able to do so.

خَـٰشِعَةً أَبۡصَـٰرُهُمۡ تَرۡهَقُهُمۡ ذِلَّةٌۭ ۖ وَقَدۡ كَانُوا۟ يُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمۡ سَـٰلِمُونَ

Their eyes will be cast down and ignominy will cover them; they used to be called to prostrate themselves (offer prayers), while they were healthy and good (in the life of the world, but they did not).

فَذَرۡنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

Then leave Me Alone with such as belie this Qur’ân. We shall punish them gradually from directions they perceive not.

وَأُمۡلِى لَهُمۡ ۚ إِنَّ كَيۡدِى مَتِينٌ

And I will grant them a respite. Verily, My Plan is strong.

أَمۡ تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡ أَجۡرًۭا فَهُم مِّن مَّغۡرَمٍۢ مُّثۡقَلُونَ

Or is it that you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) ask them a wage, so that they are heavily burdened with debt?

أَمۡ عِندَهُمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبُ فَهُمۡ يَكۡتُبُونَ

Or that the Ghaib (the Unseen - here in this Verse it means Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz) is in their hands, so that they can write it down?

فَٱصۡبِرۡ لِحُكۡمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلۡحُوتِ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكۡظُومٌۭ

So wait with patience for the Decision of your Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish - when he cried out (to Us) while he was in deep sorrow. (See the Qur’ân, Verse 21:87).

لَّوۡلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعۡمَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذۡمُومٌۭ

Had not a Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been (left in the stomach of the fish, but We forgave him): so he was cast off on the naked shore, while he was to be blamed.

فَٱجۡتَبَـٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ

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

وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَيُزۡلِقُونَكَ بِأَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱلذِّكۡرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجۡنُونٌۭ

And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes (through hatred) when they hear the Reminder (the Qur’ân), and they say: "Verily, he (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) is a madman!"

وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٌۭ لِّلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ

But it is nothing else than a Reminder to all the ‘Âlamîn (mankind, and jinn).