Surah 68 · Al-Qalam

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

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

3And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing

4And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature

5And thou wilt see and they will see

6Which of you is the demented

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

8Therefor obey not thou the rejecters

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

10Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger

11Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders

12Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor

13Greedy therewithal, intrusive

14It is because he is possessed of wealth and children

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

16We shall brand him on the nose

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

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

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

20And in the morning it was as if plucked

21And they cried out one unto another in the morning

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

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

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

25They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose

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

27Nay, but we are desolate

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

36What aileth you? How foolishly ye judge

37Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn

38That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

52When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation