Surah Al-Qalam - English Translation by Abdul Hye

نٓۚ وَٱلۡقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسۡطُرُونَ

Nun. By the pen and what they (angels) write (records of people)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 1

مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجۡنُونٖ

By the Grace of your Lord you (O Muhammad) are not a madman
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 2

وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجۡرًا غَيۡرَ مَمۡنُونٖ

and surely, you (O Muhammad) will have an endless reward
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 3

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٖ

And surely, you (O Muhammad) are on an exalted (standard of) character
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 4

فَسَتُبۡصِرُ وَيُبۡصِرُونَ

Soon you will see and they will see
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 5

بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلۡمَفۡتُونُ

which of you is afflicted with madness
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 6

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ

Surely, your Lord knows those better who have gone astray from His Way, and He is the Best Knower of those who are guided
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 7

فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

So (O Muhammad) don’t yield to the deniers (of Islam)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 8

وَدُّواْ لَوۡ تُدۡهِنُ فَيُدۡهِنُونَ

They wish that you should compromise (in religion with them), so they would also compromise with you
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 9

وَلَا تُطِعۡ كُلَّ حَلَّافٖ مَّهِينٍ

Don’t yield to everyone who swears much and is considered worthless
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 10

هَمَّازٖ مَّشَّآءِۭ بِنَمِيمٖ

a slanderer, going about with mischief
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 11

مَّنَّاعٖ لِّلۡخَيۡرِ مُعۡتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ

opponent of the good, transgressor, sinful
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 12

عُتُلِّۭ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ

cruel, and moreover wicked (of illegitimate birth)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 13

أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٖ وَبَنِينَ

though he has wealth and children
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 14

إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ

When Our Verses (of the Qur’an) are recited to him, he says: “Tales of the people of old!”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 15

سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلۡخُرۡطُومِ

We shall brand the one over the nose
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 16

إِنَّا بَلَوۡنَٰهُمۡ كَمَا بَلَوۡنَآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ إِذۡ أَقۡسَمُواْ لَيَصۡرِمُنَّهَا مُصۡبِحِينَ

Surely, We shall try them as We tried the people of the garden when they swore to pick the fruits of the garden in the morning
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 17

وَلَا يَسۡتَثۡنُونَ

without saying: If Allah wills
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 18

فَطَافَ عَلَيۡهَا طَآئِفٞ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمۡ نَآئِمُونَ

Then something (fire) from your Lord passed by on the garden (at night and burnt it) while they were asleep
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 19

فَأَصۡبَحَتۡ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ

so the garden became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (completely ruined)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 20

فَتَنَادَوۡاْ مُصۡبِحِينَ

Then they called out one to another as soon as the morning broke
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 21

أَنِ ٱغۡدُواْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡثِكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰرِمِينَ

saying: “Go to your tilth in the morning if you want to pick the fruits.”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 22

فَٱنطَلَقُواْ وَهُمۡ يَتَخَٰفَتُونَ

So they departed and whispered in secret low tones (saying)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 23

أَن لَّا يَدۡخُلَنَّهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّسۡكِينٞ

“Let no poor person enter into the garden today.”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 24

وَغَدَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡدٖ قَٰدِرِينَ

And then they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have powers (to prevent the poor from taking any of the fruits)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 25

فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡهَا قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ

But when they saw the garden, they said: “Surely, we have gone astray
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 26

بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ

(then they said): Nay! Indeed we have been deprived (of the fruits)!”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 27

قَالَ أَوۡسَطُهُمۡ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ لَوۡلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ

The best among them said: “Did I not tell you: why do you not glorify Allah (If Allah wills)?”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 28

قَالُواْ سُبۡحَٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ

They said: “Glory to our Lord! Surely, we have been wrongdoers.”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 29

فَأَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖ يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ

So they started blaming one another
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 30

قَالُواْ يَٰوَيۡلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَٰغِينَ

(Later) they said: “Woe to us! Surely, we had become transgressors
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 31

عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبۡدِلَنَا خَيۡرٗا 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.”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 32

كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡعَذَابُۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ أَكۡبَرُۚ لَوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ

Such is the punishment (in this life) and truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they but knew
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 33

إِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

Surely, the pious will be rewarded with gardens of delight (Paradise) by their Lord
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 34

أَفَنَجۡعَلُ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ كَٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ

Shall We then treat the Muslims like the criminals
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 35

مَا لَكُمۡ كَيۡفَ تَحۡكُمُونَ

What is the matter with you? How do you judge
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 36

أَمۡ لَكُمۡ كِتَٰبٞ فِيهِ تَدۡرُسُونَ

Or do you have a book from which you learn
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 37

إِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ

that you shall have in it all that you choose
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 38

أَمۡ لَكُمۡ أَيۡمَٰنٌ عَلَيۡنَا بَٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ إِنَّ لَكُمۡ لَمَا تَحۡكُمُونَ

Or do you have oaths from Us reaching to the Day of Resurrection that your will have whatever you judge
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 39

سَلۡهُمۡ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ

Ask if anyone of them will Promise for that
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 40

أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شُرَكَآءُ فَلۡيَأۡتُواْ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمۡ إِن كَانُواْ صَٰدِقِينَ

Or do they have ‘partners (other deities besides Allah)?’ Then let them bring their ‘partners’ if they are truthful
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 41

يَوۡمَ يُكۡشَفُ عَن سَاقٖ وَيُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ

(Remember) the Day (of Judgment) when the events shall be unfolded and they shall be called to prostrate (to Allah), but they shall not be able to do so
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 42

خَٰشِعَةً أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ تَرۡهَقُهُمۡ ذِلَّةٞۖ وَقَدۡ كَانُواْ يُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمۡ سَٰلِمُونَ

Their eyes will be cast down, humiliation will cover them; because they used to be called to prostrate (offer prayers), and they were healthy and good (in the world, but they refused to do so)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 43

فَذَرۡنِي وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِۖ سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

Then (O Muhammad) leave Me Alone with those who deny this speech (Qur’an). We shall punish them gradually from where they don’t perceive
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 44

وَأُمۡلِي لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ كَيۡدِي مَتِينٌ

And I will (even) grant them a respite. Surely, My plan is strong
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 45

أَمۡ تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡ أَجۡرٗا فَهُم مِّن مَّغۡرَمٖ مُّثۡقَلُونَ

Or have you (O Muhammad) asked them a wage, so they are heavily burdened from debt
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 46

أَمۡ عِندَهُمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبُ فَهُمۡ يَكۡتُبُونَ

Or do they have the (knowledge of the) unseen with them, so they can write it down
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 47

فَٱصۡبِرۡ لِحُكۡمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلۡحُوتِ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكۡظُومٞ

So wait with patience for the decision of your Lord, and don’t be like the companion of the fish (reference to Prophet Jonah who was swallowed by a fish), who cried out (to Us) while he was in distress
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 48

لَّوۡلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعۡمَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذۡمُومٞ

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 blamed
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 49

فَٱجۡتَبَٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ

But his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 50

وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَيُزۡلِقُونَكَ بِأَبۡصَٰرِهِمۡ لَمَّا سَمِعُواْ ٱلذِّكۡرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجۡنُونٞ

And surely, the disbelievers would almost make you slip with their eyes (through hatred) when they hear the reminder (the Qur’an), and they say: “Surely, he (Muhammad) is a madman!”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 51