Surah Al-Qalam - English Translation by Dr Kamal Omar
نٓۚ وَٱلۡقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسۡطُرُونَ
The pen and whatever people record in writing in straight lines become a witness,—
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 1
مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجۡنُونٖ
(that) you are not, by the Grace of your Nourisher-Sustainer, a fanatic
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 2
وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجۡرًا غَيۡرَ مَمۡنُونٖ
and surely, for you is indeed a reward not subjected to interruption
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 3
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٖ
and surely, you indeed (stand) on a character of exalted standard
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 4
فَسَتُبۡصِرُ وَيُبۡصِرُونَ
And very soon you will see, and they will (also) see —
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 5
بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلۡمَفۡتُونُ
with which of you (is the state of) being affected in test and tribulations
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 6
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ
Verily, your Nourisher-Sustainer: He knows better who went astray from His Path, and He knows better those who stand guided
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 7
فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ
So obey not the deniers (of Al-Kitab)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 8
وَدُّواْ لَوۡ تُدۡهِنُ فَيُدۡهِنُونَ
They wished if you compromise (in Religion) then they (too) would compromise
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 9
وَلَا تُطِعۡ كُلَّ حَلَّافٖ مَّهِينٍ
And never obey any one who swears much, who has no regard for his integrity
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 10
هَمَّازٖ مَّشَّآءِۭ بِنَمِيمٖ
one who is a slanderer, very active (in) defaming (others)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 11
مَّنَّاعٖ لِّلۡخَيۡرِ مُعۡتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ
one who forbids anything desirable, one who is transgressor, one who repeatedly indulges in sins
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 12
عُتُلِّۭ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ
one who is ill-mannered (violent, cruel, and misbehaves without reason), (and) over and above it (he is) one who has bad reputation
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 13
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٖ وَبَنِينَ
(such a personality he developed) because he became a possessor of wealth and sons
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 14
إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ
When Our Verses are recited unto him, he said: “Writings of the initial people!”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 15
سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلۡخُرۡطُومِ
Soon We shall brand him (hot) over the nose
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 16
إِنَّا بَلَوۡنَٰهُمۡ كَمَا بَلَوۡنَآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ إِذۡ أَقۡسَمُواْ لَيَصۡرِمُنَّهَا مُصۡبِحِينَ
Verily, We have subjected them to retribution in the same way as We subjected to retribution the ‘owners of the garden’ when they swore: definitely they shall pluck its fruits (as soon as they are) those who face the dawn
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 17
وَلَا يَسۡتَثۡنُونَ
and they make no exception or reservation [i.e., did not utter the words Insha Allaho (if Allah Willed]
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 18
فَطَافَ عَلَيۡهَا طَآئِفٞ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمۡ نَآئِمُونَ
Then moved over this (garden) a swiftly moving (torment) proceeding from your Nourisher-Sustainer while they were those who are asleep
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 19
فَأَصۡبَحَتۡ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ
so (the garden) became by the early dawn as one whose fruit is completely plucked out
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 20
فَتَنَادَوۡاْ مُصۡبِحِينَ
Then they called out to one another (as soon as they were) those who face the dawn
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 21
أَنِ ٱغۡدُواْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡثِكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰرِمِينَ
that: “Move on to your tilth early morning if you be those who pluck the fruits. ”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 22
فَٱنطَلَقُواْ وَهُمۡ يَتَخَٰفَتُونَ
So they moved, and they talk among themselves in low tone
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 23
أَن لَّا يَدۡخُلَنَّهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّسۡكِينٞ
that: “Shall not enter this (garden), this day, in your presence, any of the indigent one (who may expect a share in our produce).”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 24
وَغَدَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡدٖ قَٰدِرِينَ
And they moved very early in the morning (thinhead of state themselves to be) those who are very capable over (implementing their desired) prohibition
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 25
فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡهَا قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ
But when they saw that (garden), they said: “Verily we are indeed those who have lost the track
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 26
بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ
Nay! We are those who stand deprived (of our own produce).”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 27
قَالَ أَوۡسَطُهُمۡ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ لَوۡلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ
One more just among them said: “Did I not tell you why don’t you glorify (Allah by adopting the teachings of His Al-Kitab) ?”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 28
قَالُواْ سُبۡحَٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ
They said: “Glory be to our Nourisher-Sustainer! Surely we, we (ourselves) had been transgressors.”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 29
فَأَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖ يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ
Then some of them came face to face to some (others of them): they blame one another
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 30
قَالُواْ يَٰوَيۡلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَٰغِينَ
They said: “Oh, woe to us! Surely we, we (ourselves) had been disobedient arrogants
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 31
عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبۡدِلَنَا خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ
May be our Nourisher-Sustainer (takes us in mercy and) that He may give instead (an orchard) better than that (which He decided to put in ruins). Truly we, to our Nourisher-Sustainer, (become) those who attach (themselves to His Path).”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 32
كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡعَذَابُۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ أَكۡبَرُۚ لَوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ
Like this (comes) the punishment (from Allah in this very world); and indeed the punishment in the Hereafter is greater, provided the people had been knowing (such facts of existence)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 33
إِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
Verily, for the Muttaqun: with their Nourisher-Sustainer (are) Gardens of Delight
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 34
أَفَنَجۡعَلُ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ كَٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ
Shall We then treat Al-Muslimun like Al-Mujrimun
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
Is for you a book in which you take lesson
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 37
إِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ
Then certainly, for you therein is indeed (all such material) which you judge as better
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 38
أَمۡ لَكُمۡ أَيۡمَٰنٌ عَلَيۡنَا بَٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ إِنَّ لَكُمۡ لَمَا تَحۡكُمُونَ
Are unto you written therein commitments on My behalf extending to the Day of Resurrection — (that) certainly (are) in your interest, indeed, whatsoever you judge
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 39
سَلۡهُمۡ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ
Ask them, who of them stands as a surety for that
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 40
أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شُرَكَآءُ فَلۡيَأۡتُواْ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمۡ إِن كَانُواْ صَٰدِقِينَ
Or, for them are ‘partners’ (in the Dominion of Allah)? Then let them come with their ‘partners’ if they became those who speak the truth
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 41
يَوۡمَ يُكۡشَفُ عَن سَاقٖ وَيُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ
The Day the covering is removed from the shin (i.e., a terror and anxiety is created in a person) and they are called towards prostrations (to Allah alone), but they do not have the capacity
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 42
خَٰشِعَةً أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ تَرۡهَقُهُمۡ ذِلَّةٞۖ وَقَدۡ كَانُواْ يُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمۡ سَٰلِمُونَ
Their eyes becoming in castdown position, humiliation covers them, and surely they used to be called towards prostrations while they were healthy and sound (but they avoided Prayers and bypassed the teachings of Allah’s Book)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 43
فَذَرۡنِي وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِۖ سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ
So (now) leave Me (alone) and that who belies this Al-Hadees. Soon We shall draw them (near to destruction) step by step from whence they know not
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 44
وَأُمۡلِي لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ كَيۡدِي مَتِينٌ
And I give them respite; verily, My plan is very effective
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 45
أَمۡ تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡ أَجۡرٗا فَهُم مِّن مَّغۡرَمٖ مُّثۡقَلُونَ
Do you ask them a reward so that they from (such a) tax are those who are heavily burdened
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 46
أَمۡ عِندَهُمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبُ فَهُمۡ يَكۡتُبُونَ
Or with them is al-ghaib [‘the unseen’ (source of the Divine Knowledge)] so they write down (with their own hands ‘religious verdicts’, and giving them the title of hadees, associate them to Allah and the Prophet)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 47
فَٱصۡبِرۡ لِحُكۡمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلۡحُوتِ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكۡظُومٞ
So wait with patience for the Decree of your Nourisher-Sustainer, and do not be like the companion of the fish when he cried out to Us while he was in deep sorrow
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 48
لَّوۡلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعۡمَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذۡمُومٞ
Had not a Grace from his Nourisher-Sustainer stringed him, indeed he would have been cast on the bare land along the shore and he would have been a reproved one
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 49
فَٱجۡتَبَٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
So his Nourisher-Sustainer chose him and regarded him of the righteous
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 50
وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَيُزۡلِقُونَكَ بِأَبۡصَٰرِهِمۡ لَمَّا سَمِعُواْ ٱلذِّكۡرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجۡنُونٞ
And if those who have disbelieved could, they indeed would have made you slip (off the Path) by (the mischievous glance of) their eyes as and when they heard Az-Zikr and they will say: “Verily, he is a fanatic.”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 51
وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ
Although it is not but Zikrun-lil-alamin (‘Message to the worlds’)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 52