Surah Al-Qalam - English Translation by Hamid S Aziz

نٓۚ وَٱلۡقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسۡطُرُونَ

NUN. I swear by the Pen and by that which they write
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 1

مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجۡنُونٖ

By the grace of your Lord you (Muhammad) are not mad (or stupid, deluded or possessed)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 2

وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجۡرًا غَيۡرَ مَمۡنُونٖ

And most surely you shall have a reward unfailing
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 3

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٖ

And most surely you have the most sublime (or exalted) character
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 4

فَسَتُبۡصِرُ وَيُبۡصِرُونَ

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

بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلۡمَفۡتُونُ

Which of you is afflicted with madness (stupidity or delusion)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 6

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ

Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right guidance
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 7

فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

So do not yield to the rejecters
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 8

وَدُّواْ لَوۡ تُدۡهِنُ فَيُدۡهِنُونَ

They desire that you should be pliant (or compromise) so they too would be pliant (compromise)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 9

وَلَا تُطِعۡ كُلَّ حَلَّافٖ مَّهِينٍ

And yield not to any mean swearer
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 10

هَمَّازٖ مَّشَّآءِۭ بِنَمِيمٖ

Defamer, going about with slander
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 11

مَّنَّاعٖ لِّلۡخَيۡرِ مُعۡتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ

Hinderer (obstructer) of good, transgressor beyond limits, malefactor
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 12

عُتُلِّۭ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ

Ignoble (violent, cruel and greedy), besides all that, base-born (inherently degenerate)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 13

أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٖ وَبَنِينَ

Because he possesses wealth and sons
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 14

إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ

When Our communications are recited to him, he says, "Stories of those of old
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 15

سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلۡخُرۡطُومِ

We will brand him on the snout
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 16

إِنَّا بَلَوۡنَٰهُمۡ كَمَا بَلَوۡنَآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ إِذۡ أَقۡسَمُواْ لَيَصۡرِمُنَّهَا مُصۡبِحِينَ

Surely We will try them as We tried the people of the garden, when they resolved to cut the produce in the morning
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 17

وَلَا يَسۡتَثۡنُونَ

And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 18

فَطَافَ عَلَيۡهَا طَآئِفٞ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمۡ نَآئِمُونَ

Then there encompassed it (the garden) a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 19

فَأَصۡبَحَتۡ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ

So it became as black, barren land
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 20

فَتَنَادَوۡاْ مُصۡبِحِينَ

And they called out to each other in the morning (unaware of what had happened)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 21

أَنِ ٱغۡدُواْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡثِكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰرِمِينَ

Saying, "Go early to your tilth if you would cut the produce
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 22

فَٱنطَلَقُواْ وَهُمۡ يَتَخَٰفَتُونَ

So they went, while they murmured to each other secretly
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 23

أَن لَّا يَدۡخُلَنَّهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّسۡكِينٞ

Saying, "Let no poor man enter it today besides you
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 24

وَغَدَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡدٖ قَٰدِرِينَ

And in the morning they went, strong in this (evil) resolve
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 25

فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡهَا قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ

But when they saw it (the garden), they said, "Most surely we have gone astray
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 26

بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ

Nay! We are made to suffer privation
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 27

قَالَ أَوۡسَطُهُمۡ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ لَوۡلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ

The best of them said, "Did I not say to you, ´Why not glorify (Allah)?´
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 28

قَالُواْ سُبۡحَٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ

They said, "Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 29

فَأَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖ يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ

Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 30

قَالُواْ يَٰوَيۡلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَٰغِينَ

Said they, "O woe to us! Surely we were outrageous transgressors
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 31

عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبۡدِلَنَا خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ

Maybe, our Lord will give us instead a garden better than this; lo! We beseech (or turn in repentance to) our Lord
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 32

كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡعَذَابُۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ أَكۡبَرُۚ لَوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ

Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the Hereafter is even greater, did they but know
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 33

إِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

Surely those who guard against evil shall have with their Lord Gardens of Delight
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 34

أَفَنَجۡعَلُ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ كَٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ

What! Shall We then treat those who have Surrendered (in Islam) as those who are guilty
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 35

مَا لَكُمۡ كَيۡفَ تَحۡكُمُونَ

What ails you? How do you judge
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 36

أَمۡ لَكُمۡ كِتَٰبٞ فِيهِ تَدۡرُسُونَ

Or have you a Book wherein you learn
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 37

إِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ

That you shall have through it whatever you choose
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 38

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

Or have you received from Us an agreement, confirmed by an oath, extending until the Day of Resurrection, that you shall have what you demand
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 39

سَلۡهُمۡ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ

Ask them which of them will vouch for that
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 40

أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شُرَكَآءُ فَلۡيَأۡتُواْ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمۡ إِن كَانُواْ صَٰدِقِينَ

Or have they associates (in the Godhead); then let them produce them if they are truthful
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 41

يَوۡمَ يُكۡشَفُ عَن سَاقٖ وَيُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ

On the day when the Shin (the Hidden Mystery or Truth) shall be laid bare, and they shall be called upon to make obeisance, but they shall not be able
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 42

خَٰشِعَةً أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ تَرۡهَقُهُمۡ ذِلَّةٞۖ وَقَدۡ كَانُواْ يُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمۡ سَٰلِمُونَ

Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them seeing that they had been called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 43

فَذَرۡنِي وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِۖ سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

So leave Me and him who rejects this Announcement (The Message of Muhammad); We will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive not
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 44

وَأُمۡلِي لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ كَيۡدِي مَتِينٌ

Yet I do bear with them, for lo! My plan is firm
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 45

أَمۡ تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡ أَجۡرٗا فَهُم مِّن مَّغۡرَمٖ مُّثۡقَلُونَ

Or do you ask from them a reward, so that they are burdened with debt
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 46

أَمۡ عِندَهُمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبُ فَهُمۡ يَكۡتُبُونَ

Or have they the knowledge of the unseen, so that they write it down
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 47

فَٱصۡبِرۡ لِحُكۡمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلۡحُوتِ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكۡظُومٞ

So wait patiently for the judgment of your Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish (Jonah), when he cried while he was in distress
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 48

لَّوۡلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعۡمَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذۡمُومٞ

Were it not that favour from his Lord had reached him, he would certainly have been cast down upon the naked shore while he was blameworthy
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 49

فَٱجۡتَبَٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ

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

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

And those who disbelieve would almost smite you with their eyes when they hear the Reminder (Quran), and they say, "Most surely he is mad (or possessed)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 51