Surah Al-Qalam - English Translation by Mir Aneesuddin
نٓۚ وَٱلۡقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسۡطُرُونَ
Noon. By the pen and that which they write (with it)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 1
مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجۡنُونٖ
by the grace of your Lord you are not under the influence of the jinn
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 2
وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجۡرًا غَيۡرَ مَمۡنُونٖ
And there is certainly a reward for you, which will never fail
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 3
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٖ
And you are certainly of an exalted character
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 4
فَسَتُبۡصِرُ وَيُبۡصِرُونَ
So you will see and they (too) will see (as to)
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
Your Lord certainly knows best him who has gone astray from His way and He knows best those who receive guidance
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 7
فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ
So do not obey the liars
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 8
وَدُّواْ لَوۡ تُدۡهِنُ فَيُدۡهِنُونَ
they like that you should compromise, so that they (too) would compromise
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 9
وَلَا تُطِعۡ كُلَّ حَلَّافٖ مَّهِينٍ
And do not obey any disgraceful person who swears much
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 10
هَمَّازٖ مَّشَّآءِۭ بِنَمِيمٖ
defamer, going about spreading slander
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 11
مَّنَّاعٖ لِّلۡخَيۡرِ مُعۡتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ
forbidder of good, exceeder of limits, sinful
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 12
عُتُلِّۭ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ
merciless, besides that, mean
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 signs are recited to him, he says, “Stories of the ancient.”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 15
سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلۡخُرۡطُومِ
We will brand him on the nose
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 16
إِنَّا بَلَوۡنَٰهُمۡ كَمَا بَلَوۡنَآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ إِذۡ أَقۡسَمُواْ لَيَصۡرِمُنَّهَا مُصۡبِحِينَ
We tried them as We tried the inhabitants of the garden when they swore that they would pluck its fruit in the morning
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 17
وَلَا يَسۡتَثۡنُونَ
and they did not like to keep aside (a portion for the poor)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 18
فَطَافَ عَلَيۡهَا طَآئِفٞ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمۡ نَآئِمُونَ
So there went around it, a circuit (of disaster) from your Lord while they were asleep
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 19
فَأَصۡبَحَتۡ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ
so that the (garden) became as if (it was already) plucked
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 20
فَتَنَادَوۡاْ مُصۡبِحِينَ
And they cried out to each other in the morning
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 21
أَنِ ٱغۡدُواْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡثِكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰرِمِينَ
saying, “Go to your field in the morning, if you are to pluck (the fruits).”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 22
فَٱنطَلَقُواْ وَهُمۡ يَتَخَٰفَتُونَ
So they went whispering to one another
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 23
أَن لَّا يَدۡخُلَنَّهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّسۡكِينٞ
that, “No poor man shall enter it today (to beg) from you.”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 24
وَغَدَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡدٖ قَٰدِرِينَ
And (when they went) in the morning, (they presumed that) they had power on their determination (to pluck the fruit)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 25
فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡهَا قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ
but when they saw it, they said, “We are certainly in error
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 26
بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ
no, we are those who have been deprived (of receiving the benefit of our labour).”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 27
قَالَ أَوۡسَطُهُمۡ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ لَوۡلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ
One balanced among them said, “Did I not tell you? Had you glorified (by regarding God above all, this would not have happened).”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 28
قَالُواْ سُبۡحَٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ
They said, “Glorified be our Lord, we were certainly unjust.”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 29
فَأَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖ يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ
Then they turned, some blaming the others
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 30
قَالُواْ يَٰوَيۡلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَٰغِينَ
They said, “Sorrowful is our state, we were rebellious
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 31
عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبۡدِلَنَا خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ
it may be that our Lord will give us in exchange, a better (garden) than this; to our Lord (we turn as) seekers (of His grace).”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 32
كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡعَذَابُۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ أَكۡبَرُۚ لَوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ
Such was the punishment, and the punishment of the hereafter is greater, had they but known
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 33
إِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
For those who guard (against evil), there will certainly be gardens of bliss with their Lord
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 34
أَفَنَجۡعَلُ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ كَٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ
Shall We make those who submit (as Muslims), like the criminals
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 35
مَا لَكُمۡ كَيۡفَ تَحۡكُمُونَ
What is (wrong) with you? How do you judge
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 36
أَمۡ لَكُمۡ كِتَٰبٞ فِيهِ تَدۡرُسُونَ
Or have you a book through which you learn
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 37
إِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ
that you shall have therein what you choose
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 38
أَمۡ لَكُمۡ أَيۡمَٰنٌ عَلَيۡنَا بَٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ إِنَّ لَكُمۡ لَمَا تَحۡكُمُونَ
Or do you have an agreement from Us which extends till the day of resurrection that you will have what you order (for)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 39
سَلۡهُمۡ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ
Ask them, which of them will be a claimant of that
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 40
أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شُرَكَآءُ فَلۡيَأۡتُواْ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمۡ إِن كَانُواْ صَٰدِقِينَ
Or have they partners? Then let them bring their partners if they are truthful
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 41
يَوۡمَ يُكۡشَفُ عَن سَاقٖ وَيُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ
On the day (the covering) will be removed from the ankle (there being a calamity), and they will be called for prostrations, but they will not be able to (prostrate)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 42
خَٰشِعَةً أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ تَرۡهَقُهُمۡ ذِلَّةٞۖ وَقَدۡ كَانُواْ يُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمۡ سَٰلِمُونَ
their looks will be humbled, disgrace will cover them. And indeed they used to be called for prostrations when they were sound, (but they used to refuse)
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 43
فَذَرۡنِي وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِۖ سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ
So leave Me and him who denies this statement, We will gradually catch them from such a position that they will not know
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 44
وَأُمۡلِي لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ كَيۡدِي مَتِينٌ
And I give them time, My plot is certainly firm
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 45
أَمۡ تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡ أَجۡرٗا فَهُم مِّن مَّغۡرَمٖ مُّثۡقَلُونَ
Do you ask them for a reward so that they are burdened with a lasting difficulty
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 46
أَمۡ عِندَهُمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبُ فَهُمۡ يَكۡتُبُونَ
Or is (the knowledge of) the unseen with them, 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 command of your Lord and do not be like the companion of the fish (Jonah) when he called out while he was in grief
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 48
لَّوۡلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعۡمَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذۡمُومٞ
Had the favour of his Lord not reached him, he would have been (left) cast on the naked shore while he was blamed
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 49
فَٱجۡتَبَٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
Then 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 those who do not believe, when they hear the reminder, (give such an impression) by their looks that they would almost pull you down from your position and say, “He is indeed under the influence of the jinn.”
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 51
وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ
And this is nothing but a reminder to the worlds
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 52