Surah Al-Qalam

Verse 68:1

نٓ وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا یَسْطُرُوْنَ ۟ۙ

NOOON. WALQ̣ALAMI wa-maa yasṭuroon,―

Nũn. By the pen and what everyone writes!

Verse 68:2

مَاۤ اَنْتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُوْنٍ ۟ۚ

Maaa ʹañta biniʻmati Rabbika bimajnoon.

By the grace of your Lord, you ˹O Prophet˺ are not insane.

Verse 68:3

وَاِنَّ لَكَ لَاَجْرًا غَیْرَ مَمْنُوْنٍ ۟ۚ

Wa-ʹinna laka laʹAjran g̣ayra mamnoon:

You will certainly have a never-ending reward.

Verse 68:4

وَاِنَّكَ لَعَلٰی خُلُقٍ عَظِیْمٍ ۟

Wa-ʹinnaka laʻalaa khuluq̣in ʻaz̤̣eem.

And you are truly ˹a man˺ of outstanding character.

Verse 68:5

فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَیُبْصِرُوْنَ ۟ۙ

Fasatubṣiru wa-yubṣiroon,

Soon you and the pagans will see,

Verse 68:6

بِاَیِّىكُمُ الْمَفْتُوْنُ ۟

Biʹayyikumul maftoon.

which of you is mad.

Verse 68:7

اِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِیْلِهٖ ۪ وَهُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِیْنَ ۟

ʹInna Rabbaka Huwa ʹaʻlamu bimañ ḍalla ʻañ Sabeelih: wa-Huwa ʹAʻlamu bil-Muhtadeen.

Surely your Lord ˹alone˺ knows best who has strayed from His Way and who is ˹rightly˺ guided.

Verse 68:8

فَلَا تُطِعِ الْمُكَذِّبِیْنَ ۟

Falaa tuṭiʻil mukaẓẓibeen.

So do not give in to the deniers.

Verse 68:9

وَدُّوْا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَیُدْهِنُوْنَ ۟

Waddoo law tudhinu fayudhinoon.

They wish you would compromise so they would yield ˹to you˺.

Verse 68:10

وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِیْنٍ ۟ۙ

Wa-laa tuṭiʻ kulla ḥallaafim maheen,

And do not obey the despicable, vain oath-taker,

Verse 68:11

هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍ بِنَمِیْمٍ ۟ۙ

Hammaazim mashshaaaʹim binameem,

slanderer, gossip-monger,

Verse 68:12

مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَیْرِ مُعْتَدٍ اَثِیْمٍ ۟ۙ

Mannaaʻil lilkhayri muʻtadin ʹas̤eem,

withholder of good, transgressor, evildoer,

Verse 68:13

عُتُلٍّ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ زَنِیْمٍ ۟ۙ

ʻUtullim baʻda ẓaalika zaneem,―

brute, and—on top of all that—an illegitimate child.

Verse 68:14

اَنْ كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَّبَنِیْنَ ۟ؕ

ʹAñ kaana ẓaa maaliñwwa baneen.

Now, ˹simply˺ because he has been blessed with ˹abundant˺ wealth and children,

Verse 68:15

اِذَا تُتْلٰی عَلَیْهِ اٰیٰتُنَا قَالَ اَسَاطِیْرُ الْاَوَّلِیْنَ ۟

ʹIẓaa tutlaa ʻalayhi ʹAayaatunaa q̣aala ʹAsaaṭeerul ʹAwwaleen!

whenever Our revelations are recited to him, he says, “Ancient fables!”

Verse 68:16

سَنَسِمُهٗ عَلَی الْخُرْطُوْمِ ۟

Sanasimuhoo ʻalal khurṭoom!

We will soon mark his snout.

Verse 68:17

اِنَّا بَلَوْنٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَاۤ اَصْحٰبَ الْجَنَّةِ ۚ اِذْ اَقْسَمُوْا لَیَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِیْنَ ۟ۙ

ʹInnaa balawnaahum kamaa balawnaaa ʹAṣḥaabal Jannah, ʹiẓ ʹaq̣samoo layaṣrimunnahaa muṣbiḥeen,

Indeed, We have tested those ˹Meccans˺ as We tested the owners of the garden—when they swore they would surely harvest ˹all˺ its fruit in the early morning,

Verse 68:18

وَلَا یَسْتَثْنُوْنَ ۟

Wa-laa yastas̤noon.

leaving no thought for Allah’s Will.

Verse 68:19

فَطَافَ عَلَیْهَا طَآىِٕفٌ مِّنْ رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآىِٕمُوْنَ ۟

Faṭaafa ʻalayhaa ṭaaaʹifum mir Rabbika wa-hum naaaʹimoon.

Then it was struck by a torment from your Lord while they slept,

Verse 68:20

فَاَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِیْمِ ۟ۙ

Faʹaṣbaḥat kaṣṣareem.

so it was reduced to ashes.

Verse 68:21

فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِیْنَ ۟ۙ

Fatanaadaw muṣbiḥeen,

Then by daybreak they called out to each other,

Verse 68:22

اَنِ اغْدُوْا عَلٰی حَرْثِكُمْ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ صٰرِمِیْنَ ۟

ʹAnig̣ doo ʻalaa ḥars̤ikum ʹiñ kuñtum ṣaarimeen.

˹saying,˺ “Go early to your harvest, if you want to pick ˹all˺ the fruit.”

Verse 68:23

فَانْطَلَقُوْا وَهُمْ یَتَخَافَتُوْنَ ۟ۙ

Fañṭalaq̣oo wa-hum yatakhaafatoon―

So they went off, whispering to one another,

Verse 68:24

اَنْ لَّا یَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْیَوْمَ عَلَیْكُمْ مِّسْكِیْنٌ ۟ۙ

ʹAl laa yadkhulannahal yawma ʻalaykum miskeen.

“Do not let any poor person enter your garden today.”

Verse 68:25

وَّغَدَوْا عَلٰی حَرْدٍ قٰدِرِیْنَ ۟

Wa-g̣adaw ʻalaa ḥardiñ q̣aadireen.

And they proceeded early, totally fixated on their purpose.

Verse 68:26

فَلَمَّا رَاَوْهَا قَالُوْۤا اِنَّا لَضَآلُّوْنَ ۟ۙ

Falammaa raʹawhaa q̣aalooo ʹinnaa laḍaaalloon:

But when they saw it ˹devastated˺, they cried, “We must have lost ˹our˺ way!

Verse 68:27

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُوْمُوْنَ ۟

Bal naḥnu maḥroomoon!

In fact, we have been deprived ˹of our livelihood˺.”

Verse 68:28

قَالَ اَوْسَطُهُمْ اَلَمْ اَقُلْ لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُوْنَ ۟

Q̣aala ʹawsaṭuhum ʹalam ʹaq̣ul lakum law-laa tusabbiḥoon?

The most sensible of them said, “Did I not urge you to say, ‘Allah willing.’?”

Verse 68:29

قَالُوْا سُبْحٰنَ رَبِّنَاۤ اِنَّا كُنَّا ظٰلِمِیْنَ ۟

Q̣aaloo Subḥaana Rabbinaaa ʹinnaa kunnaa z̤̣aalimeen!

They replied, “Glory be to our Lord! We have truly been wrongdoers.”

Verse 68:30

فَاَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلٰی بَعْضٍ یَّتَلَاوَمُوْنَ ۟

Faʹaq̣bala baʻḍuhum ʻalaa baʻḍiñy yatalaawamoon.

Then they turned on each other, throwing blame.

Verse 68:31

قَالُوْا یٰوَیْلَنَاۤ اِنَّا كُنَّا طٰغِیْنَ ۟

Q̣aaloo yaa-waylanaaa ʹinnaa kunnaa ṭaag̣een!

They said, “Woe to us! We have certainly been transgressors.

Verse 68:32

عَسٰی رَبُّنَاۤ اَنْ یُّبْدِلَنَا خَیْرًا مِّنْهَاۤ اِنَّاۤ اِلٰی رَبِّنَا رٰغِبُوْنَ ۟

ʻAsaa Rabbunaaa ʹañy yubdilanaa khayram minhaaa ʹinnaaa ʹilaa Rabbinaa raag̣iboon!

We trust our Lord will give us a better garden than this, ˹for˺ we are indeed turning to our Lord with hope.”

Verse 68:33

كَذٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُ ؕ وَلَعَذَابُ الْاٰخِرَةِ اَكْبَرُ ۘ لَوْ كَانُوْا یَعْلَمُوْنَ ۟۠

Kaẓaalikal ʻAẓaab; wa-laʻAẓaabul ʹAakhirati ʹakbar. Law kaanoo yaʻlamoon!

That is the ˹way of Our˺ punishment ˹in this world˺. But the punishment of the Hereafter is certainly far worse, if only they knew.

Verse 68:34

اِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِیْنَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنّٰتِ النَّعِیْمِ ۟

ʹInna lil-Muttaq̣eena ʻiñda Rabbihim Jannatin Naʻeem.

Indeed, the righteous will have the Gardens of Bliss with their Lord.

Verse 68:35

اَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِیْنَ كَالْمُجْرِمِیْنَ ۟ؕ

ʹAfanajʻalul Muslimeena kalmujrimeen?

Should We then treat those who have submitted like the wicked?

Verse 68:36

مَا لَكُمْ ۥ كَیْفَ تَحْكُمُوْنَ ۟ۚ

Maa- lakum? kayfa taḥkumoon?

What is the matter with you? How do you judge?

Verse 68:37

اَمْ لَكُمْ كِتٰبٌ فِیْهِ تَدْرُسُوْنَ ۟ۙ

ʹAm lakum Kitaabuñ feehi tadrusoon―

Or do you have a scripture, in which you read

Verse 68:38

اِنَّ لَكُمْ فِیْهِ لَمَا تَخَیَّرُوْنَ ۟ۚ

ʹInna lakum feehi lamaa takhayyaroon?

that you will have whatever you choose?

Verse 68:39

اَمْ لَكُمْ اَیْمَانٌ عَلَیْنَا بَالِغَةٌ اِلٰی یَوْمِ الْقِیٰمَةِ ۙ اِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُوْنَ ۟ۚ

ʹAm lakum ʹAymaanun ʻalaynaa baalig̣atun ʹilaa Yawmil Q̣iyaamati ʹinna lakum lamaa taḥkumoon?

Or do you have oaths binding on Us until the Day of Judgment that you will have whatever you decide?

Verse 68:40

سَلْهُمْ اَیُّهُمْ بِذٰلِكَ زَعِیْمٌ ۟ۚۛ

Salhum ʹayyuhum̃ biẓaalika zaʻeem!

Ask them ˹O Prophet˺ which of them can guarantee all that.

Verse 68:41

اَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ ۛۚ فَلْیَاْتُوْا بِشُرَكَآىِٕهِمْ اِنْ كَانُوْا صٰدِقِیْنَ ۟

ʹAm lahum shurakaaaʹu fal-yaʹtoo bishurakaaaʹihim ʹiñ kaanoo ṣaadiq̣een!

Or do they have associate-gods ˹supporting this claim˺? Then let them bring forth their associate-gods, if what they say is true.

Verse 68:42

یَوْمَ یُكْشَفُ عَنْ سَاقٍ وَّیُدْعَوْنَ اِلَی السُّجُوْدِ فَلَا یَسْتَطِیْعُوْنَ ۟ۙ

Yawma yukshafu ʻañ saaq̣iñw wayudʻawna ʹilas sujoodi falaa yastaṭeeʻoon,―

˹Beware of˺ the Day the Shin ˹of Allah˺ will be bared, and the wicked will be asked to prostrate, but they will not be able to do so,

Verse 68:43

خَاشِعَةً اَبْصَارُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ؕ وَقَدْ كَانُوْا یُدْعَوْنَ اِلَی السُّجُوْدِ وَهُمْ سٰلِمُوْنَ ۟

Khaashiʻatan ʹabṣaaruhum tarhaq̣uhum ẓillah: wa-q̣ad kaanoo yudʻawna ʹilas sujoodi wa-hum saalimoon.

with eyes downcast, totally covered with disgrace. For they were ˹always˺ called to prostrate ˹in the world˺ when they were fully capable ˹but they chose not to˺.

Verse 68:44

فَذَرْنِیْ وَمَنْ یُّكَذِّبُ بِهٰذَا الْحَدِیْثِ ؕ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُمْ مِّنْ حَیْثُ لَا یَعْلَمُوْنَ ۟ۙ

Faẓarnee wa-mañy yukaẓẓibu bihaaẓal Ḥadees̤: sanastadrijuhum min ḥays̤u laa- yaʻlamoon.

So leave to Me ˹O Prophet˺ those who reject this message. We will gradually draw them to destruction in ways they cannot comprehend.

Verse 68:45

وَاُمْلِیْ لَهُمْ ؕ اِنَّ كَیْدِیْ مَتِیْنٌ ۟

Wa-ʹumlee lahum: ʹinna kaydee mateen.

I ˹only˺ delay their end for a while, but My planning is flawless.

Verse 68:46

اَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ اَجْرًا فَهُمْ مِّنْ مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُوْنَ ۟ۚ

ʹAm tasʹaluhum ʹajrañ fahum mim mag̣ramim mus̤q̣aloon?

Or are you asking them for a reward ˹for the message˺ so that they are overburdened by debt?

Verse 68:47

اَمْ عِنْدَهُمُ الْغَیْبُ فَهُمْ یَكْتُبُوْنَ ۟

ʹAm ʻiñdahumul G̣aybu fahum yaktuboon?

Or do they have access to ˹the Record in˺ the unseen, so they copy it ˹for all to see˺?

Verse 68:48

فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُنْ كَصَاحِبِ الْحُوْتِ ۘ اِذْ نَادٰی وَهُوَ مَكْظُوْمٌ ۟ؕ

Faṣbir li-Ḥukmi Rabbika wa-laa takuñ ka-Ṣaaḥibil Ḥoot. ʹIẓ naadaa wa-huwa makz̤̣oom.

So be patient with your Lord’s decree, and do not be like ˹Jonah,˺ the Man of the Whale, who cried out ˹to Allah˺, in total distress.

Verse 68:49

لَوْلَاۤ اَنْ تَدٰرَكَهٗ نِعْمَةٌ مِّنْ رَّبِّهٖ لَنُبِذَ بِالْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُوْمٌ ۟

Law-laaa ʹañ tadaarakahoo Niʻmatum mir Rabbihee lanubiẓa bilʻaraaaʹi wa-huwa maẓmoom.

Had he not been shown grace by his Lord, he would have certainly been cast onto the open ˹shore˺, still blameworthy.

Verse 68:50

فَاجْتَبٰىهُ رَبُّهٗ فَجَعَلَهٗ مِنَ الصّٰلِحِیْنَ ۟

Fajtabaahu Rabbuhoo fajaʻalahoo minaṣ Ṣaaliḥeen.

Then his Lord chose him, making him one of the righteous.

Verse 68:51

وَاِنْ یَّكَادُ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَیُزْلِقُوْنَكَ بِاَبْصَارِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا الذِّكْرَ وَیَقُوْلُوْنَ اِنَّهٗ لَمَجْنُوْنٌ ۟ۘ

Wa-ʹiñy yakaadul laẓeena kafaroo layuzliq̣oonaka biʹabṣaarihim lammaa samiʻuẓ Ẓikra wa-yaq̣ooloona ʹinnahoo lamajnoon!

The disbelievers would almost cut you down with their eyes when they hear ˹you recite˺ the Reminder, and say, “He is certainly a madman.”

Verse 68:52

وَمَا هُوَ اِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعٰلَمِیْنَ ۟۠

Wa-maa huwa ʹillaa Ẓikrul lilʻAalameen.

But it is simply a reminder to the whole world.