نٓ ۚ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ﴿١﴾
Nūn wal-qalami wamā yasṭurūn
Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith),
القلم
68. Al-Qalam
The Pen · Meccan · 52 verses
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Bismi Allāhi ar-raḥmāni ar-raḥīm
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ ﴿٢﴾
Mā anta biniʿmati rabbika bimajnūn
Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman.
وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ ﴿٣﴾
Waʾinna laka laʾajran ghayra mamnūn
And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing.
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٤﴾
Waʾinnaka laʿalā khuluqin ʿaẓīm
And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.
فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ ﴿٥﴾
Fasatubṣiru wayubṣirūn
And thou wilt see and they will see
بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلْمَفْتُونُ ﴿٦﴾
Biʾayyikumu al-maftūn
Which of you is the demented.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿٧﴾
Inna rabbaka huwa aʿlamu biman ḍalla ʿan sabīlihi wahuwa aʿlamu bil-muhtadīn
Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.
فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ﴿٨﴾
Falā tuṭiʿi al-mukadhdhibīn
Therefor obey not thou the rejecters
وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ ﴿٩﴾
Waddū law tudhinu fayudhinūn
Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise.
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ ﴿١٠﴾
Walā tuṭiʿ kulla ḥallāfin mahīn
Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger,
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍ ﴿١١﴾
Hammāzin mashshāʾin binamīm
Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ ﴿١٢﴾
Mannāʿin lilkhayri muʿtadin athīm
Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor
عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ ﴿١٣﴾
ʿutullin baʿda dhālika zanīm
Greedy therewithal, intrusive.
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ ﴿١٤﴾
An kāna dhā mālin wabanīn
It is because he is possessed of wealth and children
إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿١٥﴾
Idhā tutlā ʿalayhi āyātunā qāla asāṭīru al-awwalīn
That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old.
سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ ﴿١٦﴾
Sanasimuhu ʿalā al-khurṭūm
We shall brand him on the nose.
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ ﴿١٧﴾
Innā balawnāhum kamā balawnā aṣḥāba al-jannati idh aqsamū layaṣrimunnahā muṣbiḥīn
Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning,
وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ ﴿١٨﴾
Walā yastathnūn
And made no exception (for the Will of Allah);
فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ ﴿١٩﴾
Faṭāfa ʿalayhā ṭāʾifun min rabbika wahum nāʾimūn
Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept
فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ ﴿٢٠﴾
Faʾaṣbaḥat kaṣ-ṣarīm
And in the morning it was as if plucked.
فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ ﴿٢١﴾
Fatanādaw muṣbiḥīn
And they cried out one unto another in the morning,
أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰرِمِينَ ﴿٢٢﴾
Ani ughdū ʿalā ḥarthikum in kuntum ṣārimīn
Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit).
فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
Fānṭalaqū wahum yatakhāfatūn
So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones:
أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ ﴿٢٤﴾
An lā yadkhulannahā al-yawma ʿalaykum miskīn
No needy man shall enter it to-day against you.
وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَـٰدِرِينَ ﴿٢٥﴾
Waghadaw ʿalā ḥardin qādirīn
They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose.
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ ﴿٢٦﴾
Falammā raʾawhā qālū innā laḍāllūn
But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error!
بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾
Bal naḥnu maḥrūmūn
Nay, but we are desolate!
قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ ﴿٢٨﴾
Qāla awsaṭuhum alam aqul lakum lawlā tusabbiḥūn
The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah)?
قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ ﴿٢٩﴾
Qālū subḥāna rabbinā innā kunnā ẓālimīn
They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong-doers.
فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَـٰوَمُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾
Faʾaqbala baʿḍuhum ʿalā baʿḍin yatalāwamūn
Then some of them drew near unto others, self-reproaching.
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَـٰغِينَ ﴿٣١﴾
Qālū yā waylanā innā kunnā ṭāghīn
They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous.
عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾
ʿasā rabbunā an yubdilanā khayran minhā innā ilā rabbinā rāghibūn
It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord.
كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾
Kadhālika al-ʿadhābu walaʿadhābu al-ākhirati akbaru law kānū yaʿlamūn
Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know.
إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ ﴿٣٤﴾
Inna lilmuttaqīna ʿinda rabbihim jannāti an-naʿīm
Lo! for those who keep from evil are gardens of bliss with their Lord.
أَفَنَجْعَلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ كَٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ ﴿٣٥﴾
Afanajʿalu al-muslimīna kal-mujrimīn
Shall We then treat those who have surrendered as We treat the guilty?
مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ ﴿٣٦﴾
Mā lakum kayfa taḥkumūn
What aileth you? How foolishly ye judge!
أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَـٰبٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ ﴿٣٧﴾
Am lakum kitābun fīhi tadrusūn
Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn
إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ ﴿٣٨﴾
Inna lakum fīhi lamā takhayyarūn
That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose?
أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَـٰنٌ عَلَيْنَا بَـٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ ﴿٣٩﴾
Am lakum aymānun ʿalaynā bālighatun ilā yawmi al-qiyāmati inna lakum lamā taḥkumūn
Or have ye a covenant on oath from Us that reacheth to the Day of Judgment, that yours shall be all that ye ordain?
سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ ﴿٤٠﴾
Salhum ayyuhum bidhālika zaʿīm
Ask them (O Muhammad) which of them will vouch for that!
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ صَـٰدِقِينَ ﴿٤١﴾
Am lahum shurakāʾu falyaʾtū bishurakāʾihim in kānū ṣādiqīn
Or have they other gods? Then let them bring their other gods if they are truthful
يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾
Yawma yukshafu ʿan sāqin wayudʿawna ilā as-sujūdi falā yastaṭīʿūn
On the day when it befalleth in earnest, and they are ordered to prostrate themselves but are not able,
خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَـٰلِمُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾
Khāshiʿatan abṣāruhum tarhaquhum dhillatun waqad kānū yudʿawna ilā as-sujūdi wahum sālimūn
With eyes downcast, abasement stupefying them. And they had been summoned to prostrate themselves while they were yet unhurt.
فَذَرْنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٤٤﴾
Fadharnī waman yukadhdhibu bihādhā al-ḥadīthi sanastadrijuhum min ḥaythu lā yaʿlamūn
Leave Me (to deal) with those who give the lie to this pronouncement. We shall lead them on by steps from whence they know not.
وَأُمْلِى لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِى مَتِينٌ ﴿٤٥﴾
Waʾumlī lahum inna kaydī matīn
Yet I bear with them, for lo! My scheme is firm.
أَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ ﴿٤٦﴾
Am tasʾaluhum ajran fahum min maghramin muthqalūn
Or dost thou (Muhammad) ask a fee from them so that they are heavily taxed?
أَمْ عِندَهُمُ ٱلْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ ﴿٤٧﴾
Am ʿindahumu al-ghaybu fahum yaktubūn
Or is the Unseen theirs that they can write (thereof)?
فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ ﴿٤٨﴾
Fāṣbir liḥukmi rabbika walā takun kaṣāḥibi al-ḥūti idh nādā wahuwa makẓūm
But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of the fish, who cried out in despair.
لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ ﴿٤٩﴾
Lawlā an tadārakahu niʿmatun min rabbihi lanubidha bil-ʿarāʾi wahuwa madhmūm
Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him he surely had been cast into the wilderness while he was reprobate.
فَٱجْتَبَـٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ ﴿٥٠﴾
Fājtabāhu rabbuhu fajaʿalahu mina aṣ-ṣāliḥīn
But his Lord chose him and placed him among the righteous.
وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجْنُونٌ ﴿٥١﴾
Waʾin yakādu alladhīna kafarū layuzliqūnaka biʾabṣārihim lammā samiʿū adh-dhikra wayaqūlūna innahu lamajnūn
And lo! those who disbelieve would fain disconcert thee with their eyes when they hear the Reminder, and they say: Lo! he is indeed mad;
وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿٥٢﴾
Wamā huwa illā dhikrun lilʿālamīn
When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation.
Arabic: the Uthmani text of the Tanzil Project, used unchanged under CC BY 3.0. Quran text © Tanzil Project - check tanzil.net/updates for changes.
Transliteration: made by Anoor from the Tanzil text, each word as it is said on its own - in recitation the words run together.
Translation: Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930), in the public domain.
Plain English: written by Anoor from Tafsir al-Jalalayn (al-Mahalli and al-Suyuti), one of the most widely read classical commentaries. It is a simple explanation, not a scholarly commentary - for a ruling or a deeper reading, ask a scholar. Something wrong? Tell us.