The Pen

In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

bis'mi l-lahi l-raḥmāni l-raḥīm

NuN, the pen, and what they (the people) write.

نُونْ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ

noon wal-qalami wamā yasṭurūn

You have attained a great blessing from your Lord; you are not crazy.

مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ

mā anta biniʿ'mati rabbika bimajnūni

You have attained a recompense that is well deserved.

وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ

wa-inna laka la-ajran ghayra mamnūni

You are blessed with a great moral character.

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ

wa-innaka laʿalā khuluqin ʿaẓīmi

You will see, and they will see.

فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ

fasatub'ṣiru wayub'ṣirūn

Which of you are condemned.

بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلْمَفْتُونُ

bi-ayyikumu l-maftūn

Your Lord is fully aware of those who strayed off His path, and He is fully aware of those who are guided.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ

inna rabbaka huwa aʿlamu biman ḍalla ʿan sabīlihi wahuwa aʿlamu bil-muh'tadīn

Do not obey the rejectors.

فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

falā tuṭiʿi l-mukadhibīn

They wish that you compromise, so they too can compromise.

وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ

waddū law tud'hinu fayud'hinūn

Do not obey every lowly swearer.

وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ

walā tuṭiʿ kulla ḥallāfin mahīni

A slanderer, a backbiter.

هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍ

hammāzin mashāin binamīmi

Forbidder of charity, a transgressor, a sinner.

مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ

mannāʿin lil'khayri muʿ'tadin athīmi

Unappreciative, and greedy.

عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ

autullin baAAda thalika zaneemin

Even though he possessed enough money and children.

أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ

an kāna dhā mālin wabanīn

When our revelations are recited to him, he says, "Tales from the past!"

إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

idhā tut'lā ʿalayhi āyātunā qāla asāṭīru l-awalīn

We will mark his face.

سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ

sanasimuhu ʿalā l-khur'ṭūm

We have tested them like we tested the owners of the garden who swore that they will harvest it in the morning.

إِنَّا بَلَوْنَٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ

innā balawnāhum kamā balawnā aṣḥāba l-janati idh aqsamū layaṣrimunnahā muṣ'biḥīn

They were so absolutely sure.

وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ

walā yastathnūn

A passing (storm) from your Lord passed by it while they were asleep.

فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ

faṭāfa ʿalayhā ṭāifun min rabbika wahum nāimūn

By morning, it was barren.

فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ

fa-aṣbaḥat kal-ṣarīm

They called on each other in the morning.

فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ

fatanādaw muṣ'biḥīn

"Let us harvest the crop."

أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰرِمِينَ

ani igh'dū ʿalā ḥarthikum in kuntum ṣārimīn

On their way, they confided to each other.

فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَٰفَتُونَ

fa-inṭalaqū wahum yatakhāfatūn

That from then on, none of them would be poor.

أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ

an lā yadkhulannahā l-yawma ʿalaykum mis'kīnu

They were so absolutely sure of their harvest.

وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَٰدِرِينَ

waghadaw ʿalā ḥardin qādirīn

But when they saw it, they said, "We were so wrong!

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ

falammā ra-awhā qālū innā laḍāllūn

"Now, we have nothing!"

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ

bal naḥnu maḥrūmūn

The righteous among them said, "If only you had glorified (GOD)!"

قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ

qāla awsaṭuhum alam aqul lakum lawlā tusabbiḥūn

They said, "Glory be to our Lord. We have transgressed."

قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ

qālū sub'ḥāna rabbinā innā kunnā ẓālimīn

They started to blame each other.

فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ

fa-aqbala baʿḍuhum ʿalā baʿḍin yatalāwamūn

They said, "Woe to us. We sinned.

قَالُوا۟ يَٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَٰغِينَ

qālū yāwaylanā innā kunnā ṭāghīn

"May our Lord grant us a better one. We repent to our Lord."

عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ

aasa rabbuna an yubdilanakhayran minha inna ila rabbina raghiboona

Such was the requital. But the retribution of the Hereafter is far worse, if they only knew.

كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ

kadhālika l-ʿadhābu walaʿadhābu l-ākhirati akbaru law kānū yaʿlamūn

The righteous have deserved, at their Lord, gardens of bliss.

إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

inna lil'muttaqīna ʿinda rabbihim jannāti l-naʿīm

Shall we treat the submitters like the criminals?

أَفَنَجْعَلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ كَٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ

afanajʿalu l-mus'limīna kal-muj'rimīn

What is wrong with your logic?

مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ

mā lakum kayfa taḥkumūn

Do you have another book to uphold?

أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَٰبٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ

am lakum kitābun fīhi tadrusūn

In it, do you find anything you want?

إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ

inna lakum fīhi lamā takhayyarūn

Or, have you received solemn assurances from us that grant you whatever you wish on the Day of Resurrection?

أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَٰنٌ عَلَيْنَا بَٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ

am lakum aymānun ʿalaynā bālighatun ilā yawmi l-qiyāmati inna lakum lamā taḥkumūn

Ask them, "Who guarantees this for you?"

سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ

salhum ayyuhum bidhālika zaʿīmu

Do they have idols? Let their idols help them, if they are truthful.

أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ صَٰدِقِينَ

am lahum shurakāu falyatū bishurakāihim in kānū ṣādiqīn

The day will come when they will be exposed, and they will be required to fall prostrate, but they will be unable to.

يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ

yawma yuk'shafu ʿan sāqin wayud'ʿawna ilā l-sujūdi falā yastaṭīʿūn

With their eyes subdued, humiliation will cover them. They were invited to fall prostrate when they were whole and able.

خَٰشِعَةً أَبْصَٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ وَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَٰلِمُونَ

khāshiʿatan abṣāruhum tarhaquhum dhillatun waqad kānū yud'ʿawna ilā l-sujūdi wahum sālimūn

Therefore, let Me deal with those who reject this Hadith; we will lead them on whence they never perceive.

فَذَرْنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

fadharnī waman yukadhibu bihādhā l-ḥadīthi sanastadrijuhum min ḥaythu lā yaʿlamūn

I will give them enough rope; My scheming is formidable.

وَأُمْلِى لَهُمْ إِنَّ كَيْدِى مَتِينٌ

wa-um'lī lahum inna kaydī matīnu

Are you asking them for money, so they are burdened by the fine?

أَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ

am tasaluhum ajran fahum min maghramin muth'qalūn

Do they know the future? Do they have it recorded?

أَمْ عِندَهُمُ ٱلْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ

am ʿindahumu l-ghaybu fahum yaktubūn

You shall steadfastly persevere in carrying out the commands of your Lord. Do not be like (Jonah) who called from inside the fish.

فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ

fa-iṣ'bir liḥuk'mi rabbika walā takun kaṣāḥibi l-ḥūti idh nādā wahuwa makẓūmu

If it were not for his Lord's grace, he would have been ejected into the desert as a sinner.

لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ

lawlā an tadārakahu niʿ'matun min rabbihi lanubidha bil-ʿarāi wahuwa madhmūmu

But his Lord blessed him, and made him righteous.

فَٱجْتَبَٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ

fa-ij'tabāhu rabbuhu fajaʿalahu mina l-ṣāliḥīn

Those who disbelieved show their ridicule in their eyes when they hear the message and say, "He is crazy!"

وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَٰرِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجْنُونٌ

wa-in yakādu alladhīna kafarū layuz'liqūnaka bi-abṣārihim lammā samiʿū l-dhik'ra wayaqūlūna innahu lamajnūnu

It is in fact a message to the world.

وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ

wamā huwa illā dhik'run lil'ʿālamīn