68. Al-Qalam سُورَةُ القَلَمِ

Yusuf AliNun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write

Yusuf AliThou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed

Yusuf AliNay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing

Yusuf AliAnd thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character

Yusuf AliSoon wilt thou see, and they will see

Yusuf AliWhich of you is afflicted with madness

Yusuf AliVerily it is thy Lord that knoweth best, which (among men) hath strayed from His Path: and He knoweth best those who receive (true) Guidance

Yusuf AliSo hearken not to those who deny (the Truth)

Yusuf AliTheir desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant

Yusuf AliHeed not the type of despicable men,- ready with oaths

Yusuf AliA slanderer, going about with calumnies

Yusuf Ali(Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin

Yusuf AliViolent (and cruel),- with all that, base-born

Yusuf AliBecause he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons

Yusuf AliWhen to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries

Yusuf AliSoon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout

Yusuf AliVerily We have tried them as We tried the People of the Garden, when they resolved to gather the fruits of the (garden) in the morning

Yusuf AliBut made no reservation, ("If it be God's Will)

Yusuf AliThen there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep

Yusuf AliSo the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered)

Yusuf AliAs the morning broke, they called out, one to another

Yusuf AliGo ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits

Yusuf AliSo they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying)

Yusuf AliLet not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day

Yusuf AliAnd they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve

Yusuf AliBut when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way

Yusuf AliIndeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)

Yusuf AliSaid one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (God)

Yusuf AliThey said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong

Yusuf AliThen they turned, one against another, in reproach

Yusuf AliThey said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed

Yusuf AliIt may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)

Yusuf AliSuch is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter,- if only they knew

Yusuf AliVerily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord

Yusuf AliShall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin

Yusuf AliWhat is the matter with you? How judge ye

Yusuf AliOr have ye a book through which ye learn

Yusuf AliThat ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose

Yusuf AliOr have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand

Yusuf AliAsk thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that

Yusuf AliOr have they some "Partners" (in Godhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are truthful

Yusuf AliThe Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able

Yusuf AliTheir eyes will be cast down,- ignominy will cover them; seeing that they had been summoned aforetime to bow in adoration, while they were whole, (and had refused)

Yusuf AliThen leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not

Yusuf AliA (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan

Yusuf AliOr is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt

Yusuf AliOr that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down

Yusuf AliSo wait with patience for the Command of thy Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish,- when he cried out in agony

Yusuf AliHad not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace

Yusuf AliThus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous

Yusuf AliAnd the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed

Yusuf AliBut it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds