Surah Al Qalam

Translation by:
Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

1. نۤ ۚوَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُوْنَۙ

   Nūn, wal-qalami wa mā yasṭurūn(a).

   Nũn. By the pen and what everyone writes!

2. مَآ اَنْتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُوْنٍ

   Mā anta bini‘mati rabbika bimajnūn(in).

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

3. وَاِنَّ لَكَ لَاَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُوْنٍۚ

   Wa inna laka la'ajran gaira mamnūn(in).

   You will certainly have a never-ending reward.

4. وَاِنَّكَ لَعَلٰى خُلُقٍ عَظِيْمٍ

   Wa innaka la‘alā khuluqin ‘aẓīm(in).

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

5. فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُوْنَۙ

   Fasatubṣiru wa yubṣirūn(a).

   Soon you and the pagans will see,

6. بِاَيِّىكُمُ الْمَفْتُوْنُ

   Bi'ayyikumul-maftūn(u).

   which of you is mad.

7. اِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيْلِهٖۖ وَهُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِيْنَ

   Inna rabbaka huwa a‘lamu biman ḍalla ‘an sabīlih(ī), wa huwa a‘lamu bil-muhtadīn(a).

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

8. فَلَا تُطِعِ الْمُكَذِّبِيْنَ

   Falā tuṭi‘il-mukażżibīn(a).

   So do not give in to the deniers.

9. وَدُّوْا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُوْنَۚ

   Waddū lau tudhinu fayudhinūn(a).

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

10. وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِيْنٍۙ

    Wa lā tuṭi‘ kulla ḥallāfim mahīn(in).

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

11. هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّاۤءٍۢ بِنَمِيْمٍۙ

    Hammāzim masysyā'im binamīm(in).

    slanderer, gossip-monger,

12. مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ اَثِيْمٍۙ

    Mannā‘il lil-khairi mu‘tadin aṡīm(in).

    withholder of good, transgressor, evildoer,

13. عُتُلٍّۢ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ زَنِيْمٍۙ

    ‘Utullim ba‘da żālika zanīm(in).

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

14. اَنْ كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَّبَنِيْنَۗ

    An kāna żā māliw wa banīn(a).

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

15. اِذَا تُتْلٰى عَلَيْهِ اٰيٰتُنَا قَالَ اَسَاطِيْرُ الْاَوَّلِيْنَۗ

    Iżā tutlā ‘alaihi āyātunā qāla asāṭīrul-awwalīn(a).

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

16. سَنَسِمُهٗ عَلَى الْخُرْطُوْمِ

    Sanasimuhū ‘alal-khurṭūm(i).

    We will soon mark his snout.

17. اِنَّا بَلَوْنٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ اَصْحٰبَ الْجَنَّةِۚ اِذْ اَقْسَمُوْا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِيْنَۙ

    Innā balaunāhum kamā balaunā aṣḥābal-jannah(ti), iż aqsamū layaṣrimunnahā muṣbiḥīn(a).

    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,

18. وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُوْنَ

    Wa lā yastaṡnūn(a).

    leaving no thought for Allah’s Will.

19. فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَاۤىِٕفٌ مِّنْ رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَاۤىِٕمُوْنَ

    Fa ṭāfa ‘alaihā ṭā'ifum mir rabbika wa hum nā'imūn(a).

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

20. فَاَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيْمِۙ

    Fa aṣbaḥat kaṣ-ṣarīm(i).

    so it was reduced to ashes.

21. فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِيْنَۙ

    Fa tanādau muṣbiḥīn(a).

    Then by daybreak they called out to each other,

22. اَنِ اغْدُوْا عَلٰى حَرْثِكُمْ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ صٰرِمِيْنَ

    Anigdū ‘alā ḥarṡikum in kuntum ṣārimīn(a).

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

23. فَانْطَلَقُوْا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُوْنَۙ

    Fanṭalaqū wa hum yatakhāfatūn(a).

    So they went off, whispering to one another,

24. اَنْ لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِّسْكِيْنٌۙ

    Allā yadkhulannahal-yauma ‘alaikum miskīn(un).

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

25. وَّغَدَوْا عَلٰى حَرْدٍ قٰدِرِيْنَ

    Wa gadau ‘alā ḥardin qādirīn(a).

    And they proceeded early, totally fixated on their purpose.

26. فَلَمَّا رَاَوْهَا قَالُوْٓا اِنَّا لَضَاۤلُّوْنَۙ

    Falammā ra'auhā qālū innā laḍāllūn(a).

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

27. بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُوْمُوْنَ

    Bal naḥnu maḥrūmūn(a).

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

28. قَالَ اَوْسَطُهُمْ اَلَمْ اَقُلْ لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُوْنَ

    Qāla ausaṭuhum alam aqul lakum lau lā tusabbiḥūn(a).

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

29. قَالُوْا سُبْحٰنَ رَبِّنَآ اِنَّا كُنَّا ظٰلِمِيْنَ

    Qālū subḥāna rabbinā innā kunnā ẓālimīn(a).

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

30. فَاَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ يَّتَلَاوَمُوْنَ

    Fa'aqbala ba‘ḍuhum ‘alā ba‘ḍiy yatalāwamūn(a).

    Then they turned on each other, throwing blame.

31. قَالُوْا يٰوَيْلَنَآ اِنَّا كُنَّا طٰغِيْنَ

    Qālū yā wailanā innā kunnā ṭāgīn(a).

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

32. عَسٰى رَبُّنَآ اَنْ يُّبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَآ اِنَّآ اِلٰى رَبِّنَا رٰغِبُوْنَ

    ‘Asā rabbunā ay yubdilanā khairam minhā innā ilā rabbinā rāgibūn(a).

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

33. كَذٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُۗ وَلَعَذَابُ الْاٰخِرَةِ اَكْبَرُۘ لَوْ كَانُوْا يَعْلَمُوْنَ ࣖ

    Każālikal-‘ażāb(u), wa la‘ażābul-ākhirati akbar(u), lau kānū ya‘lamūn(a).

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

34. اِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِيْنَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنّٰتِ النَّعِيْمِ

    Inna lil-muttaqīna ‘inda rabbihim jannātin-na‘īm(i).

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

35. اَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ كَالْمُجْرِمِيْنَۗ

    Afanaj‘alul-muslimīna kal-mujrimīn(a).

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

36. مَا لَكُمْۗ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُوْنَۚ

    Mā lakum, kaifa taḥkumūn(a).

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

37. اَمْ لَكُمْ كِتٰبٌ فِيْهِ تَدْرُسُوْنَۙ

    Am lakum kitābun fīhi tadrusūn(a).

    Or do you have a scripture, in which you read

38. اِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيْهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُوْنَۚ

    Inna lakum fīhi lamā takhayyarūn(a).

    that you will have whatever you choose?

39. اَمْ لَكُمْ اَيْمَانٌ عَلَيْنَا بَالِغَةٌ اِلٰى يَوْمِ الْقِيٰمَةِۙ اِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُوْنَۚ

    Am lakum aimānun ‘alainā bāligatun ilā yaumil-qiyāmah(ti), inna lakum lamā taḥkumūn(a).

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

40. سَلْهُمْ اَيُّهُمْ بِذٰلِكَ زَعِيْمٌۚ

    Salhum ayyuhum biżālika za‘īm(un).

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

41. اَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاۤءُۚ فَلْيَأْتُوْا بِشُرَكَاۤىِٕهِمْ اِنْ كَانُوْا صٰدِقِيْنَ

    Am lahum syurakā'(u), falya'tū bisyurakā'ihim in kānū ṣādiqīn(a).

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

42. يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَنْ سَاقٍ وَّيُدْعَوْنَ اِلَى السُّجُوْدِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيْعُوْنَۙ

    Yauma yuksyafu ‘an sāqiw wa yud‘auna ilas-sujūdi falā yastaṭī‘ūn(a).

    ˹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,

43. خَاشِعَةً اَبْصَارُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۗوَقَدْ كَانُوْا يُدْعَوْنَ اِلَى السُّجُوْدِ وَهُمْ سٰلِمُوْنَ

    Khāsyi‘atan abṣāruhum tarhaquhum żillah(tun), wa qad kānū yud‘auna ilas-sujūdi wa hum sālimun(a).

    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˺.

44. فَذَرْنِيْ وَمَنْ يُّكَذِّبُ بِهٰذَا الْحَدِيْثِۗ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُمْ مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَۙ

    Fażarnī wa may yukażżibu bihāżal-ḥadīṡi sanastadrijuhum min ḥaiṡu lā ya‘lamūn(a).

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

45. وَاُمْلِيْ لَهُمْۗ اِنَّ كَيْدِيْ مَتِيْنٌ

    Wa umlī lahum, inna kaidī matīn(un).

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

46. اَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ اَجْرًا فَهُمْ مِّنْ مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُوْنَۚ

    Am tas'aluhum ajran fahum mim magramim muṡqalūn(a).

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

47. اَمْ عِنْدَهُمُ الْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُوْنَ

    Am ‘indahumul-gaibu fahum yaktubūn(a).

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

48. فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُنْ كَصَاحِبِ الْحُوْتِۘ اِذْ نَادٰى وَهُوَ مَكْظُوْمٌۗ

    Faṣbir liḥukmi rabbika wa lā takun kaṣāḥibil-ḥūt(i), iż nādā wa huwa makẓūm(un).

    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.

49. لَوْلَآ اَنْ تَدٰرَكَهٗ نِعْمَةٌ مِّنْ رَّبِّهٖ لَنُبِذَ بِالْعَرَاۤءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُوْمٌ

    Lau lā an tadārakahū ni‘matum mir rabbihī lanubiża bil-‘arā'i wa huwa mażmūm(un).

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

50. فَاجْتَبٰىهُ رَبُّهٗ فَجَعَلَهٗ مِنَ الصّٰلِحِيْنَ

    Fajtabāhu rabbuhū faja‘alahū minaṣ-ṣāliḥīn(a).

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

51. وَاِنْ يَّكَادُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَيُزْلِقُوْنَكَ بِاَبْصَارِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا الذِّكْرَ وَيَقُوْلُوْنَ اِنَّهٗ لَمَجْنُوْنٌ ۘ

    Wa iy yakādul-lażīna kafarū layuzliqūnaka bi'abṣārihim lammā sami‘uż żikra wa yaqūlūna innahū lamajnūn(un).

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

52. وَمَا هُوَ اِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعٰلَمِيْنَ ࣖ

    Wa mā huwa illā żikrul lil-‘ālamīn(a).

    But it is simply a reminder to the whole world.