Surah Al-Qalam

سورة القلم

The Pen

Surah 68 · 52 Ayahs

What Is Surah Al-Qalam?

Surah Al-Qalam is Surah 68 of the Quran. It contains 52 ayahs and was revealed in Makkah.

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

1
Ayah 1
نٓ ۚ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ
Meaning
Nūn , by the pen and what they write,
2
Ayah 2
مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ
Meaning
with the grace of your Lord, you are not insane.
3
Ayah 3
وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ
Meaning
And you will definitely have a reward that will never end.
4
Ayah 4
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
Meaning
And you are surely on an excellent standard of character.
5
Ayah 5
فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ
Meaning
So, you will see, and they will see
6
Ayah 6
بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلْمَفْتُونُ
Meaning
which of you is demented.
7
Ayah 7
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
Meaning
Surely your Lord knows best who has strayed from his way, and He is well aware of those who are on the right path.
8
Ayah 8
فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
Meaning
So, do not obey those who reject (the true faith.)
9
Ayah 9
وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ
Meaning
They wish that you become flexible (in your faith), so that they should become flexible (in their hostile attitude.)
10
Ayah 10
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ
Meaning
And do not obey any contemptible one who swears much,
11
Ayah 11
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍ
Meaning
a slanderer who goes about with calumnies,
12
Ayah 12
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ
Meaning
one who prevents good, (and who is) transgressor, sinful,
13
Ayah 13
عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ
Meaning
harsh, (and) after all that, notorious,
14
Ayah 14
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ
Meaning
(do not obey such a person merely) because he is a man of wealth and sons.
15
Ayah 15
إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
Meaning
When Our verses are recited to him, he says, “(These are) the tales of the ancient.”
16
Ayah 16
سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ
Meaning
We will soon brand him on the snout.
17
Ayah 17
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ
Meaning
We have tested them as We had tested the Owners of the Garden, when they had sworn an oath that they would pluck its fruits on the next morning,
18
Ayah 18
وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ
Meaning
and did not make any exception (by saying inshā’allāh ).
19
Ayah 19
فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ
Meaning
Then, there whirled around it a whirl (of calamity) from your Lord, while they were asleep.
20
Ayah 20
فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ
Meaning
Thus, on the next morning, it was like a harvested field.
21
Ayah 21
فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ
Meaning
So, they called out each other as the morning broke,
22
Ayah 22
أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰرِمِينَ
Meaning
saying, “Set out early, if you are going to pluck (the fruits).”
23
Ayah 23
فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ
Meaning
So they set out while they were whispering to each other,
24
Ayah 24
أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ
Meaning
saying, “Let no poor man enter into it upon you today.”
25
Ayah 25
وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَـٰدِرِينَ
Meaning
And in early hours they rushed quickly, while they were (assuming themselves) powerful (to pluck the fruits and prevent the poor.)
26
Ayah 26
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ
Meaning
But when they saw it (the place of the ruined garden), they said, “We have missed the way.”
27
Ayah 27
بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ
Meaning
(Then, once they realized that the garden is the same, but it has been destroyed, they said,) “No, but we are deprived (of the fruits).”
28
Ayah 28
قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ
Meaning
Said he who was the best among them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Why do you not pronounce tasbīH (Allah’s purity)?”
29
Ayah 29
قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ
Meaning
They said, “We pronounce the purity of our Lord. No doubt, we were wrongdoers.”
30
Ayah 30
فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَـٰوَمُونَ
Meaning
Then, (at the beginning,) they started reproaching one another;
31
Ayah 31
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَـٰغِينَ
Meaning
(and at last,) they said, “Woe to us! In fact, we (all) were outrageous.
32
Ayah 32
عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ
Meaning
We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange something better than this. Truly we turn to Allah.”
33
Ayah 33
كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ
Meaning
In this way the punishment comes. And, of course, the punishment of the Hereafter is even greater, if they but realize!
34
Ayah 34
إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
Meaning
Surely, for the God-fearing there are gardens of bliss.
35
Ayah 35
أَفَنَجْعَلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ كَٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ
Meaning
Otherwise, shall We make the obedient like the sinners?
36
Ayah 36
مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ
Meaning
What has happened to you? How do you judge?
37
Ayah 37
أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَـٰبٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ
Meaning
Do you have a book in which you read
38
Ayah 38
إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ
Meaning
that for you there is what you choose?
39
Ayah 39
أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَـٰنٌ عَلَيْنَا بَـٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ
Meaning
Or do you have oaths sworn by Us, remaining effective up to the Day of Judgment, that you will get what you decide?
40
Ayah 40
سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ
Meaning
Ask them which of them stands surety for that.
41
Ayah 41
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ صَـٰدِقِينَ
Meaning
Or do they have associate-gods (who have guaranteed safety for them)? Then, let them bring their associate-gods, if they are true.
42
Ayah 42
يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ
Meaning
On the Day when the Shin will be exposed, and they will be called upon to prostrate themselves, they will not be able to.
43
Ayah 43
خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَـٰلِمُونَ
Meaning
With their eyes downcast, they will be enveloped by ignominy. They used to be called upon to prostrate when they were healthy (but they did not.)
44
Ayah 44
فَذَرْنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Meaning
So, leave Me alone with those who reject this discourse. We will draw them on little by little (towards Hell) from a way they do not know.
45
Ayah 45
وَأُمْلِى لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِى مَتِينٌ
Meaning
And I give them respite. Indeed, My plan is firm.
46
Ayah 46
أَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ
Meaning
Is it that you ask them for a fee, due to which they are burdened with debt?
47
Ayah 47
أَمْ عِندَهُمُ ٱلْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ
Meaning
Or do they have the (knowledge of the) Unseen, and they write it down?
48
Ayah 48
فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ
Meaning
So, remain patient with your Lord’s judgment, and be not like the Man of the Fish, he cried out while he was in anguish.
49
Ayah 49
لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ
Meaning
Had not a favour from His Lord come to his help, he would have been cast in the wilderness in a reproachable state.
50
Ayah 50
فَٱجْتَبَـٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
Meaning
Then his Lord chose him, and made him one of the righteous.
51
Ayah 51
وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجْنُونٌ
Meaning
And indeed the disbelievers seem to trip you up with their glances when they hear the Reminder, and say, “He is a madman indeed.”
52
Ayah 52
وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
Meaning
And it is nothing else but a Reminder for all the worlds.