Revealed in Makkah, Surah Al-Qalam (The Pen) defends the character of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) against the pagans' accusations of madness, declaring that he possesses an exalted standard of character. It contains the parable of the owners of the garden who vowed to harvest their fruit without saying 'If God wills,' only to find it completely destroyed. It warns the disbelievers of the Day of Judgment when they will be called to prostrate but will be unable to do so.
Transliteration
Noon waalqalami wama yasturoona
Translation
Noon. By the pen, and by what they inscribe
Transliteration
Ma anta biniAAmati rabbika bimajnoonin
Translation
By the grace of your Lord, you are not insane
Transliteration
Wainna laka laajran ghayra mamnoonin
Translation
In fact, you will have a reward that will never end
Transliteration
Wainnaka laAAala khuluqin AAatheemin
Translation
And you are of a great moral character
Transliteration
Fasatubsiru wayubsiroona
Translation
You will see, and they will see
Transliteration
Biayyikumu almaftoonu
Translation
Which of you is the afflicted
Transliteration
Inna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu biman dalla AAan sabeelihi wahuwa aAAlamu bialmuhtadeena
Translation
Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best the well-guided
Transliteration
Fala tutiAAi almukaththibeena
Translation
So do not obey the deniers
Transliteration
Waddoo law tudhinu fayudhinoona
Translation
They would like you to compromise, so they would compromise
Transliteration
Wala tutiAA kulla hallafin maheenin
Translation
And do not obey any vile swearer
Transliteration
Hammazin mashshain binameemin
Translation
Backbiter, spreader of slander
Transliteration
MannaAAin lilkhayri muAAtadin atheemin
Translation
Preventer of good, transgressor, sinner
Transliteration
AAutullin baAAda thalika zaneemin
Translation
Rude and fake besides
Transliteration
An kana tha malin wabaneena
Translation
Just because he has money and children
Transliteration
Itha tutla AAalayhi ayatuna qala asateeru alawwaleena
Translation
When Our Verses are recited to him, he says, “Myths of the ancients!”
Transliteration
Sanasimuhu AAala alkhurtoomi
Translation
We will brand him on the muzzle
Transliteration
Inna balawnahum kama balawna ashaba aljannati ith aqsamoo layasrimunnaha musbiheena
Translation
We tested them, as We tested the owners of the garden, when they vowed to harvest it in the morning
Transliteration
Wala yastathnoona
Translation
Without any reservation
Transliteration
Fatafa AAalayha taifun min rabbika wahum naimoona
Translation
But a calamity from your Lord went around it while they slept
Transliteration
Faasbahat kaalssareemi
Translation
And in the morning it was as if picked