Sura 68:  The Pen (Al-Qalam)

Number of verses in sura: 52

Order of revelation: 2

 

[68:0]  In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

 

[68:1]  NuN,* the pen, and what they (the people) write.

 

*68:1 “NuN” is unique among the Quran’s miraculous initials. See Appendix 1.

 

[68:2]  You have attained a great blessing from your Lord; you are not crazy.

 

[68:3]  You have attained a recompense that is well deserved.

 

[68:4]  You are blessed with a great moral character.

 

[68:5]  You will see, and they will see.

 

[68:6]  Which of you are condemned.

 

[68:7]  Your Lord is fully aware of those who strayed off His path, and He is fully aware of those who are guided.

 

[68:8]  Do not obey the rejectors.

 

[68:9]  They wish that you compromise, so they too can compromise.

 

[68:10]  Do not obey every lowly swearer.

 

[68:11]  A slanderer, a backbiter.

 

[68:12]  Forbidder of charity, a transgressor, a sinner.

 

[68:13]  Unappreciative, and greedy.

 

[68:14]  Even though he possessed enough money and children.

 

[68:15]  When our revelations are recited to him, he says, “Tales from the past!”

 

[68:16]  We will mark his face.

 

[68:17]  We have tested them like we tested the owners of the garden who swore that they will harvest it in the morning.

 

[68:18]  They were so absolutely sure.

 

[68:19]  A passing (storm) from your Lord passed by it while they were asleep.

 

[68:20]  By morning, it was barren.

 

[68:21]  They called on each other in the morning.

 

[68:22]  “Let us harvest the crop.”

 

[68:23]  On their way, they confided to each other.

 

[68:24]  That from then on, none of them would be poor.

 

[68:25]  They were so absolutely sure of their harvest.

 

[68:26]  But when they saw it, they said, “We were so wrong!

 

[68:27]  “Now, we have nothing!”

 

They Should Have Said: “God Willing.”

 

[68:28]  The righteous among them said, “If only you had glorified (God)!”

 

[68:29]  They said, “Glory be to our Lord. We have transgressed.”

 

[68:30]  They started to blame each other.

 

[68:31]  They said, “Woe to us. We sinned.

 

[68:32]  “May our Lord grant us a better one. We repent to our Lord.”

 

[68:33]  Such was the requital. But the retribution of the Hereafter is far worse, if they only knew.

 

[68:34]  The righteous have deserved, at their Lord, gardens of bliss.

 

[68:35]  Shall we treat the Submitters like the criminals?

 

[68:36]  What is wrong with your logic?

 

[68:37]  Do you have another book to uphold?

 

[68:38]  In it, do you find anything you want?

 

[68:39]  Or, have you received solemn assurances from us that grant you whatever you wish on the Day of Resurrection?

 

[68:40]  Ask them, “Who guarantees this for you?”

 

[68:41]  Do they have idols? Let their idols help them, if they are truthful.

 

[68:42]  The day will come when they will be exposed, and they will be required to fall prostrate, but they will be unable to.

 

[68:43]  With their eyes subdued, humiliation will cover them. They were invited to fall prostrate when they were whole and able.

 

[68:44]  Therefore, let Me deal with those who reject this Hadith; we will lead them on whence they never perceive.

 

[68:45]  I will give them enough rope; My scheming is formidable.

 

[68:46]  Are you asking them for money, so they are burdened by the fine?

 

[68:47]  Do they know the future? Do they have it recorded?

 

[68:48]  You shall steadfastly persevere in carrying out the commands of your Lord. Do not be like (Jonah) who called from inside the fish.

 

[68:49]  If it were not for his Lord’s grace, he would have been ejected into the desert as a sinner.

 

[68:50]  But his Lord blessed him, and made him righteous.

 

[68:51]  Those who disbelieved show their ridicule in their eyes when they hear the message and say, “He is crazy!”

 

[68:52]  It is in fact a message to the world.