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.