Surah Al-Qalam (The Pen) in English

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

1. ن والقلم وما يسطرون

   1

   Nun. By the Pen and what they write:

   n (nūn) wa-l-qalami wa-mā yasṭurūna

2. ما أنت بنعمة ربك بمجنون

   2

   by your Lord’s blessing, you are not, crazy,

   mā ʾanta bi-niʿmati rabbika bi-majnūnin

3. وإن لك لأجرا غير ممنون

   3

   and yours indeed will be an everlasting reward,

   wa-ʾinna laka la-ʾajran ghayra mamnūnin

4. وإنك لعلى خلق عظيم

   4

   and indeed you possess a great character.

   wa-ʾinnaka la-ʿalā khuluqin ʿaẓīmin

5. فستبصر ويبصرون

   5

   You will see and they will see,

   fa-sa-tubṣiru wa-yubṣirūna

6. بأييكم المفتون

   6

   which one of you is crazy.

   bi-ʾayyikumu l-maftūnu

7. إن ربك هو أعلم بمن ضل عن سبيله وهو أعلم بالمهتدين

   7

   Indeed your Lord knows best those who stray from His way, and He knows best those who are guided.

   ʾinna rabbaka huwa ʾaʿlamu bi-man ḍalla ʿan sabīlihī wa-huwa ʾaʿlamu bi-l-muhtadīna

8. فلا تطع المكذبين

   8

   So do not obey the deniers,

   fa-lā tuṭiʿi l-mukadhdhibīna

9. ودوا لو تدهن فيدهنون

   9

   who are eager that you should be flexible, so that they [too] may be flexible [towards you].

   waddū law tudhinu fa-yudhinūna

10. ولا تطع كل حلاف مهين

    10

    And do not obey any vile swearer,

    wa-lā tuṭiʿ kulla ḥallāfin mahīnin

11. هماز مشاء بنميم

    11

    scandal-monger, talebearer,

    hammāzin mashshāʾin bi-namīmin

12. مناع للخير معتد أثيم

    12

    hinderer of all good, sinful transgressor,

    mannāʿin li-l-khayri muʿtadin ʾathīmin

13. عتل بعد ذلك زنيم

    13

    callous and, on top of that, baseborn

    ʿutullin baʿda dhālika zanīmin

14. أن كان ذا مال وبنين

    14

    —[who behaves in such a manner only] because he has wealth and children.

    ʾan kāna dhā mālin wa-banīna

15. إذا تتلى عليه آياتنا قال أساطير الأولين

    15

    When Our signs are recited to him, he says, ‘Myths of the ancients!’

    ʾidhā tutlā ʿalayhi ʾāyātunā qāla ʾasāṭīru l-ʾawwalīna