Surah Al-Qalam (The Pen) in English

1. سنسمه على الخرطوم

   16

   Soon We shall brand him on his snout.

   sa-nasimuhū ʿalā l-khurṭūmi

2. إنا بلوناهم كما بلونا أصحاب الجنة إذ أقسموا ليصرمنها مصبحين

   17

   Indeed we have tested them just as We tested the People of the Garden when they vowed they would gather its fruit at dawn,

   ʾinnā balawnāhum ka-mā balawnā ʾaṣḥāba l-jannati ʾidh ʾaqsamū la-yaṣrimunnahā muṣbiḥīna

3. ولا يستثنون

   18

   and they did not make any exception.

   wa-lā yastathnūna

4. فطاف عليها طائف من ربك وهم نائمون

   19

   Then, a visitation from your Lord visited it while they were asleep.

   fa-ṭāfa ʿalayhā ṭāʾifun min rabbika wa-hum nāʾimūna

5. فأصبحت كالصريم

   20

   So, by dawn it was like a harvested field.

   fa-ʾaṣbaḥat ka-ṣ-ṣarīmi

6. فتنادوا مصبحين

   21

   At dawn they called out to one another,

   fa-tanādaw muṣbiḥīna

7. أن اغدوا على حرثكم إن كنتم صارمين

   22

   ‘Get off early to your field if you have to gather [the fruits].’

   ʾani ghdū ʿalā ḥarthikum ʾin kuntum ṣārimīna

8. فانطلقوا وهم يتخافتون

   23

   So off they went, murmuring to one another:

   fa-nṭalaqū wa-hum yatakhāfatūna

9. أن لا يدخلنها اليوم عليكم مسكين

   24

   ‘Today no needy man shall come to you in it.’

   ʾan lā yadkhulannahā l-yawma ʿalaykum miskīnun

10. وغدوا على حرد قادرين

    25

    And they set out at early morning, [considering themselves] able to deprive [the poor of its fruit].

    wa-ghadaw ʿalā ḥardin qādirīna

11. فلما رأوها قالوا إنا لضالون

    26

    But when they saw it, they said, ‘We have indeed lost our way!’

    fa-lammā raʾawhā qālū ʾinnā la-ḍāllūna

12. بل نحن محرومون

    27

    ‘No, it is we who have been deprived!’

    bal naḥnu maḥrūmūna

13. قال أوسطهم ألم أقل لكم لولا تسبحون

    28

    The most upright among them said, ‘Did I not tell you, ‘‘Why do you not glorify [Allah]?’’ ’

    qāla ʾawsaṭuhum ʾa-lam ʾaqul lakum law-lā tusabbiḥūna

14. قالوا سبحان ربنا إنا كنا ظالمين

    29

    They said, ‘Immaculate is our Lord! We have indeed been wrongdoers!’

    qālū subḥāna rabbinā ʾinnā kunnā ẓālimīna

15. فأقبل بعضهم على بعض يتلاومون

    30

    Then they turned to one another, blaming each other.

    fa-ʾaqbala baʿḍuhum ʿalā baʿḍin yatalāwamūna

16. قالوا يا ويلنا إنا كنا طاغين

    31

    They said, ‘Woe to us! Indeed, we have been rebellious.

    qālū yā-waylanā ʾinnā kunnā ṭāghīna

17. عسى ربنا أن يبدلنا خيرا منها إنا إلى ربنا راغبون

    32

    Maybe our Lord will give us a better one in its place. Indeed we earnestly beseech our Lord.’

    ʿasā rabbunā ʾan yubdilanā khayran minhā ʾinnā ʾilā rabbinā rāghibūna

18. كذلك العذاب ولعذاب الآخرة أكبر لو كانوا يعلمون

    33

    Such was their punishment; and the punishment of the Hereafter is surely greater, had they known.

    ka-dhālika l-ʿadhābu wa-la-ʿadhābu l-ʾākhirati ʾakbaru law kānū yaʿlamūna

19. إن للمتقين عند ربهم جنات النعيم

    34

    Indeed for the Godwary there will be gardens of bliss near their Lord.

    ʾinna li-l-muttaqīna ʿinda rabbihim jannāti n-naʿīmi

20. أفنجعل المسلمين كالمجرمين

    35

    Shall We treat those who submit [to Us] as [We treat] the guilty?

    ʾa-fa-najʿalu l-muslimīna ka-l-mujrimīna

21. ما لكم كيف تحكمون

    36

    What is the matter with you? How do you judge!

    mā lakum kayfa taḥkumūna

22. أم لكم كتاب فيه تدرسون

    37

    Do you possess a scripture in which you read

    ʾam lakum kitābun fīhi tadrusūna

23. إن لكم فيه لما تخيرون

    38

    that you shall have in it whatever you choose?

    ʾinna lakum fīhi la-mā takhayyarūna

24. أم لكم أيمان علينا بالغة إلى يوم القيامة إن لكم لما تحكمون

    39

    Do you have a pledge binding on Us until the Day of Resurrection, that you shall indeed have whatever you decide?

    ʾam lakum ʾaymānun ʿalaynā bālighatun ʾilā yawmi l-qiyāmati ʾinna lakum la-mā taḥkumūna

25. سلهم أيهم بذلك زعيم

    40

    Ask them, which of them will aver [any of] that!

    salhum ʾayyuhum bi-dhālika zaʿīmun

26. أم لهم شركاء فليأتوا بشركائهم إن كانوا صادقين

    41

    Do they have any ‘partners’ [that they claim for Allah]? Then let them produce their partners, if they are truthful.

    ʾam lahum shurakāʾu fa-l-yaʾtū bi-shurakāʾihim ʾin kānū ṣādiqīna

27. يوم يكشف عن ساق ويدعون إلى السجود فلا يستطيعون

    42

    The day when the catastrophe occurs and they are summoned to prostrate themselves, they will not be able [to do it].

    yawma yukshafu ʿan sāqin wa-yudʿawna ʾilā s-sujūdi fa-lā yastaṭīʿūna