Surah 68 - Al Qalam THE PEN 068.001-068.052

[Anne Terri]

Surah 68 - Al Qalam THE PEN 068.001-068.052

068.001 Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write,-

068.002 Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.

068.003 Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:

068.004 And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.

068.005 Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,

068.006 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

068.007 Verily it is thy Lord that knoweth best, which (among men) hath strayed from His Path: and He knoweth best those who receive (true) Guidance.

068.008 So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).

068.009 Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.

068.010 Heed not the type of despicable man,- ready with oaths,

068.011 A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

068.012 (Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,

068.013 Violent (and cruel),- with all that, base-born,-

068.014 Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.

068.015 When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries!

068.016 Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!

068.017 Verily We have tried them as We tried the People of the Garden, when they resolved to gather the fruits of the (garden) in the morning.

068.018 But made no reservation, ("If it be God's Will").

068.019 Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.

068.020 So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).

068.021 As the morning broke, they called out, one to another,-

068.022 "Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."

068.023 So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying)-

068.024 "Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."

068.025 And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.

068.026 But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:

068.027 "Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"

068.028 Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (God)?'"

068.029 They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"

068.030 Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.

068.031 They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!

068.032 "It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"

068.033 Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter,- if only they knew!

068.034 Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.

068.035 Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?

068.036 What is the matter with you? How judge ye?

068.037 Or have ye a book through which ye learn-

068.038 That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?

068.039 Or have ye Covenants with Us on oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?

068.040 Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!

068.041 Or have they some "Partners" (in Godhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are truthful!

068.042 The Day that the Shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able,-

068.043 Their eyes will be cast down,- ignominy will cover them; seeing that they had been summoned aforetime to bow in adoration, while they were whole, (and had refused).

068.044 Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.

068.045 A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan.

068.046 Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt?-

068.047 Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down?

068.048 So wait with patience for the Command of thy Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish,- when he cried out in agony.

068.049 Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.

068.050 Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.

068.051 And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"

068.052 But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.