Revealed in Makkah, Surah Al-Qalam (The Pen) defends the character of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) against the pagans' accusations of madness, declaring that he possesses an exalted standard of character. It contains the parable of the owners of the garden who vowed to harvest their fruit without saying 'If God wills,' only to find it completely destroyed. It warns the disbelievers of the Day of Judgment when they will be called to prostrate but will be unable to do so.
Transliteration
Noon waalqalami wama yasturoona
Translation
Noon. By the pen, and by what they inscribe
The disjointed opening letter 'Nun' is a Huruf Muqatta'ah known only to Allah. Chronologically, Surah Al-Qalam is the second chapter revealed in Islam (following the first five verses of Surah 96). It opens with a divine oath by the Pen ('Al-Qalam')—both the primordial celestial pen that inscribed all destined decrees before creation, and the human pens that preserve sacred knowledge and civilization.
Transliteration
Ma anta biniAAmati rabbika bimajnoonin
Translation
By the grace of your Lord, you are not insane
Definitively refutes the malicious Meccan slander claiming that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had lost his mental sanity upon receiving divine revelation.
Transliteration
Wainna laka laajran ghayra mamnoonin
Translation
In fact, you will have a reward that will never end
Transliteration
Wainnaka laAAala khuluqin AAatheemin
Translation
And you are of a great moral character
The supreme divine endorsement of the Prophet's character: 'And indeed, you are of an exalted moral character' ('Wa-innaka la'ala khuluqin 'adhim'). When asked about his personality, his wife Aisha famously summarized: 'His character was the practical embodiment of the entire Quran.'
Transliteration
Fasatubsiru wayubsiroona
Translation
You will see, and they will see
Transliteration
Biayyikumu almaftoonu
Translation
Which of you is the afflicted
Transliteration
Inna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu biman dalla AAan sabeelihi wahuwa aAAlamu bialmuhtadeena
Translation
Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best the well-guided
Transliteration
Fala tutiAAi almukaththibeena
Translation
So do not obey the deniers
Transliteration
Waddoo law tudhinu fayudhinoona
Translation
They would like you to compromise, so they would compromise
Transliteration
Wala tutiAA kulla hallafin maheenin
Translation
And do not obey any vile swearer
Exposes the toxic character profile of abusive Meccan oligarchs (specifically al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah): describes a person who swears constant hollow oaths, habitually mocks others, spreads slanderous gossip ('Namim'), blocks community charity, acts violently, and harbors corrupt illegitimacy.
Transliteration
Hammazin mashshain binameemin
Translation
Backbiter, spreader of slander
Transliteration
MannaAAin lilkhayri muAAtadin atheemin
Translation
Preventer of good, transgressor, sinner
Transliteration
AAutullin baAAda thalika zaneemin
Translation
Rude and fake besides
Transliteration
An kana tha malin wabaneena
Translation
Just because he has money and children
Transliteration
Itha tutla AAalayhi ayatuna qala asateeru alawwaleena
Translation
When Our Verses are recited to him, he says, “Myths of the ancients!”
Transliteration
Sanasimuhu AAala alkhurtoomi
Translation
We will brand him on the muzzle
A severe humiliating prophecy against al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah: God declared He would 'brand him upon his snout/nose' ('Khurturn'). Historically, during the Battle of Badr, al-Walid received a violent sword blow across the bridge of his nose that left an indelible, disfiguring scar marking him for the rest of his life.
Transliteration
Inna balawnahum kama balawna ashaba aljannati ith aqsamoo layasrimunnaha musbiheena
Translation
We tested them, as We tested the owners of the garden, when they vowed to harvest it in the morning
Introduces the Parable of the Garden Owners in ancient Yemen (Sarwan): greedy sons inherited a lush orchard from their charitable father who always fed the poor. Wanting to keep all the profits for themselves, the brothers conspired to secretly harvest the crops at dawn before any beggar could awaken to ask for charity.
Transliteration
Wala yastathnoona
Translation
Without any reservation
Transliteration
Fatafa AAalayha taifun min rabbika wahum naimoona
Translation
But a calamity from your Lord went around it while they slept
Transliteration
Faasbahat kaalssareemi
Translation
And in the morning it was as if picked
While the greedy brothers slept, God dispatched a sudden nocturnal storm of fire that incinerated their entire orchard, leaving it a blackened, smoking ash wasteland ('Kassuraym').
Transliteration
Fatanadaw musbiheena
Translation
In the morning, they called to one another
Transliteration
Ani ighdoo AAala harthikum in kuntum sarimeena
Translation
“Go early to your plantation, if you are going to harvest.”
Transliteration
Faintalaqoo wahum yatakhafatoona
Translation
So off they went, murmuring to one another
Transliteration
An la yadkhulannaha alyawma AAalaykum miskeenun
Translation
“No poor person is to enter it upon you today.”
Transliteration
Waghadaw AAala hardin qadireena
Translation
And early they went, resolved in intent
Transliteration
Falamma raawha qaloo inna ladalloona
Translation
But when they saw it, they said, “We were wrong
Transliteration
Bal nahnu mahroomoona
Translation
We are now deprived.”
Transliteration
Qala awsatuhum alam aqul lakum lawla tusabbihoona
Translation
The most reasonable of them said, “Did I not say to you, ‘if only you would glorify?’”
When the brothers arrived in the morning and saw their ruined land, the most moderate brother reminded them: 'Did I not tell you to glorify God and share with the needy?'—demonstrating how selfish greed destroys blessings.
Transliteration
Qaloo subhana rabbina inna kunna thalimeena
Translation
They said, “Glory to our Lord—We were indeed in the wrong.”
Transliteration
Faaqbala baAAduhum AAala baAAdin yatalawamoona
Translation
Then they turned to one another, blaming one another
Transliteration
Qaloo ya waylana inna kunna tagheena
Translation
They said, “Woe to us—we were indeed domineering
Transliteration
AAasa rabbuna an yubdilana khayran minha inna ila rabbina raghiboona
Translation
Perhaps our Lord will give us a better substitute for it. We are turning to our Lord.”
Transliteration
Kathalika alAAathabu walaAAathabu alakhirati akbaru law kanoo yaAAlamoona
Translation
Such is the punishment; but the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew
Transliteration
Inna lilmuttaqeena AAinda rabbihim jannati alnnaAAeemi
Translation
For the righteous are Gardens of Delight with their Lord
Transliteration
AfanajAAalu almuslimeena kaalmujrimeena
Translation
Shall We treat the Muslims like the villains
Transliteration
Ma lakum kayfa tahkumoona
Translation
What is the matter with you? How do you judge
Transliteration
Am lakum kitabun feehi tadrusoona
Translation
Or do you have a scripture in which you study
Transliteration
Inna lakum feehi lama takhayyaroona
Translation
Wherein there is whatever you choose
Transliteration
Am lakum aymanun AAalayna balighatun ila yawmi alqiyamati inna lakum lama tahkumoona
Translation
Or do you have oaths from Us, binding until the Day of Resurrection, that you will have whatever you demand
Transliteration
Salhum ayyuhum bithalika zaAAeemun
Translation
Ask them, which of them will guarantee that
Transliteration
Am lahum shurakao falyatoo bishurakaihim in kanoo sadiqeena
Translation
Or do they have partners? Then let them produce their partners, if they are truthful
Transliteration
Yawma yukshafu AAan saqin wayudAAawna ila alssujoodi fala yastateeAAoona
Translation
On the Day when the Shin will be exposed, and they will be called to bow down, but they will be unable
Describes a terrifying idiom of the Day of Judgment: 'The Day the shin will be uncovered' ('Yawma yukshafu 'an saqin')—a classical Arabic expression denoting intense crisis and cosmic exposure. Sincere believers will easily fall into graceful prostration, while hypocrites who refused to bow in worldly life find their backs turned rigid like solid stone.
Transliteration
KhashiAAatan absaruhum tarhaquhum thillatun waqad kanoo yudAAawna ila alssujoodi wahum salimoona
Translation
Their eyes subdued, shame will cover them. They were invited to bow down when they were sound
Transliteration
Fatharnee waman yukaththibu bihatha alhadeethi sanastadrijuhum min haythu la yaAAlamoona
Translation
So leave Me to those who reject this discourse; We will proceed against them gradually, from where they do not know
Transliteration
Waomlee lahum inna kaydee mateenun
Translation
And I will give them respite. My plan is firm
Transliteration
Am tasaluhum ajran fahum min maghramin muthqaloona
Translation
Or do you ask them for a fee, so they are burdened with debt
Transliteration
Am AAindahumu alghaybu fahum yaktuboona
Translation
Or do they know the future, and so they write it down
Transliteration
Faisbir lihukmi rabbika wala takun kasahibi alhooti ith nada wahuwa makthoomun
Translation
So wait patiently for the Decision of your Lord, and do not be like the Fellow of the Fish who cried out in despair
Counsels the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ not to rush or abandon his mission in frustration like the 'Companion of the Fish' (Prophet Jonah/Yunus), who departed his people in haste and was swallowed in distress by the whale.
Transliteration
Lawla an tadarakahu niAAmatun min rabbihi lanubitha bialAAarai wahuwa mathmoomun
Translation
Were it not for his Lord’s favor that reached him, he would have been thrown into the wilderness, fully despised
Transliteration
Faijtabahu rabbuhu fajaAAalahu mina alssaliheena
Translation
But his Lord chose him, and made him one of the righteous
Transliteration
Wain yakadu allatheena kafaroo layuzliqoonaka biabsarihim lamma samiAAoo alththikra wayaqooloona innahu lamajnoonun
Translation
Those who disbelieve almost stab you with their glances when they hear the message, and say, “He is crazy!”
Refers to the metaphysical reality of the 'Evil Eye' ('Al-'Ayn'): pagan enemies stared at the Prophet ﷺ with such intense venomous jealousy that they nearly toppled him with their piercing glances. Authentic prophetic traditions recommend reciting this verse for spiritual protection against envious eyes.
Transliteration
Wama huwa illa thikrun lilAAalameena
Translation
But it is no less than a reminder to all the Worlds