68. Surah Al-Qalam

القلمThe Pen · 52 ayahsتفہیم القرآن انگلش

Read Surah Al-Qalam in the Quran reader
Ayah 68:1

نٓ وَ الْقَلَمِ وَ مَا یَسْطُرُوْنَۙ Open ayah 68:1 in the Quran reader

Nun.

Ayah 68:2

مَاۤ اَنْتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُوْنٍۚ Open ayah 68:2 in the Quran reader

By the Pen and by that which the writers are writing, 1 you are not, by the grace of your Lord, mad. 2

1 The great commentator Mujahid says that by pen here is meant the Pen with which the Qur'an was being written down. From this it automatically follows that that which was being written implies the Holy Qur'an itself. 2 That is for which an oath has been sworn by the Pen and by the Book. It means that this Qur'an which is being inscribed by the hands of the writers of Revelation, is by itself enough to refute the slander of the disbelievers who say that the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) is, God forbid, a madman, Before his claim to the Prophethood, the people of Makkah looked upon him as the best of their men and trusted his honesty, intelligence and sagacity. But when he started reciting the Qur'an before them they began to call him a madman. This meant that the Qur'an itself in their sight was the cause because of which they accused him of madness; Therefore, it was said: "The Qur'an by itself is a sufficient proof for the refutation of this slander. The presentation of this highly eloquent Revelation which consists of sublime themes, is an argument which proves that Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) has been especially favoured by Allah, and nor an argument which might be used to prove that he has, God forbid, gone mad." Here, one should remember that although the address apparently is directed to the Holy Prophet, yet the real object is to nail the calumny of the disbelievers. Therefore, no ane should have the doubt that this verse was sent down only to assure the Holy Prophet that he was not mad. Obviously, the Holy Prophet himself had no such doubt for removing which he might have stood in need of such an assurance. The object was to tell the disbelievers, as if to say: "The Qur'an because of which you-are calling the one presenting it a madman, is by itself an argument that your accusation is false." (For further explanation' see E.N. 22 of Surah At-Tur)
Ayah 68:3

وَ اِنَّ لَكَ لَاَجْرًا غَیْرَ مَمْنُوْنٍۚ Open ayah 68:3 in the Quran reader

And surely you have a reward that shall never end, 3

3 That is, "You will get an unlimited and continuous reward, for although you have to hear discouraging and disturbing things in response to the efforts that you are making for the instruction and guidance of the people, yet you are steadfastly performing your Mission of calling them to the Right Way."
Ayahs 68:4–8

وَ اِنَّكَ لَعَلٰى خُلُقٍ عَظِیْمٍ Open ayah 68:4 in the Quran reader

and surely you are exalted to a high and noble character. 4

فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَ یُبْصِرُوْنَۙ Open ayah 68:5 in the Quran reader

Soon you shall see as well as they,

بِاَىیِّكُمُ الْمَفْتُوْنُ Open ayah 68:6 in the Quran reader

which of you is afflicted with madness.

اِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِیْلِهٖ١۪ وَ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِیْنَ Open ayah 68:7 in the Quran reader

Your Lord best knows those who have strayed from His Way and He best knows also those who are rightly guided.

فَلَا تُطِعِ الْمُكَذِّبِیْنَ Open ayah 68:8 in the Quran reader

Therefore, do not at all yield to the beliers of the Truth.

4 Here, this sentence gives two meanings: (1) "That you stand exalted to a high and noble character; that is why you are enduring all these hardships in your mission of guiding the people to the Right Way, otherwise a tnan of weak character could not have done so;" and (2) "that besides the Qur'an, your high and noble character also is a clear proof that the accusation of madness that the disbelievers bring against you is absolutely false, for high morals and madness cannot co-exist in one and the same person. " A madman is he whose balance of mind is upset, who has lost his temperamental equilibrium. Contrary to this, the high morals of a person testify that he is a right-minded and sound-natured person, who possesses perfect temperamental equilibrium. The people of Makkah were not unaware of the morals and character possessed by the Holy Messenger of AIIah. Therefore, it was enough just to make a reference to them so that every reasonable man of Makkah was made to think how shameless were those people who were calling a man of such sublime morals and character a madman. Their absurd conduct was not at all harmful for the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) but for themselves, for maddened in their craze for opposition they were saying such a thing about him which could not be regarded as credible by any man of understanding. The same also is the case with those men of knowledge and scholarship, who in the modern time are accusing the Holy prophet (upon whom be peace) of having fits of madness and epilepsy. The Qur'an is available everywhere in the world and the Holy Prophet's life also exists in the written form in entire detail. Every person can see it for himself what a foolish and meaningless thing is being uttered in their blind enmity by those who regard the man who brought this unique and matchless Book and who possessed such sublime morals and character as a mentally deranged person. The best description of the Holy Prophet's character has been given by Hadrat 'A'ishah in her statement: Kana khuluqu-hul-Qur an: the Qur'an was his character." Imam Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Da'ud. Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Darimi and Ibn Jarir have cited, with a little variation in wording, this saying with several chains of transmitters. This means that the Holy Prophet had not merely presented the teaching of the Qur'an before the world but also given its practical demonstration by his personal example. Whatever was enjoined in the Qur'an was acted upon practically by himself in the first instance; whatever was forbidden in it was shunned and avoided by himself most of aII. His own self was characterised most of all by the moral qualities which were declared as sublime by it, and his own self was most free from those qualities which were declared as abhorrent and reprehensible by it. In another tradition Hadrat 'A'ishah has stated: "The Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) never hit a servant, never raised his hand on a woman never used his hand to kill a person outside the battlefield, never avenged himself on anyone for an injury caused unless someone violated a sanctity enjoined by AIlah and he avenged it for the sake of Allah. His practice was that whenever he had to choose between two things, he would choose the easier one unless it was a sin; and if it was a sin he would keep away from it most of all" (Musnad Ahmad) . Hadrat Anas says: "I served the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) for ten years. He never did so much as express even a slight disgust over what I did or said: he never asked why I had done what I had done, and never inquired why I had not done what I had not done." (Bukhari, Muslim) .
Ayah 68:9

وَدُّوْا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَیُدْهِنُوْنَ Open ayah 68:9 in the Quran reader

They indeed wish that you should compromise a little, then they also would compromises 5

5 That is, "If you slackened a little in your propagation of Islam, they also would slacken in their opposition to you. Or, if you became inclined to effect some changes in your Faith to suit these people, they too would effect a compromise with you."
Ayahs 68:10–11

وَ لَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِیْنٍۙ Open ayah 68:10 in the Quran reader

Do not at all yield to any mean swearer of many oaths, 6

هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِیْمٍۙ Open ayah 68:11 in the Quran reader

who is a slanderer and a backbiter,

6 The word mahin is used for a contemptible, degraded and mean person. This is indeed a necessary quality of a person who swears many oaths. He swears an oath for every minor thing because he himself has the feeling that the people take him for a liar and would not believe him until he swore an oath. For this reason he is not only degraded in his own eyes but commands no respect in society either.
Ayah 68:12

مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَیْرِ مُعْتَدٍ اَثِیْمٍۙ Open ayah 68:12 in the Quran reader

a hinderer of good 7 and a transgressor, wicked and oppressive, 8

7 Khayr in Arabic is used both for wealth and for good. If it is taken in the meaning of wealth the, meaning would be that he is miserly and stingy; he would not even spend a farthing on anyone; and if khayr is taken in the meaning of goodness and virtue, it would mean that he creates a hindrance in every good work as . ell as that he is very active in hindering the people from accepting Islam. 8 The word `utul is used for a person who is stout and strong and greedy in eating and drinking and is also ill-mannered, quarrelsome and cruel at the same tune.
Ayah 68:13

عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ زَنِیْمٍۙ Open ayah 68:13 in the Quran reader

and above all, ignoble by birth, 9

9 The word zanim is used to describe a person of illegitimate birth, who does not, in fact, belong to a family but has joined it. Sa`id bin Jubair and Sha`bi say that this word is used for a person who is notorious among the people for his evildoing. The views of the commentators with regard to the person who has been described in these verses are different. Some one says it was Walid bin Mughirah; another one says it was Aswad bin `Abd-i Yaghuth, and still another has applied this description to Akhnas bin Shurayq, and some other people have pointed to some other persons. But the Qur'an has only described his attributes without naming him. This shows that in Makkah the man concerned was so notorious for his such qualities that there was no need to name him definitely. Hearing his description every person could understand who was being referred to.
Ayahs 68:14–15

اَنْ كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَّ بَنِیْنَؕ Open ayah 68:14 in the Quran reader

only because he has abundance of wealth and children. 10

اِذَا تُتْلٰى عَلَیْهِ اٰیٰتُنَا قَالَ اَسَاطِیْرُ الْاَوَّلِیْنَ Open ayah 68:15 in the Quran reader

When Our Revelations are recited to him, he says, "These are tales of the ancient times."

10 This sentence may be connected with the preceding theme as well as with the following sentence. In the first case, it would mean: "Do not yield to the influence of such a person just because he has plenty of wealth and children. " In the second: "He has become proud because he possesses abundance of wealth and children; so when Our Revelations are recited to him, he says, "These are tales of ancient times."
Ayah 68:16

سَنَسِمُهٗ عَلَى الْخُرْطُوْمِ Open ayah 68:16 in the Quran reader

Soon We shall brand him on the snout. 11

11 Because he thought he was a man of high prestige, his nose has been called a snout, and "branding him on the snout means disgracing him. That is, "We shall so disgrace him in the world and in the Hereafter that his mark of disgrace will become indelible."
Ayah 68:17

اِنَّا بَلَوْنٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَاۤ اَصْحٰبَ الْجَنَّةِ١ۚ اِذْ اَقْسَمُوْا لَیَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِیْنَۙ Open ayah 68:17 in the Quran reader

We have tried them (the people of Makkah) just as we had tried the owners of a certain garden, 12 when they swore that they would surely pluck the fruit of their garden next morning,

12 Here, one should also keep Al-Kahf: 32-44 in view, in which the parable of the owners of two gardens has been cited for teaching a lesson.
Ayahs 68:18–21

وَ لَا یَسْتَثْنُوْنَ Open ayah 68:18 in the Quran reader

and they did not make any exception also by saying Inshallah - If Allah wills. 13

فَطَافَ عَلَیْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّنْ رَّبِّكَ وَ هُمْ نَآئِمُوْنَ Open ayah 68:19 in the Quran reader

But while they lay asleep at night, a calamity from your Lord visited the garden

فَاَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِیْمِۙ Open ayah 68:20 in the Quran reader

and it became as though it had already been reaped.

فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِیْنَۙ Open ayah 68:21 in the Quran reader

In the morning they called out to one another,

13 That is, "They were so sure and confident of their power and authority that they swore they would surely pluck the fruit of their garden next morning, without feeling any need to say, "We shall do so if Allah so willed."
Ayahs 68:22–24

اَنِ اغْدُوْا عَلٰى حَرْثِكُمْ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ صٰرِمِیْنَ Open ayah 68:22 in the Quran reader

saying: "Go forth early to your tilth 14 if you would pluck fruit."

فَانْطَلَقُوْا وَ هُمْ یَتَخَافَتُوْنَۙ Open ayah 68:23 in the Quran reader

So they set out, whispering to one another,

اَنْ لَّا یَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْیَوْمَ عَلَیْكُمْ مِّسْكِیْنٌۙ Open ayah 68:24 in the Quran reader

"Let no needy man approach you in the garden today."

14 The word tilth probably has been used because in the garden there were fields of crops also in between the trees.
Ayahs 68:25–26

وَّ غَدَوْا عَلٰى حَرْدٍ قٰدِرِیْنَ Open ayah 68:25 in the Quran reader

They hurried off early (to their garden) with the resolve not to give away anything 15 as though they had the power (to pluck the fruit) .

فَلَمَّا رَاَوْهَا قَالُوْۤا اِنَّا لَضَآلُّوْنَۙ Open ayah 68:26 in the Quran reader

But when they saw the garden, they said, "We have lost our way!-

15 The word hard in Arabic is used for hindering and withholding, for a purpose and resolution, and for making haste; hence, the composite rendering adopted by us.
Ayah 68:27

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُوْمُوْنَ Open ayah 68:27 in the Quran reader

Nay, but we have been left destitute!" 16

16 That is, on seeing the garden they didn't believe it was their own garden, and they said: "Perhaps we have lost our way and come to another place." But, when they considered it seriously and found it was their own garden, they cried out: "Alas we are undone!"
Ayahs 68:28–29

قَالَ اَوْسَطُهُمْ اَلَمْ اَقُلْ لَّكُمْ لَوْ لَا تُسَبِّحُوْنَ Open ayah 68:28 in the Quran reader

The best man among them said, "Did I not tell you, `Why do you not glorify (Allah) also by saying Inshallah - If Allah wills"?" 17

قَالُوْا سُبْحٰنَ رَبِّنَاۤ اِنَّا كُنَّا ظٰلِمِیْنَ Open ayah 68:29 in the Quran reader

They cried out, "Glorified is our Lord: we were indeed sinners! "

17 This means that when they were saying on oath: "We shall surely pluck the fruit of our garden tomorrow," this person had warned them at that time, saying: "Have you forgotten God? Why don't you say: If Allah so wills?" But they did not listen to him. Then, while they were making up their mind not to give away anything to the needy. he again advised them to remember Allah and to desist from their evil intention, but they persisted in what they had resolved.
Ayahs 68:30–33

فَاَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ یَّتَلَاوَمُوْنَ Open ayah 68:30 in the Quran reader

Then they began to blame one another. 18

قَالُوْا یٰوَیْلَنَاۤ اِنَّا كُنَّا طٰغِیْنَ Open ayah 68:31 in the Quran reader

At last, they said, "Alas for us! Indeed we had become rebellious.

عَسٰى رَبُّنَاۤ اَنْ یُّبْدِلَنَا خَیْرًا مِّنْهَاۤ اِنَّاۤ اِلٰى رَبِّنَا رٰغِبُوْنَ Open ayah 68:32 in the Quran reader

It may well be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better garden than this: we turn to our Lord."

كَذٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُ١ؕ وَ لَعَذَابُ الْاٰخِرَةِ اَكْبَرُ١ۘ لَوْ كَانُوْا یَعْلَمُوْنَ۠ Open ayah 68:33 in the Quran reader

Such is the torment, and the torment of the Hereafter is far greater. Would that they knew this!

18 That is, each reproached and blamed the other that because of his wrong counsel they had forgotten God and resolved upon an evil course.
Ayahs 68:34–35

اِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِیْنَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنّٰتِ النَّعِیْمِ Open ayah 68:34 in the Quran reader

Surely 19 for the Godfearing there are blissful Gardens with their Lord.

اَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِیْنَ كَالْمُجْرِمِیْنَؕ Open ayah 68:35 in the Quran reader

Shall We then treat the obedient as We treat the guilty?

19 This is. a rejoinder to the chiefs of Makkah, who argued with the Muslims, thus: "The blessings that we are enjoying in the world are a sign that we are favourites of AIlah, and the miserable lives that you are living are a proof that you are under the wrath of AIIah. Therefore, even if there was any life after death, as you say, we shall have good time there too, and the torment would be imposed on you, not on us!"
Ayah 68:36

مَا لَكُمْ١ٙ كَیْفَ تَحْكُمُوْنَۚ Open ayah 68:36 in the Quran reader

What has happened to you: how ill you judge. 20

20 That is, "lt is against reason that God should not differentiate between the obedient servant and the guilty. How do you regard this as reasonable that the Creator of the universe should, like a blind ruler, not judge which people in the world obeyed His commands and refrained from evildoing, and which people committed every sin and crime and perpetrated every cruelty fearless of His punishment? You have seen the adversity of the believers and your own prosperity, but you have not appreciated the distinction between their good morals and your own evildoing, and have given your judgement without the thought that these obedient people will be treated like culprits by God and the guilty like you will be granted Paradise. "
Ayahs 68:37–39

اَمْ لَكُمْ كِتٰبٌ فِیْهِ تَدْرُسُوْنَۙ Open ayah 68:37 in the Quran reader

Have you a Book 21 in which you study

اِنَّ لَكُمْ فِیْهِ لَمَا تَخَیَّرُوْنَۚ Open ayah 68:38 in the Quran reader

that you shall have there the same that you choose for yourselves?

اَمْ لَكُمْ اَیْمَانٌ عَلَیْنَا بَالِغَةٌ اِلٰى یَوْمِ الْقِیٰمَةِ١ۙ اِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُوْنَۚ Open ayah 68:39 in the Quran reader

Or, have you covenants binding on Us till the Resurrection Day that you will have will have whatever you demand?

21 That is, the Book sent down by Allah.
Ayah 68:40

سَلْهُمْ اَیُّهُمْ بِذٰلِكَ زَعِیْمٌۚۛ Open ayah 68:40 in the Quran reader

Ask them which of them will guarantee this? 22

22 Za'im in Arabic is used for a person who stands a surety on behalf of another, or is a spokesman of others. Thus, the verse means to ask: "Which of you will come forward and say that he has made such and such a covenant with Allah on your behalf?"