AL-QALAM (THE PEN)
068.001
YUSUFALI:
Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write,-
PICKTHAL:
Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith),
SHAKIR:
Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write,
068.002
YUSUFALI:
Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.
PICKTHAL:
Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman.
SHAKIR:
By the grace of your Lord you are not mad.
068.003
YUSUFALI:
Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:
PICKTHAL:
And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing.
SHAKIR:
And most surely you shall have a reward never to be cut
off.
068.004
YUSUFALI:
And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.
PICKTHAL:
And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.
SHAKIR:
And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime
morality.
068.005
YUSUFALI:
Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,
PICKTHAL:
And thou wilt see and they will see
SHAKIR:
So you shall see, and they (too) shall see,
068.006
YUSUFALI:
Which of you is afflicted with madness.
PICKTHAL:
Which of you is the demented.
SHAKIR:
Which of you is afflicted with madness.
068.007
YUSUFALI:
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.
PICKTHAL:
Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way,
and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.
SHAKIR:
Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way,
and He best knows the followers of the right course.
068.008
YUSUFALI:
So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).
PICKTHAL:
Therefor obey not thou the rejecters
SHAKIR:
So do not yield to the rejecters.
068.009
YUSUFALI:
Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be
pliant.
PICKTHAL:
Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise.
SHAKIR:
They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would
be pliant.
068.010
YUSUFALI:
Heed not the type of despicable men,- ready with oaths,
PICKTHAL:
Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger,
SHAKIR:
And yield not to any mean swearer
068.011
YUSUFALI:
A slanderer, going about with calumnies,
PICKTHAL:
Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,
SHAKIR:
Defamer, going about with slander
068.012
YUSUFALI:
(Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond
bounds, deep in sin,
PICKTHAL:
Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor
SHAKIR:
Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,
068.013
YUSUFALI:
Violent (and cruel),- with all that, base-born,-
PICKTHAL:
Greedy therewithal, intrusive.
SHAKIR:
Ignoble, besides all that, base-born;
068.014
YUSUFALI:
Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.
PICKTHAL:
It is because he is possessed of wealth and children
SHAKIR:
Because he possesses wealth and sons.
068.015
YUSUFALI:
When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients",
he cries!
PICKTHAL:
That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith:
Mere fables of the men of old.
SHAKIR:
When Our communications are recited to him, he says:
Stories of those of yore.
068.016
YUSUFALI:
Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!
PICKTHAL:
We shall brand him on the nose.
SHAKIR:
We will brand him on the nose.
068.017
YUSUFALI:
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.
PICKTHAL:
Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden
when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning,
SHAKIR:
Surely We will try them as We tried the owners of the
garden, when they swore that they would certainly cut off
the produce in the morning,
068.018
YUSUFALI:
But made no reservation, ("If it be Allah's Will").
PICKTHAL:
And made no exception (for the Will of Allah);
SHAKIR:
And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the
poor).
068.019
YUSUFALI:
Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord,
(which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.
PICKTHAL:
Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept
SHAKIR:
Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord
while they were sleeping.
068.020
YUSUFALI:
So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and
desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).
PICKTHAL:
And in the morning it was as if plucked.
SHAKIR:
So it became as black, barren land.
068.021
YUSUFALI:
As the morning broke, they called out, one to another,-
PICKTHAL:
And they cried out one unto another in the morning,
SHAKIR:
And they called out to each other in the morning,
068.022
YUSUFALI:
"Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would
gather the fruits."
PICKTHAL:
Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit).
SHAKIR:
Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the
produce).
068.023
YUSUFALI:
So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying)-
PICKTHAL:
So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones:
SHAKIR:
So they went, while they consulted together secretly,
068.024
YUSUFALI:
"Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the
(garden) this day."
PICKTHAL:
No needy man shall enter it to-day against you.
SHAKIR:
Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you.
068.025
YUSUFALI:
And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.
PICKTHAL:
They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose.
SHAKIR:
And in the morning they went, having the power to
prevent.
068.026
YUSUFALI:
But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely
lost our way:
PICKTHAL:
But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error!
SHAKIR:
But when they saw it, they said: Most surely we have
gone astray
068.027
YUSUFALI:
"Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"
PICKTHAL:
Nay, but we are desolate!
SHAKIR:
Nay! we are made to suffer privation.
068.028
YUSUFALI:
Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to
you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'"
PICKTHAL:
The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye
not (Allah)?
SHAKIR:
The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you
not glorify (Allah)?
068.029
YUSUFALI:
They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing
wrong!"
PICKTHAL:
They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been
wrong-doers.
SHAKIR:
They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust.
068.030
YUSUFALI:
Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.
PICKTHAL:
Then some of them drew near unto others, self-reproaching.
SHAKIR:
Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each
other.
068.031
YUSUFALI:
They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!
PICKTHAL:
They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous.
SHAKIR:
Said they: O woe to us! surely we were inordinate:
068.032
YUSUFALI:
"It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better
(garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"
PICKTHAL:
It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place
thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord.
SHAKIR:
Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it;
surely to our Lord do we make our humble petition.
068.033
YUSUFALI:
Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the
Punishment in the Hereafter,- if only they knew!
PICKTHAL:
Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the
Hereafter is greater if they did but know.
SHAKIR:
Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement
of the hereafter is greater, did they but know!
068.034
YUSUFALI:
Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the
Presence of their Lord.
PICKTHAL:
Lo! for those who keep from evil are gardens of bliss with
their Lord.
SHAKIR:
Surely those who guard (against evil) shall have with
their Lord gardens of bliss.
068.035
YUSUFALI:
Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of
Sin?
PICKTHAL:
Shall We then treat those who have surrendered as We treat the
guilty?
SHAKIR:
What! shall We then make (that is, treat) those who submit
as the guilty?
068.036
YUSUFALI:
What is the matter with you? How judge ye?
PICKTHAL:
What aileth you? How foolishly ye judge!
SHAKIR:
What has happened to you? How do you judge?
068.037
YUSUFALI:
Or have ye a book through which ye learn-
PICKTHAL:
Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn
SHAKIR:
Or have you a book wherein you read,
068.038
YUSUFALI:
That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?
PICKTHAL:
That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose?
SHAKIR:
That you have surely therein what you choose?
068.039
YUSUFALI:
Or have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of
Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?
PICKTHAL:
Or have ye a covenant on oath from Us that reacheth to the Day
of Judgment, that yours shall be all that ye ordain?
SHAKIR:
Or have you received from Us an agreement confirmed by
an oath extending to the day of resurrection that you shall
surely have what you demand?
068.040
YUSUFALI:
Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!
PICKTHAL:
Ask them (O Muhammad) which of them will vouch for that!
SHAKIR:
Ask them which of them will vouch for that,
068.041
YUSUFALI:
Or have they some "Partners" (in Allahhead)? Then let them
produce their "partners", if they are truthful!
PICKTHAL:
Or have they other gods? Then let them bring their other gods
if they are truthful
SHAKIR:
Or have they associates if they are truthful.
068.042
YUSUFALI:
The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be
summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able,-
PICKTHAL:
On the day when it befalleth in earnest, and they are ordered
to prostrate themselves but are not able,
SHAKIR:
On the day when there shall be a severe affliction, and
they shall be called upon to make obeisance, but they shall
not be able,
068.043
YUSUFALI:
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).
PICKTHAL:
With eyes downcast, abasement stupefying them. And they had
been summoned to prostrate themselves while they were yet unhurt.
SHAKIR:
Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them;
and they were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet
they were safe.
068.044
YUSUFALI:
Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by
degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.
PICKTHAL:
Leave Me (to deal) with those who give the lie to this
pronouncement. We shall lead them on by steps from whence they know not.
SHAKIR:
So leave Me and him who rejects this announcement; We
will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive
not:
068.045
YUSUFALI:
A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My
Plan.
PICKTHAL:
Yet I bear with them, for lo! My scheme is firm.
SHAKIR:
And I do bear with them, surely My plan is firm.
068.046
YUSUFALI:
Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they
are burdened with a load of debt?-
PICKTHAL:
Or dost thou (Muhammad) ask a fee from them so that they are
heavily taxed?
SHAKIR:
Or do you ask from them a reward, so that they are
burdened with debt?
068.047
YUSUFALI:
Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write
it down?
PICKTHAL:
Or is the Unseen theirs that they can write (thereof)?
SHAKIR:
Or have they (the knowledge of) the unseen, so that they
write (it) down?
068.048
YUSUFALI:
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.
PICKTHAL:
But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of
the fish, who cried out in despair.
SHAKIR:
So wait patiently for the judgment of your Lord, and be
not like the companion of the fish, when he cried while he
was in distress.
068.049
YUSUFALI:
Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have
been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.
PICKTHAL:
Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him he
surely had been cast into the wilderness while he was reprobate.
SHAKIR:
Were it not that favor from his Lord had overtaken him,
he would certainly have been cast down upon the naked Found
while he was blamed.
068.050
YUSUFALI:
Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of
the Righteous.
PICKTHAL:
But his Lord chose him and placed him among the righteous.
SHAKIR:
Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the good.
068.051
YUSUFALI:
And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes
when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"
PICKTHAL:
And lo! those who disbelieve would fain disconcert thee with
their eyes when they hear the Reminder, and they say: Lo! he is indeed
mad;
SHAKIR:
And those who disbelieve would almost smite you with
their eyes when they hear the reminder, and they say: Most
surely he is mad.
068.052
YUSUFALI:
But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.
PICKTHAL:
When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation.
SHAKIR:
And it is naught but a reminder to the nations.