Surahs
1 - Al-Fatihah
2 - Al-Baqarah
3 - Aal-i-Imran
4 - An-Nisa
5 - Al-Ma'ida
6 - Al-An'am
7 - Al-A'raf
8 - Al-Anfal
9 - At-Taubah
10 - Yunus
11 - Hud
12 - Yusuf
13 - Ar-Ra'd
14 - Ibrahim
15 - Al-Hijr
16 - An-Nahl
17 - Al-Isra
18 - Al-Kahf
19 - Maryam
20 - Ta-Ha
21 - Al-Anbiya
22 - Al-Hajj
23 - Al-Mu'minun
24 - An-Nur
25 - Al-Furqan
26 - Ash-Shu'ara
27 - An-Naml
28 - Al-Qasas
29 - Al-Ankabut
30 - Ar-Rum
31 - Luqman
32 - As-Sajda
33 - Al-Ahzab
34 - Saba
35 - Fatir
36 - Ya-Sin
37 - As-Saffat
38 - Saad
39 - Az-Zumar
40 - Al-Mu'min | Ghafir
41 - Sajdah | Fussilat
42 - Ash-Shura
43 - Az-Zukhruf
44 - Ad-Dukhan
45 - Al-Jathiya
46 - Al-Ahqaf
47 - Muhammad
48 - Al-Fat-h
49 - Al-Hujurat
50 - Qaf
51 - Adh-Dhariyat
52 - At-Tur
53 - An-Najm
54 - Al-Qamar
55 - Ar-Rahman
56 - Al-Waqi'a
57 - Al-Hadid
58 - Al-Mujadila
59 - Al-Hashr
60 - Al-Mumtahana
61 - As-Saff
62 - Al-Jumu'a
63 - Al-Munafiqun
64 - At-Tagabun
65 - At-Talaq
66 - At-Tahrim
67 - Al-Mulk
68 - Al-Qalam
69 - Al-Haqqa
70 - Al-Ma'arij
71 - Nuh
72 - Al-Jinn
73 - Al-Muzzammil
74 - Al-Muddathir
75 - Al-Qiyamat
76 - Al-Insaan | Ad-Dahr
77 - Al-Mursalat
78 - An-Nabaa
79 - An-Nazi'at
80 - Abasa
81 - At-Takwir
82 - Al-Infitar
83 - Al-Mutaffifin
84 - Al-Inshiqaq
85 - Al-Buruj
86 - At-Tariq
87 - Al-A'la
88 - Al-Gashiya
89 - Al-Fajr
90 - Al-Balad
91 - Ash-Shams
92 - Al-Lail
93 - Adh-Dhuha
94 - Ash-Sharh
95 - At-Tin
96 - Al-Alaq
97 - Al-Qadr
98 - Al-Baiyina
99 - Al-Zalzalah
100 - Al-Adiyat
101 - Al-Qari'a
102 - At-Takathur
103 - Al-Asr
104 - Al-Humaza
105 - Al-Fil
106 - Quraish
107 - Al-Ma'un
108 - Al-Kauthar
109 - Al-Kafirun
110 - An-Nasr
111 - Al-Lahab
112 - Al-Ikhlas
113 - Al-Falaq
114 - Al-Nas
Outlook
The Meaning of the Qur'an - Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al Qur'an
______________________________________
68. Surah Al Qalam (The Pen)
Name
This Surah is called Nun as well as Al-Qalam, the words with which it begins.
Period of Revelation
This too is one of the earliest surahs to be revealed at Makkah, but its subject matter shows that it was sent down at the time when opposition to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) had grown very harsh and tyrannical.
Theme and Subject Matter
It consists of three themes: Replies to the opponents objections, administration of warning and admonition to them, and exhortation to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) to patience and constancy.
At the outset, the Holy Prophet has been addressed, to the effect: "The disbelievers call you a madman whereas the Book that you are presenting and the sublime conduct that you practice, are by themselves sufficient to refute their false accusations. Soon they will see as to who was mad and who was sane; therefore, do not at all yield to the din of opposition being kicked up against you, for all this is actually meant to cow you and make you resort to a compromise with them."
Then, in order to enlighten the common people the character of a prominent man from among the opponents, whom the people of Makkah fully well recognized, has been presented, without naming him:At that time, the Holy Prophet's pure and sublime conduct was before them, and every discerning eye could also see what sort of character and morals were possessed by the chiefs of Makkah, who were leading the opposition against him.
Then, in vv. 17-33, the parable of the owners of a garden has been presented, who after having been blessed by Allah turned ungrateful to Him, and did not heed the admonition of the best man among them when it was given them. Consequently, they were deprived of the blessing and they realized this, when all they had lay devastated. With this parable the people of Makkah have been warned to the effect:"With the appointment of the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) to Prophethood, you, O people of Makkah, too, have been put to a test similar to the one to which the owners of the garden had been put. If you do not listen to him, you too will be afflicted with a punishment in the world, and the punishment of the Hereafter is far greater."
Then, in vv. 34-47 continuously, the disbelievers have been admonished, in which the address sometimes turns to them directly and sometimes they are warned through the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace). A summary of what has been said in this regard, is this: Well being in the Hereafter inevitably belongs to those who spend their lives in the world in full consciousness of God. It is utterly against reason that the obedient servants should meet in the Hereafter the same fate as the guilty. There is absolutely no basis of the disbelievers misunderstanding that God will treat them in the manner they choose for themselves, whereas they have no guarantee for this. Those who are being called upon to bow before God in the world and they refuse to do so, would be unable to prostrate themselves on the Day of Resurrection even if they wanted to do so, and thus would stand disgraced and condemned. Having denied the Qur'an they cannot escape Divine punishment. The rein they are being given, has deluded them. They think that since they are not being punished in spite of their denial, they must be on the right path, whereas they are following the path of ruin. They have no reasonable ground for opposing the Messenger, for he is a preacher without any vested interest: he is not asking any reward of them for himself, and they cannot either make the claim that they know with certainty that he is not a true Messenger, nor that what he says is false.
In conclusion, the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) has been exhorted to the effect:"Bear with patience the hardships that you may have to face in the way of preaching the Faith till Allah's judgment arrives, and avoid the impatience which caused suffering and affliction to the Prophet Jonah (peace be on him)."
Maududi: English
Al-Qalam
Juz 29
1
ن ۚ وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ﴿١﴾ مَا أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ ﴿٢﴾ وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ ﴿٣﴾ وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٤﴾ فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ ﴿٥﴾ بِأَييِّكُمُ الْمَفْتُونُ ﴿٦﴾ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿٧﴾ فَلَا تُطِعِ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ ﴿٨﴾ وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ ﴿٩﴾ وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ ﴿١٠﴾ هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّاءٍ بِنَمِيمٍ ﴿١١﴾ مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ ﴿١٢﴾ عُتُلٍّ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ ﴿١٣﴾ أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ ﴿١٤﴾ إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿١٥﴾
Nun. By the pen and what the scribes write. (1) By your Lord's Grace, you are not afflicted with madness, (2) and surely yours shall be a never-ending reward, (3) and you are certainly on the most exalted standard of moral excellence. (4) So you will soon see, and they too will see, (5) which of you is afflicted with madness. (6) Surely your Lord knows well those who have strayed from His Way just as He knows well those who are on the Right Way. (7) Do not, then, yield to those who reject the Truth, decrying it as false; (8) they would wish you to be pliant so that they too may be pliant. (9) And do not yield to any contemptible swearer, (10) the fault-finder who goes around slandering, (11) the hinderer of good, the transgressor, the sinful; (12) the coarse-grained, and above all mean and ignoble; (13) (who so acts) simply because he has wealth and sons, (14) and whenever Our verses are rehearsed to him, he says: “These are fairy- tales of times gone by.” (15)
Maududi: English
Al-Qalam
Juz 29
2
سَنَسِمُهُ عَلَى الْخُرْطُومِ ﴿١٦﴾ إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ ﴿١٧﴾ وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ ﴿١٨﴾ فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ ﴿١٩﴾ فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ ﴿٢٠﴾ فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِينَ ﴿٢١﴾ أَنِ اغْدُوا عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَارِمِينَ ﴿٢٢﴾ فَانطَلَقُوا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾ أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ ﴿٢٤﴾ وَغَدَوْا عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَادِرِينَ ﴿٢٥﴾ فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ ﴿٢٦﴾ بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾ قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ ﴿٢٨﴾ قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ ﴿٢٩﴾ فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَاوَمُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾ قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغِينَ ﴿٣١﴾ عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَا أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾ كَذَٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾ إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ ﴿٣٤﴾ أَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَالْمُجْرِمِينَ ﴿٣٥﴾ مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ ﴿٣٦﴾ أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَابٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ ﴿٣٧﴾ إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ ﴿٣٨﴾ أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَانٌ عَلَيْنَا بَالِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ ﴿٣٩﴾ سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ ﴿٤٠﴾ أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا بِشُرَكَائِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ ﴿٤١﴾ يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى السُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾
Soon shall We brand him on his snout. (16) We have put them [i.e., the Makkans] to test even as We put to test the owners of the orchard when they vowed that they would gather the fruit of their orchard in the morning, (17) without making any allowance (for the will of Allah). (18) Thereupon a calamity from your Lord passed over it while they were asleep, (19) and so by morning the orchard lay as though it had been fully harvested. (20) At daybreak they called out to one another: (21) “Hurry to your orchard if you would gather its fruit.” (22) So off they went, whispering to one another: (23) “No destitute person shall enter it today.” (24) They went forth early, believing that they had the power (to gather the fruit). (25) But as soon as they beheld the orchard, (they cried out): “We have certainly lost the way; (26) rather, we are utterly ruined.” (27) The best among them said: “Did I not say to you: why do you not give glory to (your Lord)?” (28) They cried out: “Glory be to our Lord! Certainly we were sinners.” (29) Then they began to reproach one another. (30) They said: “Woe to us! We had indeed transgressed. (31) Maybe our Lord will give us a better orchard in its place; to our Lord do we penitently turn.” (32) Such is the chastisement; and the chastisement of the Hereafter is assuredly even greater, if only they knew. (33) Surely the God-fearing shall have Gardens of bliss with their Lord. (34) What! Shall We treat those who have submitted (to Our command) like those who have acted as criminals? (35) What is the matter with you? How ill do you judge! (36) Or do you have a Book wherein you read (37) that (in the Hereafter) you shall have all that you choose for yourselves? (38) Or have We sworn a covenant with you which We are bound to keep till the Day of Resurrection, (a covenant requiring that whatever you ordain for yourselves shall be yours)? (39) Ask them: “Which of them can guarantee that? (40) Or has something been guaranteed by any of those whom they associate with Allah in His Divinity?” If so, let them bring forth their associates, if they are truthful. (41) On the Day when the dreadful calamity will unfold, when people will be summoned to prostrate themselves, and yet they will not be able to prostrate. (42)
Maududi: English
Al-Qalam
Juz 29
3
خَاشِعَةً أَبْصَارُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى السُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَالِمُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾ فَذَرْنِي وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٤٤﴾ وَأُمْلِي لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِي مَتِينٌ ﴿٤٥﴾ أَمْ تَسْأَلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ ﴿٤٦﴾ أَمْ عِندَهُمُ الْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ ﴿٤٧﴾ فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ الْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ ﴿٤٨﴾ لَّوْلَا أَن تَدَارَكَهُ نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ لَنُبِذَ بِالْعَرَاءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ ﴿٤٩﴾ فَاجْتَبَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَجَعَلَهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ﴿٥٠﴾ وَإِن يَكَادُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا الذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ لَمَجْنُونٌ ﴿٥١﴾ وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٥٢﴾
Their eyes shall be downcast and ignominy shall overwhelm them. For when they were safe and sound, they were summoned to prostrate themselves, (and they refused). (43) So leave Me, (O Prophet), to deal with him who gives the lie to this Discourse. We shall draw them little by little (to their undoing) in a way that they will not know. (44) I am giving them a respite. Great is My scheme! (45) Or are you asking them for some compensation so that they feel burdened with debt? (46) Or do they have any knowledge of the Unseen which they are now writing down? (47) So bear with patience until the Judgement of your Lord comes, and do not belike the man in the fish (i.e., Jonah) who called out, choking with grief: (48) had his Lord not bestowed His favour upon him, he would have been cast upon that barren shore (and would have remained there) in disgrace. (49) But his Lord exalted him, and included him among His righteous servants. (50) When the unbelievers hear this Exhortation, they look at you as though they would knock you off your feet with their (hostile) glances. They say: “Surely he is afflicted with madness”; (51) although this is nothing but an Exhortation (to goodness) for everyone in the world. (52)