About Surah Al-Qalam
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 t...
Main Theme: Surah Al-Qalam focuses on 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.
Revelation Context: Revealed in Makkah. Traditionally listed as revelation number 2. Contains 52 verses. 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.
Benefits & Significance
The life-impact of Surah Al-Qalam is its ability to cultivate awareness of the Hereafter together with patience during trials, so belief is translated into disciplined action and emotional balance.
- Reduces careless choices by reviving awareness of judgment, reward, and consequence. Surah Al-Qalam repeatedly reinforces this lesson.
- Teaches patience and steadfastness when facing pressure, setbacks, or opposition. This is a recurring practical lesson in Surah Al-Qalam.
- Balances fear of wrongdoing with hope in divine mercy, preventing despair. Regular reflection on Surah Al-Qalam helps apply this in daily life.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ نٓ ۚ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ 1
Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe,
مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍۢ 2
You are not, [O Muhammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.
وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍۢ 3
And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍۢ 4
And indeed, you are of a great moral character.
فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ 5
So you will see and they will see
بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلْمَفْتُونُ 6
Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil].
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ 7
Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.
فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ 8
Then do not obey the deniers.
وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ 9
They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍۢ مَّهِينٍ 10
And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer
هَمَّازٍۢ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍۢ 11
[And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip -
مَّنَّاعٍۢ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ 12
A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,
عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ 13
Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍۢ وَبَنِينَ 14
Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,
إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ 15
When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."
سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ 16
We will brand him upon the snout.
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ 17
Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning
وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ 18
Without making exception.
فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ 19
So there came upon the garden an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep.
فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ 20
And it became as though reaped.
فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ 21
And they called one another at morning,
أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰرِمِينَ 22
[Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit."
فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَٰفَتُونَ 23
So they set out, while lowering their voices,
أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌۭ 24
[Saying], "There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person."
وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍۢ قَٰدِرِينَ 25
And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able.
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ 26
But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost;
بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ 27
Rather, we have been deprived."
قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ 28
The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not exalt [Allah]?' "
قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ 29
They said, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."
فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ 30
Then they approached one another, blaming each other.
قَالُوا۟ يَٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَٰغِينَ 31
They said, "O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors.
عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًۭا مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ 32
Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous."
كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ 33
Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.
إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ 34
Indeed, for the righteous with their Lord are the Gardens of Pleasure.
أَفَنَجْعَلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ كَٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ 35
Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?
مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ 36
What is [the matter] with you? How do you judge?
أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَٰبٌۭ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ 37
Or do you have a scripture in which you learn
إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ 38
That indeed for you is whatever you choose?
أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَٰنٌ عَلَيْنَا بَٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ 39
Or do you have oaths [binding] upon Us, extending until the Day of Resurrection, that indeed for you is whatever you judge?
سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ 40
Ask them which of them, for that [claim], is responsible.
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ صَٰدِقِينَ 41
Or do they have partners? Then let them bring their partners, if they should be truthful.
يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍۢ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ 42
The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but the disbelievers will not be able,
خَٰشِعَةً أَبْصَٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌۭ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَٰلِمُونَ 43
Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.
فَذَرْنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ 44
So leave Me, [O Muhammad], with [the matter of] whoever denies the Qur'an. We will progressively lead them [to punishment] from where they do not know.
وَأُمْلِى لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِى مَتِينٌ 45
And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm.
أَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ أَجْرًۭا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍۢ مُّثْقَلُونَ 46
Or do you ask of them a payment, so they are by debt burdened down?
أَمْ عِندَهُمُ ٱلْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ 47
Or have they [knowledge of] the unseen, so they write [it] down?
فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌۭ 48
Then be patient for the decision of your Lord, [O Muhammad], and be not like the companion of the fish when he called out while he was distressed.
لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌۭ 49
If not that a favor from his Lord overtook him, he would have been thrown onto the naked shore while he was censured.
فَٱجْتَبَٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ 50
And his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.
وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَٰرِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجْنُونٌۭ 51
And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes when they hear the message, and they say, "Indeed, he is mad."
وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌۭ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ 52
But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.