68- Surat Alqalam/Tafseer
52 Verses Meccan (revealed in Mecca)
A'auzu Bellahi mena alshaiytani alrajeem
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan
Besmi Ellahi Alrhmani Alraheem
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Nun wa al-qalami wa-ma yasturun (1).
Nun, by the pen and what they write.
Ma anta bi-ne'mati Rabbika bi-majnun (2).
You are not, by the favor of Your Lord, a madman.
Wa inna laka la-ajran ghayri mamnun (3).
And indeed, for You is a reward uninterrupted.
Wa inaka la-ala khuluqin azeem (4).
And indeed, You are surely of a great moral character.
Fasa-tubsiru wa youbsirun (5).
So You will see and they will see.
Bi-ayyikumu al-maftun (6).
Which of you is the afflicted one.
Inna Rabbaka huwa a'lamu bi-man dalla an sabeelihi wa huwa a'lamu bel-muhtadeen (7).
Indeed, Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His way, and He knows best those who are guided.
Fa-la tut'i al-mukazzebeen (8).
So Do not obey the deniers.
Waddu laww tud-henu fa youd-hinun (9).
They wish that You should soften, so they would soften.
Wa-la tuti' kulla hallafin maheen (10).
And Do not obey every worthless habitual swearer.
Hammazin mashsha-in bi-nameem (11).
A scorner who goes about with malicious gossip.
Manna-in lel-khayri mu'tadin atheem (12).
A preventer of good, transgressor, sinful.
Utullin ba'da zaleka zaneem (13).
Cruel, after all that, notorious.
An kana za malin wa baneen (14).
Because he is a possessor of wealth and children.
Iza tutla alayhi ayatuna qala asateeru al-awwaleen (15).
When Our verses are recited to him, he says legends of the former people.
Sa-nasimuhu ala al-khurtum (16).
We will brand him on the snout.
Inna balawnahum ka-ma balawna as-haba al-jannati iz aqsamu la-yasrimunnaha musbiheen (17).
Indeed We have tested them as We had tested the companions of the garden, when they swore that they would pick its fruits in the morning.
Wa-la yastathnun (18).
And did not make any exception.
Fa-tafa alayha ta-ifun men Rabbika wa hum na-imun (19).
So there came upon it an affliction from Your Lord while they were asleep.
Fa-asbahat ka-sareem (20).
So it became as though reaped.
Fa-tanadaww musbiheen (21).
And they called one another at morning.
Ani eghdu ala harthikum in kuntum sarimeen (22).
That Go early to your crop if you would pick.
Fa-ntalaqu wa hum yatakhafatun (23).
So they set out while they were whispering to each other.
An la yad-khulannaha al-yawma alaykum miskeen (24).
That there will surely not enter it today upon you any poor one.
Wa ghadaww ala hardin qadireen (25).
And they went early in determination, while they were able.
Fa-lamma ra-awha qalu inna la-dallun (26).
And when they saw it, they said, indeed we are lost.
Bal nahnu mahrumun (27).
Rather, we have been deprived.
Qala awsatuhum a-lam aqul lakum laww-la tusabbihun (28).
The most moderate of them said Did I not say to you Why do you not glorify?.
Qalu subhana Rabbina inna kunna zalimeen (29).
They said Glory be to our Lord, indeed, we were wrongdoers.
Fa-aqbala ba'duhum ala ba'din yatalawamun (30).
Then they approached one another, blaming each other.
Qalu ya-waylana inna kunna tagheen (31).
They said O! woe to us, indeed, we were transgressors.
Asa Rabbuna an youbdilana khayran menha inna ila Rabbina raghibun (32).
Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us better than it, indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous.
Ka-zaleka al-azabu wala-azabu al-akhirati akbaru laww kanu ya'lamun (33).
Such is the punishment, and the punishment of the hereafter is greater, if they only knew.
Inna lel-muttaqeena inda Rabbihim jannati alna-eem (34).
Indeed, for the righteous with their Lord are the gardens of bliss.
Afa-naj-alu al-muslimeena kal-mujrimeen (35).
Then Will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?.
Ma lakum kayfa tahkumun (36).
What is with you, How do you judge?.
Am lakum kitabun feehi tadrusun (37).
Or Do you have a book in which you learn.
Inna lakum feehi lama takhayyarun (38).
That indeed for you there is whatever you choose?.
Am lakum aymanun alayna balighatun ila yawmi al-qiyamati inna lakum la-ma tahkumun (39).
Or Do you have oaths upon Us, extending until the day of resurrection, that indeed for you there is whatever you judge?.
Salhum ayyuhum bi-zalika za-eem (40).
Ask them which of them is responsible for that?.
Am lahum shurakau fal-ya'tu bi-shuraka-ihim in kanu sadiqeen (41).
Or Do they have partners?, then Let them bring their partners, if they are truthful.
Yawma youkshafu an saqin wa youd-awna ila al-sujudi fa-la yastati-oun (42).
The day when the shin will be uncovered, and they will be invited to prostration, but they will not be able.
Khashi-atan absaruhum tarhaquhum zellatun wa-qad kanu youd-awna ila al-sujudi wa hum salimun (43).
Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them, and indeed, they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.
Fa-zarni wa man youkazzibu bi-haza al-hadeethi sa-nastadrijuhum men haithu la ya'lamun (44).
So leave Me with whoever denies this statement, We will progressively lead them from where they do not know.
Wa aumli lahum inna kaydi mateen (45).
And I will give them respite, indeed, My plan is firm.
Am tas-aluhum ajran fa-hum men maghramin muthqalun (46).
Or Do You ask them a wage, so they are burdened by the debt?.
Am indahumu alghaybu fa-hum yaktubun (47).
Or Do they have the unseen, so they write down?.
Fa-sbir li-hukmi Rabbika wa la takun ka-sahibi al-huti iz nada wa huwa makzum (48).
So Be patient for the judgement of Your Lord, and Be not like the companion of the fish when He called out while He was distressed.
Laww-la an tadarakahu ne'matun men Rabbihi la-nubiza bel-ara-ee wa huwa mazmum (49).
If not that a favor from His Lord overtook Him, He would surely have been thrown onto the naked shore, while He was censured.
Fa-jtabahu Rabbuhu fa-ja-alahu mena al-saliheen (50).
Then His Lord chose Him, and made Him of the righteous.
Wa-in yakadu allazina kafaru la-youzliqunaka bi-absarihim lamma sameu al-zekra wa yaquluna innahu la-majnun (51).
And indeed, those who disbelieve look at You with contempt until they almost kill You with their eyes when they hear the reminder, and they say, indeed, He is a madman.
Wa-ma huwa illa zekrun lel-alameen (52).
And it is nothing but a reminder for the worlds.
Simplified interpretation:
Surat Alqalam begins with a single letter of the Arabic language, just like 28 Surahs of the Holy Quran that start with individual letters ranging from one to five letters. It is noticeable that in all 29 Surahs the Book or the Holy Quran is mentioned, whether it is immediately after these letters, or it is included in the Surah, or even at the end of it. It has been said that this is a challenge from Allah, Almighty, to the infidels of Quraish, as if Allah were saying to them this is the Book written in the letters of the language you speak, but you will not be able to produce the like of it, and He has already challenged them in Aya (88) of Surat Alisraa "Say, if mankind and the Jinn gathered in order to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like of it, even if they were to each other assistants". As for the current Surah it begins with the letter "Nun" or letter N in English, and ended with "And it is nothing but a reminder for the worlds" which is the Holy Quran, but the knowledge of these letters remains with Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
Allah Almighty says in the first four verses (1-4) "Nun, by the pen and what they write, You are not, by the favor of Your Lord, a madman, and indeed, for You is a reward uninterrupted, and indeed, You are surely of a great moral character", that is, Allah swears by the pen, and as narrated by Alwalid bin Ubadah bin Alsamit from his father that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "Indeed, the first of what Allah has created was the pen, He said to it Write, so it wrote what will be forever" (Jami' Altirmidhi 3319). And Allah swears by what the Angels write of the deeds of people to assure Quraish who accused the Prophet (PBUH) of madness, that He is not insane, and that He will receive an unending reward for His patience in the face of all the harm He encounters from them, and that He is of a great moral character, and that is the character of the Holy Quran which Allah taught Him, so whatever the Quran commanded, He (PBUH) did, and whatever it forbade, He refrained from, in addition to the noble character traits with which Allah endowed Him, such as modesty, generosity, courage, forgiveness, forbearance, and every other beautiful character.
Anas reported: "Allah's Messenger (PBUH) had the best disposition amongst people. He (PBUH) sent me on an errand one day, and I said By Allah! I would not go, I had, however, this idea in my mind that I would do as Allah's Messenger had commanded me to do. I went out until I happened to come across children who had been playing in the street. In the meanwhile, Allah's Messenger (PBUH) came there and He caught me by the back of my neck from behind me, as I looked towards Him I found Him smiling and He said Unais Did you go where I commanded you to go?, I said Allah's Messenger yes, I am going, Anas further said By Allah! I served Him for nine years, but I know not that He ever said to me about a thing which I had done why I did that, or about a thing I had left as to why I had not done that" (Sahih Muslim 2310).
Allah Almighty says in the next three verses (5-7) "So You will see and they will see, which of you is the afflicted one, indeed, Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His way, and He knows best those who are guided", that is, Ibn Abbas said that Allah says to His Messenger (PBUH) that He and those who oppose Him will see on the day of resurrection which of them is misguided and mad one, and Allah knows which of the two groups of the believers and the disbeliever is the guided one, and He knows those who have gone astray from the path of truth.
Allah Almighty says in the next nine verses (8-16) "So Do not obey the deniers, they wish that You should soften, so they would soften, and Do not obey every worthless habitual swearer, a scorner who goes about with malicious gossip, a preventer of good, transgressor, sinful, cruel, after all that, notorious, because he is a possessor of wealth and children, when Our verses are recited to him, he says legends of the former people, We will brand him on the snout", that is, Allah commanded His Messenger (PBUH) not to obey the deniers who disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger, and they wish that the Prophet (PBUH) would grant them concessions or would soften in His religion and they will do like Him, so Allah commanded Him again not to obey every wretched swearer who is liar, wicked, a backbiter who goes around spreading gossip among people to spoil their relationships with each other, who is stingy with the good, transgressor, sinful, and cruel, after all that, notorious.
Ibn Abbas said regarding the Aya "Cruel, after all that, notorious", it was revealed in connection with a man from Quraish who had a notable sign (Zanamah) similar to the notable sign which usually hung on the neck of a sheep (Sahih Albukhari 4917), this means that he was famous for evil like the fame of a sheep with a notable sign (Zanamah) between its sisters, and as narrated by Haritha bin Wahb Al-Kuza'i: "I heard the Prophet (PBUH) saying May I tell you of the people of Paradise?, every weak and poor obscure person whom the people look down upon, but his oath is fulfilled by Allah when he takes an oath to do something. And May I inform you of the people of Hellfire?, they are all those cruel, arrogant, and stubborn people" (Sahih Albukhari 4918).
And because he is a possessor of wealth and children, he is arrogant and turns away from the path of truth and when the Holy Quran is recited to him, he says that it is legends of the former people, and this is similar to Ayat (12,13) of Surat Almutaffifin {And none denies it except every sinful transgressor, When Our verses are recited to him, he says legends of the former people}, so Allah will brand him on the snout, so he will be dragged on his face and Allah has expressed the face by the snout as a sign of the severity of the torment that awaits him in the Hereafter.
Allah Almighty says in the next seventeen verses (17-33) "Indeed We have tested them as We had tested the companions of the garden, when they swore that they would pluck its fruits in the morning, and did not make any exception, so there came upon it an affliction from Your Lord while they were asleep, so it became as though reaped, and they called one another at morning, that Go early to your crop if you would pluck, so they set out while they were whispering to each other, that there will surely not enter it today upon you any poor one, and they went early in determination, while they were able, and when they saw it, they said, indeed we are lost, rather, we have been deprived, the most moderate of them said Did I not say to you Why do you not glorify?, they said Glory be to our Lord, indeed, we were wrongdoers, then they approached one another, blaming each other, they said O! woe to us, indeed, we were transgressors, perhaps our Lord will substitute for us better than it, indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous, such is the punishment, and the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew".
Allah tested the people Quraish with the great blessings He has bestowed upon them, just as He tested the owner of the garden, as they swore among themselves that they would to pick the fruits of their orchard in the morning, so that neither the poor nor the beggar would know about them, and that they would not give anything of it in charity, and they did not make any exception by saying "In shaa Allah: If Allah wills", so Allah afflicted their orchard with a great calamity while they were asleep, so it became as if its crops had been harvested, and turned into dry grass. They called one another at morning to go early to their orchard if they would pluck its fruits, so they went out whispering among themselves so that no one would hear their words, and some of them said to each other "There will surely not enter it today upon you any poor one". Then they went early with determination, thinking that they were able to do what they agreed upon, but when they reached it and saw it, they said indeed we are lost, they thought that they had gone to an orchard garden other than their own, and when they were sure that it was their orchard they said "Rather we have been deprived", meaning that they were deprived of the fruits of their orchard because of what they had determined to do.
we have been deprived from the fruits of our garden for what we have done.
Then the most moderate of them said to his brothers "Did I not say to you Why do you not glorify?", so they said Glory be to our Lord, indeed, we were wrongdoers. They realized that what had happened was a result of their evil intentions, and they confessed their sin, and knew that Allah did not wrong then in what He did, therefore, some of them turned to each other, blaming each other, and they said O! woe to us, indeed, we were transgressors by withholding the rights of the poor and the needy, and we did not fulfill Allah's right in it. They confessed their sin and repented from it, then they turned to Allah, desiring His generosity and abundant bounty, saying "Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us better than it, indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous". Then Allah assures that this is the punishment of the worldly life for those who disobey Allah's Commands, who are stingy with what Allah has provided for them, and who withhold the right of the poor, and that the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, and if they only knew, they would repent of their disbelief and stubbornness.
Allah Almighty says in the next two verses (34,35) "Indeed, for the righteous with their Lord are the gardens of bliss, then Will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?", that is, Allah affirms that He has prepared the gardens of bliss for the righteous who fear Allah and fear His punishment if they disobeyed Him, so they follow His command and avoid His prohibitions, and the gardens of bliss (Jannatu Alna-eem) is one of the names of Paradise, so the righteous will have eternal and everlasting gardens of bliss in the Hereafter, then Allah says Shall I O people, treat in My honor and favor in the Hereafter those who submitted to Me in obedience, humbled themselves before Me in servitude, and submitted to My commands and prohibition, like the criminals who acquired sins, committed transgressions, and disobeyed My commands and prohibitions?, assuredly, Allah will not do that.
Allah Almighty says in the next four verses (36-39) "What is with you, How do you judge?, or Do you have a book in which you learn, that indeed for you there is whatever you choose?, or Do you have oaths upon Us, extending until the day of resurrection, that indeed for you there is whatever you judge?", that is, Allah says as a denunciation What is with you, How do you judge?, so How did they judge that those who obey Allah will be equal to those who disobey Him?, or Do you have a book in which you learn that judgement, and in which you choose the matter for yourselves, or do you have a covenant with Allah that you will enter Paradise.
Allah Almighty says in the next two verses (40,41) "Ask them which of them is responsible for that?, or Do they have partners?, then Let them bring their partners, if they are truthful", that is, Allah addresses His Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) saying Ask them which of them is responsible for their claim?, or do they have partners who will support them on the day of resurrection, so Let them bring their partners, if they are truthful. This is a challenge from Allah that what they say will not happen, and who among them will take charge of this matter, and if they have partners, they must bring them if they are truthful.
Allah Almighty says in the next two verses (42,43) "The day when the shin will be uncovered, and they will be invited to prostration, but they will not be able, their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them, and indeed, they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound", that is, Allah tells about the day of resurrection and what will happen on it of horrors, earthquakes, calamities and great matters. On the day of resurrection, Allah will lay bare His chin, and the disbelievers and the hypocrites will be invited to prostrate, but they will not be able to do so, and Allah's Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) said in narration of Abu Sa'id "Our Lord will lay bare His shin, and then all the believers, men and women, will prostrate themselves before Him, but there will remain those who used to prostrate in the worldly life for showing off, and for gaining good reputation, such people will try to prostrate but their back will be as stiff as if it is one bone" (Sahih Albukhari 4919). Their eyes will cast down, and humiliation will cover them for they had been called to prostrate while they were sound in the worldly life but they persisted on their disbelief.
Allah Almighty says in the next two verses (44,45) "So leave Me with whoever denies this statement, We will progressively lead them from where they do not know, and I will give them respite, indeed, My plan is firm", that is, Allah threatens those who denied the Holy Quran and did not reflect on its verses saying that He will progressively lead them to their destruction from where they do not know, and that He will give them a little time, so He will adorn to them the evil of their deeds, and will give them the enjoyment and the adornment of the worldly life, then He will take revenge on them and take them suddenly while they do not perceive, and Allah's plan is firm, so they will not escape from Allah's torment, where Allah says in Aya (44) of Surat Alan'am {So when they forgot that with which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of everything until when they rejoiced in what they were given, We seized them suddenly, then behold! They are despaired}.
Allah Almighty says in the next two verses (46,47) "Or Do You ask them a wage, so they are burdened by the debt?, or Do they have the unseen, so they write down?", that is, Allah addresses His Messenger (PBUH) saying that He did not ask them a wage for conveying the message of Allah, and they did not pay Him anything to be burdened from the debt, so Why are they running away from the way of the truth?. Or do they have the knowledge of the unseen that tells them that they will be in a better position than the believers as mentioned above. These two verses are mentioned respectively in Ayat (40,41) of Surat Altur.
Allah Almighty says in the next three verses (48-50) "So Be patient for the judgement of Your Lord, and Be not like the companion of the fish when He called out while He was distressed, if not that a favor from His Lord overtook Him, He would surely have been thrown onto the naked shore, while He was censured, then His Lord chose Him, and made Him of the righteous", that is, Allah commanded the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to be patient with the harm and denial of the polytheists, and to await the judgement of Allah concerning Him and them, and He commanded Him not to be like the Prophet Jonah: Yunus, Dhunnun, the companion of the fish, when He hastened and abandoned calling His people to faith, then He went angrily and boarded the sea, and the whale swallowed Him, then He called out in the darknesses while He was distressed in the whale's belly saying {That there is no god but You, Glory to be You, indeed, I was of the wrongdoers} as mentioned in Aya (87) of Surat Alanbiyaa, so Allah conferred His favor upon Him and saved Him from the distress, and if not that a favor from His Lord overtook Him, He would surely have been thrown onto the naked shore, while He was censured. It has been said that were not for Allah's favor upon Him, He would have remained in the belly of the whale until the day of resurrection, then He would have been cast out upon the open expanse of the day of resurrection, and Imam Al-Qurtubi favored this view because Allah says in Ayat (143,144) of Surat Alsaffat {And had he not been of those who glorify, He would have remained in its belly until the day they are resurrected}. Thereupon, Allah conferred His favor upon the Prophet Jonah, accepted His repentance, chose Him, and sent Him to a hundred thousand or more.
Allah Almighty says in the last two verses (51,52) "And indeed, those who disbelieve look at You with contempt until they almost kill You with their eyes when they hear the reminder, and they say, indeed, He is a madman, and it is nothing but a reminder for the worlds", that is, Allah addresses His Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) saying that the disbelievers look at you disdainfully until they almost kill you with their eyes when they heard the Holy Quran, and they said that you are insane. All interpretations have suggested that "La-youzliqunaka" means that those who disbelieved envied the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) when they heard the Holy Quran, and said that He is insane, and it has been said that their intention in envying Him was to kill Him, and that dislike of something does not preclude it from being afflicted with the evil eye, even to the point of its destruction, and they had spoken at length about envy, and said that the envy was rampant among the tribe of Banu Asad, to the point that if a fat cow or camel passed by one of them, he would envy it and say O girl! Take the basket and the Dirham, and Bring us the meat of this camel, so before long, the camel would collapse and be slaughtered. But Imam Qushaiyri said that this is debatable, because the evil eye only occurs with admiration and appreciation, not with hatred and animosity. And when looking up the meaning of "Youzliqunaka" in the lexicon, which was interpreted as "They envy You", specifically the meaning of "Zalaqa", which is the root of the verb "Youzlequnaka", there was "he Zalaqa his opponent with his gaze means that he looked at him with a look of disdain until he almost kills his opponent". Therefore, the logical meaning of this verse will be {And indeed, those who disbelieve look at You with contempt until they almost kill You with their eyes when they hear the reminder, and they say, indeed, He is a madman}, so because of their severe enmity towards You, they look at you disdainfully until they almost killed you with their eyes when they heard the Holy Quran, and they said that you are insane, while the Holy Quran is nothing but a reminder for the worlds.