Surah Al Qalam

English Text By May 15, 2019

 

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

 

SURAH AL QALAM

In the Name of God, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim

[Al-Qalam 68:1] I adjure by the Nun and by the pen and what they inscribe,

ن ۚ وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ﴿١﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:2] O Muhammad, you are not, by the blessing endowed upon you by your Lord, a mad man

مَا أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ ﴿٢﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:3] And most surely O Muhammad, you shall have a great reward continuousely unfailing;.

وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ ﴿٣﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:4] And most surely O Muhammad, you are upon a grand morality.

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٤﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:5] You shall see, and on the day of judgment they shall see .

فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ ﴿٥﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:6] Which of you is afflicted with madness,

بِأَييِّكُمُ الْمَفْتُونُ ﴿٦﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:7] Surely your Lord best knows those who strayed from His way, and He best knows

very well those who are guided.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿٧﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:8] So do not obey those who tell lies

فَلَا تُطِعِ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ ﴿٨﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:9] They wish that you should compromise, then they would compromise.

وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ ﴿٩﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:10] And do not obey every mean swearer men, despicable to themselves.

وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ ﴿١٠﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:11] Backbiter, going about with gossip.

هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّاءٍ بِنَمِيمٍ ﴿١١﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:12] Hinderer of good, aggressor, deep in sin,

مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ ﴿١٢﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:13] violently coarse-grained, moreover despicable,

عُتُلٍّ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ ﴿١٣﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:14] because he possesses wealth and numerous sons.

أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ ﴿١٤﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:15] When Our revealed verses are recited to him, he says, ‘ Myths of the ancients!’ .

إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿١٥﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:16] We shall

brand him upon the nose!

سَنَسِمُهُ عَلَى الْخُرْطُومِ ﴿١٦﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:17] Surely We have tried them, even as We tried the owners of the garden when they swore they would quickly pick the fruits in the morning,

إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ ﴿١٧﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:18] and they added not the saving words of relying on the Will of Allah;

وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ ﴿١٨﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:19] Then there came a fire on it from your Lord while they were sleeping.

فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ ﴿١٩﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:20] So it burned down and became as black as the night.

فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ ﴿٢٠﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:21] In the morning they cried out one unto another,

فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِينَ ﴿٢١﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:22] Saying: Go early in the morning to your field if you would pluck the fruits.”

أَنِ اغْدُوا عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَارِمِينَ ﴿٢٢﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:23] So they departed, whispering together,

فَانطَلَقُوا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:24] ‘No indigent man shall enter it upon you this day.”

أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ ﴿٢٤﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:25] And they went forth in the morning, having strong resolve upon their purpose.

وَغَدَوْا عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَادِرِينَ ﴿٢٥﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:26] But when they saw it, they said, ‘Surely we are gone astray

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ ﴿٢٦﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:27] nay, rather we have been desolate!’

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:28] Said the most moderate of them, ‘Did I not say to you, “Why do you not glorify (Allah)?”

قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ ﴿٢٨﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:29] They

said, ‘ Glorified be our Lord; truly, we were wrong-doers.’

قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ ﴿٢٩﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:30] And they advanced one upon another, blaming each other.

فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَاوَمُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:31] They said, ‘Woe, alas for us! surely we have transgressed!

قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغِينَ ﴿٣١﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:32] It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better than it; to our Lord we humbly turn.

عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَا أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:33 Such is the punishment; and the torture of the world to come, is assuredly greater, did they but know.

كَذَٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:34] Surely for the Godfearing shall be Gardens of Bliss with their Lord.

إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ ﴿٣٤﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:35] What! Shall We then treat The Muslims like to the sinners?

أَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَالْمُجْرِمِينَ ﴿٣٥﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:36] What pains you then, how you judge?

مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ ﴿٣٦﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:37] Or have you a scripture wherein you read and learn-

أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَابٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ ﴿٣٧﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:38] Surely, you shall have therein the claim that you choose?

إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ ﴿٣٨﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:39] Or have you received from Us assurances on oath, extending to the Day of Resurrection, that you shall surely have what you ordain?

أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَانٌ عَلَيْنَا بَالِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ ﴿٣٩﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:40] Ask them O Muhammad, which of them will guarantee that decree

سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ ﴿٤٠﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:41] Or do they have associates in God hood that substantiate what they ordain?  Then let them bring their associates, if they

speak truly!

أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا بِشُرَكَائِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ ﴿٤١﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:42] Upon the day when severe adversity shall be, and they shall be summoned to prostrate themselves,

but they cannot;

يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى السُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:43] gazed down shall be their eyes, and abasement shall overwhelm them, for they

had been summoned to bow themselves while they were untied.

خَاشِعَةً أَبْصَارُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى السُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَالِمُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:44] O Muhammad, leave Me with him who cries lies to this Message! We will punish them little by little

whence they know not;

فَذَرْنِي وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَـٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٤٤﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:45] And I shall grant them a long interval, yet surely My punishment is severe.

وَأُمْلِي لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِي مَتِينٌ ﴿٤٥﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:46] Or have you asked a fee from them, and so they are weighed down with debt?

أَمْ تَسْأَلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ ﴿٤٦﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:47]

Or is the Unseen in their keeping, and so they are writing it down?

أَمْ عِندَهُمُ الْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ ﴿٤٧﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:48]

So wait patiently under the judgment of your Lord, and be not as the Man of the Fish, when

he called, distressed inwardly.

فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ الْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ ﴿٤٨﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:49] Had there not bestowed upon him a blessing from his Lord, he would

have been cast upon the bare land, being blamed.

لَّوْلَا أَن تَدَارَكَهُ نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ لَنُبِذَ بِالْعَرَاءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ ﴿٤٩﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:50] But his Lord had chosen him, and He placed him among the righteous.

فَاجْتَبَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَجَعَلَهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ﴿٥٠﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:51] The unbelievers well imminently strike you down with their glances, when they hear the Message,

and they say, ‘Surely he is a mad man!’

وَإِن يَكَادُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا الذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ لَمَجْنُونٌ ﴿٥١﴾

[Al-Qalam 68:52] And it is nothing but a sound guidance unto all beings.

وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٥٢﴾

 

[Al-Qalam 68:1] I adjure by the Nun and by the pen and what they inscribe,


Ibn Kathir, Nafi^, Khalaf by the way of Warsh, Abu ^Amr, Hamzah, Hafs recited with enunciating the Nun; that is with removing the Idgham of the Nun with the waw of the adjuration. Ibn ^Amir, al Kisai, Shu^bah, Khalaf and Ya^qub recited with making Idgham of the the Nun with the waw of the adjuration.

Nun. Allah knows best what He means by it. Allah makes adjuration by the pen and what the angels write (therewith) among all what happens in this life and until the day of judgment among death times, deeds, sustenance and other.


[Al-Qalam 68:2] O Muhammad, you are not, by the blessing endowed upon you by your Lord, a mad man


O Muhammad, you are not insane as the blasphemers falsely claim, for receiving the endowments of belief, prophet hood and other than that from your Lord. Ibn al-Mundhir related from Ibn Jurayj that he said: the blasphemers used to say to the prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, that he is an insane devil. Hence the Ayah was revealed to establish that you Muhammad are not insane for the grace of prophet hood and belief that Allah bestowed upon you. The endowments of Allah upon him are apparent, the complete articulation, complete mind, good reputation, clearance from non-befitting attributes, praiseworthy manners; and this definitely exposes the fabrication of the blasphemers in their saying and refutes them.


[Al-Qalam 68:3] And most surely O Muhammad, you shall have a great reward continuously unfailing;


O Muhammad you shall indeed have a great reward from Allah for your patience with the harm of the blasphemers who associate partners with Allah; full rewards that shall never stop. Hence do not let their fabricated saying hinder you from inviting the people to believe in and worship Allah.


[Al-Qalam 68:4] And most surely O Muhammad, you are upon a grand morality.


Surely, O Muhammad, you have great manners and you adhere to them. Imam Muslim narrated in his book as-Sahih from ^A’ishah may Allah accept her deeds and from her father who said: “فإن خُلُق نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم القرءان”: Indeed you have and adhere to the manners with which Allah ordered you in the Qur’an.


[Al-Qalam 68:5] You shall see, and on the day of judgment they shall see.


On the Day of Judgment, you shall indeed know O Muhammad. The blasphemers among the people of Makkah who associate partners with Allah shall know too and realize Allah’s promise of punishment.

[Al-Qalam 68:6] Which of you is afflicted with madness,


It will be known on the Day of Judgment whether the one afflicted with insanity is with the group of believers with whom you belong, or with the group of blasphemers who associate partners with Allah. Also, it was said that the Ayah has a different meaning.


[Al-Qalam 68:7] Surely your Lord best knows those who strayed from His way, and He best knows very well those who are guided.


O Muhammad Allah knows best who strayed away from His Religion and Allah knows best who are on the path of guidance. On the Day of Judgment Allah shall recompense each according to His eternal and everlasting knowledge.


[Al-Qalam 68:8] So do not obey those who tell lies


So do not obey O Muhammad the heads of Makkah who invited you to their religion and belied the revelation that descended upon you. The Ayah entails prohibition of following any of what they called him to whether among leaving them alone in exchange for leaving him alone, for him to glorify what they worshipped other than Allah, and other than that.


[Al-Qalam 68:9] They wish that you should compromise, then they would compromise.


The blasphemers wished O Muhammad that you depart some of the obedience that you do for their sake, so they may reciprocate and depart some of the wrong that they do lest you may be flexible with them and they be flexible with you.


[Al-Qalam 68:10] And do not obey every mean swearer men, despicable to themselves.


Do not obey O Muhammad any swear-er who exaggerates in swearing to falsehood, who is degraded and despicable in opinion and differentiating between matters. Some said it means do not obey any liar who is despicable to himself. Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar said in his book” Fath al-Bari in Explaining Sahih al-Bukhari”: “There is a difference in opinion regarding whom the Ayah was revealed about, it was said it was about al-Walid Ibn al-Mughirah as mentioned by Yahya Ibn Salam in his Interpretation. And it was said it was about al-Aswad ibn ^Abd Yaghuth as mentioned by Sunayd Ibn Dawud in his Interpretation. And it was said it was about al-Akhnas Ibn Shurayq as mentioned by as-Suhayli from the route of al-Qutaybi. The last two sayings were mentioned by atTabariyy who said: it was mentioned it was about al-Akhnas , and others claimed it was about al-Aswad but it was not about him, and others said it was about ^Abd ar-Rahman Ibn al-Aswad which is far fetched, because he was young at the time and he had embraced Islam and was mentioned to be among the companions”.


[Al-Qalam 68:11] Backbiter, going about with gossip.


Ibn ^Abbas said this is in reference to the backbiter, and back biting is mentioning about your Muslim brother, behind his back, that which is in him that he deslikes to be mentioned. Abu Dawud narrated in his book as-Sunan about Anas Ibn Malik who said: The Messenger of Allah sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam said: “When I was made to ascend to the sky I passed by people with brazen nails scratching their faces and chests, so I said, who are they O Jibril? He said, those are the ones who consume the flesh of the people and violate their honor”.


قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “لما عُرجَ بي مررتُ بقوم لهم أظفار من نحاس يخمشون وجوههم وصدورهم، فقلت: من هؤلاء يا جبريل؟ قال: هؤلاء الذين يأكلون لحوم الناس ويقعون في أعراضهم”.


And he is one who spreads tales for the purpose of causing enmity between them. Tale bearing is spreading the statements said to those concerned to cause enmity. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam said: “The tale bearer does not enter paradise along with the first batches”; narrated by al-Bukhari and reported by Abu Dawud in his book as-Sunan.


قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “لا يدخلُ الجنة قتَّاتٌ”


[Al-Qalam 68:12] Hinderer of good, aggressor, deep in sin,


It appears that the term good used here is in reference to goodness in general as was mentioned by Abu Hayyan It was said it means the money miser. And it was said the one who stops his off springs and tribesmen from embracing Islam telling them whomever embraces Islam I shall never benefit him in anything.

Moreover, he is one who transgresses against the people doing them injustice, crossing the acceptable boundaries and delving in sins.


[Al-Qalam 68:13] violently coarse-grained, moreover despicable,


Moreover, he is one who is rough mannered and un-lovingly cold. And it was said one who drives and coerces people into what they hate through beating and imprisoning. And it was said one who is extreme in unjust altercation. And it was said one who is abhorrent and base. And it was said one who exaggerates in eating, drinking, cruelty and injustice.

The meaning entails that over and above the degraded attributes that Allah attributed to him he also falsely claims that his father was from the tribe of Quraysh. Also, it was said the meaning is that he is known for evil just as the goat is known by what hangs down from its ear and the throat. Al-Bukhari narrated in his book of as-Sahih about Ibn ^Abbas, may Allah accept both of their deeds, who said in interpreting the saying of Allah ﴿عُتُلٍّ بعدَ ذلكَ زنيمٍ﴾: (Zanim: زنيمٍ) A man from Quraysh who has a dangle like the dangle of a goat. Also, Al-Bukhari narrated in his book of as-Sahih about Harithah Ibn Wahb al-Khuza^I who said I heard the messenger of Allah say:


“ألا أخبركم بأهل الجنة، كلُّ ضعيف مُتَضَعّفٍ لو أقسم على الله لأبرَّه، ألا أخبركم بأهل النار كلُّ عُتُل جوَّاظ مُستكبر”


Which means: Shall I tell you about the people of paradise! They are every weak and taken for granted as weak whom if he supplicates to Allah he will be answered. And shall Itell you about the people of Hell-Fire! They are every rough mannered and un-lovingly cold who is arrogant to believe in the Hereafter and who harms and drives and coerces people. Ibn Jarir narrated about Ibn ^Abbas who said, when


[Al-Qalam 68:10] was revealed to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, we did not who was meant—referring to al Walid Ibn al-Mughirah—until the term (Zanim: زنيمٍ) in [Al-Qalam 68:13]was revealed, then we recognized him for having a dangle like the goat’s.


[Al-Qalam 68:14] because he possesses wealth and numerous sons.


Ibn Kathir, Nafi^, Abu ^Amr, al Kisai, , Hafs by the way of ^Asim recited “أن كان” to reflect the context of the predicate, hence the meaning is “…because he possesses wealth and numerous sons”. Ibn ^Amir recited with “hamzas” the first single, however, Abu Ja^far separated between them with an alif and Hamzah recited with two distinct alifs to reflect the meaning of interrogative: as such there are two meanings, the first is putting down following him because of his wealth and numerous sons, and the second is : now that he has wealth and numerous sons.

Ibn Kathir, Nafi^, Khalaf by the way of Warsh, Abu ^Amr, Hamzah, Hafs recited with enunciating the Nun; that is with removing the Idgham of the Nun with the waw of the adjuration. Ibn ^Amir, al Kisai, Shu^bah, Khalaf and Ya^qub recited with making Idgham of the the Nun with the waw of the adjuration.


[Al-Qalam 68:15] When Our revealed verses are recited to him, he says, ‘ Myths of the ancients!’ .


He says that about the Qur’an to redicule it’s verses and deny that it came fro Allah.


[Al-Qalam 68:16] We shall brand him upon the nose!


After Allah mentioned his base sayings and doings Allah referred to His threat of punishment and mentioned what will happen to him on the Day of Judgment when he will be clearly exposed branded with disgrace and identified as clearly as the mark identifies the nose. There is a possibility that it means “We shall brand his nose with a mark showing the disgrace of  his entire livelihood in this life,  as evident as the trace of the wound on the nose when cut by the sword. Others said, a disgrace shall attach to him and never depart him.


[Al-Qalam 68:17] Surely We have tried them, even as We tried the owners of the garden when they swore they would  quickly pick the fruits in the morning,


We have tried the people of Makkah by bestowing on them wealth so they may be thankful and not spendthrift. But when they did and posed enmity against Muhammad We afflicted them with famine and drought, just as We tried the owners of the gardens who swore that they would certainly pick the fruits in the morning to deprive the poor from the recurring charity their father offered  .


[Al-Qalam 68:18] and they added not the saving words of relying on the Will of Allah;


And when they attempted to act on it and pick the fruits in the morning they did not say “if Allah Wills”. Rather they decisively acted as if they absolutely control their affairs.

The story of the owners of the gardens: The scholars of interpretation mentioned that a man in Yemen who owned an orchard and was a believer following prophet Jesus (^Isa), peace be upon him. He used, at the time of harvest, to give away part of his fruits to the poor as a charity. When he died his three sons inherited him. One day the said we have little money and many children and our father used to give the charity when the money was plenty and the children were few; so we cannot do it anymore when our money is little and our children are plenty. Hence, they were determined to deprive the poor from the habital charity and decided to pick the fruits early in the morning before any of the poor show up. But when they reached their orchard in the morning they found it had burned down and turned as black as the night.


[Al-Qalam 68:19] Then there came a fire on it from your Lord while they were sleeping


A matter came from Allah that circled all over the orchard; This is in reference to the fire that Allah sent and entirely burned down the orchard when they were asleep.


[Al-Qalam 68:20] So it burned down and became as black as the night.


So the orchard burned down and became as black as the night.


[Al-Qalam 68:21] In the morning they cried out one unto another,


The owners of the gardens when they woke up they called one another to proceed to the orchards. It was said their orchards became like black ashes.


[Al-Qalam 68:22] Saying: Go early in the morning to your field if you would pluck the fruits.”


That is go early in the morning if you desire to pick the fruits.


[Al-Qalam 68:23] So they departed, whispering together,


They proceeded to their fields while whispering to one another so others do not hear them and know what they intended to do.


[Al-Qalam 68:24] ‘No indigent man shall enter it upon you this day.”


They whispered to one another do not enable any poor or indigent person enter into the gardens.


[Al-Qalam 68:25] And they went forth in the morning, having strong resolve upon their purpose.


Hence they went in the morning to their gardens with a strong resolve to carry out a matter they planned secretly and embraced, thinking they have the complete autonomy to fulfill their plan. It was said that the reference in this Ayah is to the fact that they intended depriving the poor from a charity their father used to offer. And it was said the Ayah has other meanings. The term ﴿قادرينَ﴾ means Indeed they had the power within themselves and nothing was stopping them from reaching their fields. There is also a possibility that the term means ‘to make it remotely achievable’ in reference to that they made it difficult for the poor to achieve the charity their father used to give to them; the same as in the meaning of the term when it was used in the saying of Allah in Surah al-Fajr ﴿فقَدَرَ عليهِ رزقهُ﴾ . This last meaning was mentioned by Abu Hayyan.


[Al-Qalam 68:26] But when they saw it, they said, ‘Surely we are gone astray


When those people arrived in their field and saw it burnt down they did not recognize it and said O people we have lost our way; then they did recognize it and understand that they lost the crop as a punishment from Allah. It was said that it means they acknowledged that they strayed in waking up to the resolve of depriving the poor and indigent from the fruit and thus were punished for that.


[Al-Qalam 68:27] nay, rather we have been desolate!’


They said, rather O people we have been deprived the benefit and the fruits of our field due to our plan to deprive the poor and indigent from the charity of the fruit.


[Al-Qalam 68:28] Said the most moderate of them, ‘Did I not say to you, “Why do you not glorify (Allah)?”


The best and the one with the most sound mind among them said have I not tell you to clear Allah from all imperfection and thank Him for the endowments He bestowed upon you! He reprimanded them for not praising Allah and leaving out clearing Allah from evil doing; had they done that they would have submitted to his order of being kind to the indigent and followed in that the habit of their father. But when they overlooked remembering Allah and were determined to deprive the indigent Allah inflicted them with the loss of their fields. It was said the meaning entails:  Lest you had not leave out saying God Willing. It was also said the meaning entails : lest had you not leave out remembering Allah and repent from your ill intention; and when he blamed them they did return to remembering Allah and admit their injustice and initiated clearing Allah from all imperfection.


[Al-Qalam 68:29] They said, ‘ Glorified be our Lord; truly, we were wrong-doers.’


They said we praise Allah and clear Him from injustice regarding what He did to our fields. Ibn ^Abbas said: It means we repent to Allah from our sin for we did injustice to ourselves by depriving the indigent the fruits of our fields.


[Al-Qalam 68:30] And they advanced one upon another, blaming each other.


They started blaming one another; one would say to the other: you suggested that opinion to us ; and the other would say to the next: you frightened us of poverty; and the third would tell another: you instigated us to gather wealth.


[Al-Qalam 68:31] They said, ‘Woe, alas for us! surely we have transgressed!


Then they said: woe to us we ought to be destroyed for indeed we have gone against the order of Allah by leaving out remembering Him and depriving the poor from their designated right.


[Al-Qalam 68:32] It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better than it; to our Lord we humbly turn.


Hopeful of receiving the relief and forgiveness from Allah they said : perhaps Allah would grant us a garden better than what we had and indeed we plead with Him to bestow it upon us. Nafi^ and Abu Ja^far and Abu ^amr recited  “يُبَدّلنا” with a Fathah on the Ba’ and doubling the Dal.


[Al-Qalam 68:33 Such is the punishment; and the torture of the world to come, is assuredly greater, did they but know.


Such is the torture of this world with which Allah inflicted the owners of the garden by destroying what they had in a manner that turned their garden to burnt ashes; Indeed the torture of the Hereafter for those who disobey and blaspheme is far more colossal, and had


[Al-Qalam 68:34] Surely for the Godfearing shall be Gardens of Bliss with their Lord.


Allah informed us about what He prepared for the God fearing pious ones those who believe in Allah and His messenger and avoid associating partners with Allah and all other blasphemy and the God fearing one is the one is the one who fulfills what Allah obligated one with and abstains from what Allah made forbidden. For those God fearing ones Allah prepared the gardens of paradise of everlasting enjoyment and bliss; Allah said:


﴿إنَّ الذينَ ءامنوا وعمِلوا الصَّالِحاتِ إنَّا لا نُضِيعُ أجرَ مَنْ أحسنَ عملاً* أولئكَ لهُمْ جنَّاتُ عدنٍ تجري من تحتهمُ الأنهارُ يُحَلَّوْنَ فيها مِن أساوِرَ مِن ذهبٍ ويلبسونَ ثيابًا خُضْرًا من سُندسٍ وإستبرقٍ مُتَّكِئينَ فيها على الأرائكِ نِعْم الثَّوابُ وحَسُنَتْ مُرتَفَقًا﴾

 

The Ayah means: For them will be everlasting Gardens; beneath them rivers will flow; they will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of finest silk and gold embroidery: reclining therein on raised couches. How Excellent the recompense is! and how goodly the resting place is!

The messenger of Allah, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said:


“إن أهل الجنة يأكلون فيها ويشربون ولا يتفلون ولا يبولون ولا يتغوطون ولا يتمخّطون” قالوا: فما بال الطعام؟ قال: “جُشاء ورشحٌ كرشح المسك، يُلهمون التسبيح والتحميد كما يُلهمون النَّفس”

 

The Hadith means: The occupants of paradise eat and drink therein and do not spew out, urinate, defecate, and propel nasal discharge; they said what happens to the food eaten, he said: an excretion and secretion similar to musk, they shall be brain-waved to glorify and praise Allah as they are brain-waved to breathe.

Also he said:


“ينادي مناد: إن لكم أن تَصِحوا فلا تسقموا أبدًا، وإن لكم أن تحْيَوْا فلا تموتوا أبدًا، وإن لكم أن تشبوا فلا تهرموا أبدًا، وإن لكم أن تنعموا فلا تبأسوا أبدًا، فذلك قوله عز وجل: ﴿ونُودوا أن تِلكُمُ الجنَّةُ أورِثتُمُوها بما كُنتم تعملون﴾ [سورة الأعراف] رواهما مسلم(1).

 

The Hadith means: A caller shall call out: you shall be everlastingly healthy and never get sick, and you shall be everlastingly alive and never die, and you shall be everlastingly youthful and never turn old, and you shall be in everlasting bliss and never be saddened, as it is mentioned in the saying of Allah:


﴿ونُودوا أن تِلكُمُ الجنَّةُ أورِثتُمُوها بما كُنتم تعملون﴾

The Ayah means: And it is cried unto the believers: This is the Paradise-garden. You have been made its heirs for your deeds of righteousness you used to do.

Both Hadiths were narrated by Muslim in his Sahih, the book of Paradise and its enjoyments.


[Al-Qalam 68:35] What! Shall We then treat The Muslims like to the sinners?


When the blasphemers said we shall be given in the Hereafter better than what you believers will be given, Allah exposed their lying informing us that in the judgment of Allah the believers who belived in their Lord and humbled themselves extremely in worship are unequal to the blasphemers. The statement is an negative interrogative that hinders the falsehood the blasphemers uttered and reprimands and threatens them.


[Al-Qalam 68:36] What pains you then, how you judge?


Then Allah reprimanded them: what is this claim of yours?! Which is another interrogative that denounces their claim, followed by a third interrogative denouncing their judgment. Thus the meaning establishes that how do you make such an invalid judgment! as if the matter of recompense rests with you, that you judge at your will that you shall have the same good rewards as the Muslims in the Hereafter; reflecting that this judgment emanates from an ill mind and twisted opinion.


[Al-Qalam 68:37] Or have you a scripture wherein you read and learn-


O people do you have a book sent unto you from Allah and brought to you by one of His messengers that you read in and learn, to validate your false claim equating, in status and reward, between the Muslims and the blasphemers?

[Al-Qalam 68:38] Surely, you shall have therein the claim that you choose?

And that substantiates that you shall have in the Hereafter, as per your claim, that which you desire? Al-Mizzi doubled the Ta’ of تَخَيَّرون when recited attached to the preceding full madd.


[Al-Qalam 68:39] Or have you received from Us assurances on oath, extending to the Day of Resurrection, that you shall surely have what you ordain?


Or have you received from Allah a covenant on oath, extending to the Day of Judgment, that you shall surely have what you have judged?


[Al-Qalam 68:40] Ask them O Muhammad, which of them will guarantee that decree


O Muhammad ask those blasphemers and tell them: who among you is a guarantor who pledges that you shall have of goodness in the Hereafter the same as the Muslims?!


[Al-Qalam 68:41] Or do they have associates in God hood that substantiate what they ordain?  Then let them bring their associates, if they speak truly!


(Or have they “partners in God hood”) has two meanings. The first : do they believe that Allah has partners who in the Hereafter will equate them with the Muslims in reward and safety from punishment?! The statement “have they partners…” was attributed to them to because as such they would have attributed partners to Allah.

The second: or they have people who share their opinion of equating between the Muslim and the blasphemer, and that they shall have the same goodness as the Muslims in the Hereafter?!

The order statement here: Then let them bring about their partners, reflect that it is undoable. The meaning is that no one says as they said, just as they do not have a book and have no covenant of oath from Allah and have no guarantor who guarantees that matter for them from Allah. Then let them bring about their “partners”, to testify for them if they are truthful!


[Al-Qalam 68:42] Upon the day when severe adversity shall be, and they shall be summoned to prostrate themselves, but they cannot;


When Allah invalidated their saying and established that it has no grounds what so ever, Allah informed us about the greatness of the Day of Judgment. So Allah told us:

﴿ يومَ يُكشفُ عن ساقٍ﴾

That it is a day of severe and intense events involving settlement of accounts and thereupon reward and/or punishment. In the Arabic language if the battle intensifies one would say  (كشفت الحرب عن ساق), as reported in Fath al-Bari, the explanation of Sahih al-Bukhari [13/428].

It is confirmed that the meaning of the Ayah was reported from the most skilled interpreter (Turjuman) of Qur’an ^Abdullah Ibn ^Abbas, who said: it ( the Day of Judgment will reveal intense and severe events).

Al-Hakim narrated from the route of ^Ikrimah from Ibn ^Abbas who said: it is a day of distress and hardship.

The people of falsehood among those Mushabihhah who liken Allah to the creations said Allah has a shin that He exposes on the Day of Judgment; Indeed Allah is greatly clear of such non befitting attributes.

Imam Abu Ja^far atTahawi, who is among the heads of the righteous salaf, in his creed which is the creed of Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama^ah, said: “Allah the Exalted is clear from being attributed with limits and boundaries and sides and organs”.

The blasphemers on that Day will be called upon, out of reprimand and not accountability, to prostrate, but they will not be able to, as if their backs are sheathed with iron. They shall be disabled to prostrate so they may be further saddened and remorseful for their negligence, when they had sound and functional organs and were ordered to be believers in this world and thus prostrate.


[Al-Qalam 68:43] gazed down shall be their eyes, and abasement shall overwhelm them, for they had been summoned to bow themselves while they were untied.


The eyes of the blasphemers will be gazed down,- humiliation will cover them at a time when the believers will raise their heads high and their faces white when the faces of the blasphemers are black; noticing that they had been summoned aforetime to prostrate themselves while they were sound and yet had refused.


[Al-Qalam 68:44] O Muhammad, leave Me with him who cries lies to this Message! We will punish them little by little whence they know not;


O Muhammad, it is enough reprisal on your part to Leave to Allah dealing with those who belie the Qur’an, for Allah knows best what they deserve of punishment. This entails a severe threat to those who disbelieve in what the prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, brought regarding the Hereafter and other. Ibn al-Jawziyy said “ some interpreters of Qur’an claimed that the Ayah was abrogated by the Ayah of the sword, however, if we establish that the meaning entails a severe threat and reprimand then the Ayah is not abrogated.” We shall gradually one step at a time punish them by ways they do not perceive; Allah grants the sinners health and prosperity to which they submit and think they are favored over the believers, when in reality it is a reason for their destruction. Each time they sin Allah grants them an endowment and they turn forgetful and negligent of seeking forgiveness until they face the severe punishment.


[Al-Qalam 68:45] And I shall grant them a long interval, yet surely My punishment is severe.


Allah shall grant them a long time before the severe punishment befalls them. The punishment of Allah is indeed severe and strong.


[Al-Qalam 68:46] Or have you asked a fee from them, and so they are weighed down with debt?


Is it the case O Muhammad, that you have demanded a fee of them for inviting them to the true religion, that they feel burdened with the pay back should they believe, and are discouraged to believe? This statement is a negative interrogative that means indeed you have not asked a fee of them in return for your advice that made them feel burdened, hence abstain from embracing the religion to which you have called them.


[Al-Qalam 68:47] Or is the Unseen in their keeping, and so they are writing it down?


An negative interrogative statement that means they do not have the Guarded Tablet that contains the Unforeseen at the control of their finger tips to write in it that which they say will happen!


[Al-Qalam 68:48]So wait patiently under the judgment of your Lord, and be not as the Man of the Fish, when he called, distressed inwardly.


So Muhammad wait patiently for the judgment of your Lord which soon will come, and proceed to fulfill the orders of Allah, and do not let their disbelief in you and harming you discourage you from conveying what you were ordered to convey. The Ayah establishes that the Prophet and all the other prophets are impeccable from falling short in conveying the message from Allah. And do not be like Prophet Yunus who was imprisoned in the belly of the whale. The story of Prophet Yunus when he went to Iraq at the orders of his Lord to convey the message of Allah and invite the blasphemers to worship Allah alone and leave out worshipping idols, they rejected his call and rebelled against him and persisted on their blasphemy. Yunus remained patient with the harm with which they inflicted him while preaching them and calling them to Islam until he lost hope in face of their stubbornness and persistence to remain blasphemous. And he left their city thinking that he will not be blameworthy in Allah’s judgment for leaving before Allah orders him to do so. After prophet Yunus was faced by the calamity of being swollen by the whale for rushing out of the city prior to the orders of Allah he returned to his people and found them already had believed and he stayed with them teaching them the matters of the religion.

Benefit: Prophet Yunus left the city being dissatisfied with his people for disbelieving in him and persisting on their blasphemy. It is not permissible for one to believe that prophet Yunus left because he was dissatisfied with his Lord. It is blasphemous to be dissatisfied with Allah and it is blasphemous to believe that about prophet Yunus. Prophets are impeccable from blasphemy, enormous sins and small abject sins before and after prophet hood.

While in the belly of the whale, prophet Yunus made a supplication to Allah while full of dissatisfaction with his people for their blasphemy and for making him rush to leave them; he said : “لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك” no one is God except You who is clear of all imperfection.


[Al-Qalam 68:49] Had there not bestowed upon him a blessing from his Lord, he would have been cast upon the bare land, being blamed.


Were it not that mercy from Allah had bestowed upon him and his supplication was answered and his excuse accepted, he would certainly have been propelled out of the whales belly and cast down upon the bare land while he was blamed. However, he was forgiven prior to exiting the belly of the whale.


[Al-Qalam 68:50] But his Lord had chosen him, and He placed him among the righteous


Allah choose him and made him among the righteous,and it was said among the Prophets.


[Al-Qalam 68:51] The unbelievers well imminently strike you down with their glances, when they hear the Message’  and they say, ‘Surely he is a mad man!,


The interpreters have two interpretations for this Ayah: the first : The blasphemers wanted to afflict the prophet with the evil eye and Allah protected him and revealed this Ayah. The second : It was said that the blasphemers look at the prophet with enmity that they tend to harm the prophet with their eyes. This Ayah contain a proof that the evil eye and its harm is a true matter; the prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said: “العين حق” narrated by al-Bukhari: It means Inflicting harm by the eye is something that is confirmed to exist.


[Al-Qalam 68:52] And it is nothing but a sound guidance unto all beings.


The qur’an contains preachments for jinns and humans. From it they deduce what is beneficial for them religiously and the worldly matters. Hence the one who makes the benefit therein apparent and widespread among the people and invites to it and recites to the people how is it acceptable to say about him that he is insane; rather it testifies to the soundness of his mind and height if his status. Hence the one who attributes default and shortcomings to the prophet only reflects his own ignorance and disappointment; for the people of merit are recognized by their likes. It was said:

إذا لم يكن للمرء عينٌ صحيحةٌ *** فلا غَروَ أن يرتابَ والصبح مسفر

This verse of poetry means: If the person does not have a healthy eye***then it is not strange that he doubts even when the daylight well broken in.