{بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ن ۚ وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ}
1. Nûn. [These letters (Nun, etc.) are one of the miracles of the Qur’an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]. By the pen and by what they (the angels) write (in the Records of men).
{مَا أَنْتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ}
2. You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), by the Grace of your Lord, are not mad.
{وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ}
3. And Verily, for you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) will be an endless reward.
{وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ}
4. And Verily, you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) are on an exalted (standard of) character.
{إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ}
7. Verily, your Lord is the Best Knower of him who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Knower of those who are guided.
{فَلَا تُطِعِ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ}
8. So (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) obey you not the deniers [(of Islâmic Monotheism - those who belie the Verses of Allâh), the Oneness of Allâh, and the Messengership of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم][1]
{وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ}
9. They wish that you should compromise (in religion out of courtesy) with them: so they (too) would compromise with you.
{وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَهِينٍ}
10. And (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) obey you not everyone Hallaf Mahîn (the one who swears much and is a liar or is worthless). [Tafsir At-Tabari]
{إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ}
15. When Our Verses (of the Qur’ân) are recited to him, he says: "Tales of the men of old!"
{إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ}
17. Verily, We have tried them as We tried the people of the garden, when they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning,
{فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ}
19. Then there passed by on the (garden) a visitation (fire) from your Lord at night and burnt it while they were asleep.
{فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ}
20. So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins).
{أَنِ اغْدُوا عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَارِمِينَ}
22. Saying: "Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits."
{فَانْطَلَقُوا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَ}
23. So they departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying):
{أَنْ لَا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِسْكِينٌ}
24. "No Miskîn (poor man) shall enter upon you into it today."
{وَغَدَوْا عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَادِرِينَ}
25. And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power (to prevent the poor taking anything of the fruits therefrom).
{فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ}
26. But when they saw the (garden), they said: "Verily, we have gone astray."
{قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ}
28. The best among them said: "Did I not tell you: why say you not: Inshâ’ Allâh (If Allâh wills)."
{قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ}
29. They said: "Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been Zâlimûn (wrong-doers)."
{فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَاوَمُونَ}
30. Then they turned one against another, blaming.
{قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغِينَ}
31. They said: "Woe to us! Verily, we were Tâghûn (transgressors and disobedient)
{عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَا أَنْ يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ}
32. We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to our Lord (wishing for good that He may forgive our sins and reward us in the Hereafter).
{كَذَٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ}
33. Such is the punishment (in this life), but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they but knew.
{إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ}
34. Verily, for the Muttaqûn (the pious - See V.2:2) are Gardens of delight (Paradise) with their Lord.
{أَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَالْمُجْرِمِينَ}
35. Shall We then treat the Muslims (believers of Islamic Monotheism, doers of righteous deeds) like the Mujrimûn (criminals, polytheists and disbelievers, etc.)?
{أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَانٌ عَلَيْنَا بَالِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ}
39. Or have you oaths from Us, reaching to the Day of Resurrection, that yours will be what you judge?
{أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا بِشُرَكَائِهِمْ إِنْ كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ}
41. Or have they "partners"? Then let them bring their "partners" if they are truthful!
{يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَنْ سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى السُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ}
42. (Remember) the Day when the Shin[1] shall be laid bare (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) and they shall be called to prostrate themselves (to Allâh), but they (hypocrites) shall not be able to do so.
{خَاشِعَةً أَبْصَارُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى السُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَالِمُونَ}
43. Their eyes will be cast down and ignominy will cover them; they used to be called to prostrate themselves (offer prayers), while they were healthy and good (in the life of the world, but they did not).
{فَذَرْنِي وَمَنْ يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ}
44. Then leave Me Alone with such as belie this Qur’ân. We shall punish them gradually from directions they perceive not.
{وَأُمْلِي لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِي مَتِينٌ}
45. And I will grant them a respite. Verily, My Plan is strong.
{أَمْ تَسْأَلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُمْ مِنْ مَغْرَمٍ مُثْقَلُونَ}
46. Or is it that you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) ask them a wage, so that they are heavily burdened with debt?
{أَمْ عِنْدَهُمُ الْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ}
47. Or that the Ghaib (the Unseen - here in this Verse it means Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz) is in their hands, so that they can write it down?
{فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُنْ كَصَاحِبِ الْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ}
48. So wait with patience for the Decision of your Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish - when he cried out (to Us) while he was in deep sorrow. (See the Qur’ân, Verse 21:87).
{لَوْلَا أَنْ تَدَارَكَهُ نِعْمَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ لَنُبِذَ بِالْعَرَاءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ}
49. Had not a Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been (left in the stomach of the fish, but We forgave him): so he was cast off on the naked shore, while he was to be blamed.
{فَاجْتَبَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَجَعَلَهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ}
50. Then his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.
{وَإِنْ يَكَادُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا الذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ لَمَجْنُونٌ}
51. And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes (through hatred) when they hear the Reminder (the Qur’ân), and they say: "Verily, he (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) is a madman!"
{وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِلْعَالَمِينَ}
52. But it is nothing else than a Reminder to all the ‘Âlamîn (mankind, and jinn).