The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)
The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics) The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)
68. THE PEN An early Meccan sura that deals with the accusation that Muhammad was not God’s Messenger but merely mad (verses 2–6). The arrogance of those who assume that, because they have some of the good things in this life, they can reject the Revelation, is rebutted (verses 10–16). Examples are given of those who came to regret their arrogance (verses 17–33). The Prophet is urged to remain steadfast (verses 48–52). In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy 1 Nun By the pen! By all they write! a 2 Your Lord’s grace b does not make you [Prophet] a madman: 3 you will have a never-ending reward–– 4 truly you have a strong character––5 and soon you will see, as will they, 6 which of you is afflicted with madness. 7 Your Lord knows best who strays from His path and who is rightly guided. 8 So do not yield to those who deny the truth––9 they want you to compromise with them and then they will compromise with you––10 do not yield to any contemptible swearer, 11 to any backbiter, slander-monger, 12 or hinderer of good, to anyone who is sinful, aggressive, 13 coarse, and on top of all that, an imposter. c 14 Just because he has wealth and sons, 15 when our revelations are recited to him, he says, ‘These are just ancient fables.’ 16 We shall brand him on the snout! 17 We have tried them as We tried the owners of a certain garden, who swore that they would harvest its fruits in the morning 18 and made no allowance [for the Will of God]: d 19 a disaster from your Lord struck the garden as they slept 20 and by morning it was a This could refer to the angels and what they write down of people’s deeds or to the generic pen and what people write, thus swearing by the ability to write with which God endowed human beings. Cf. 96: 4–5. b Receiving God’s revelation. See esp. 15: 6 for the accusation of madness, which occurs countless times with reference to various prophets in the Quran. Another interpretation is ‘by God’s grace . . .’. c This is said to refer to al-Walid ibn al-Mughira, a staunch opponent of the Prophet. d Or ‘[for the poor]’.
68: 50 The Pen 385 stripped bare, a desolate land. 21 Still they called each other at daybreak, 22 ‘Go early to your field if you wish to gather all its fruits,’ 23 and went off, whispering, 24 ‘Make sure no poor person enters the garden today!’––25 they left early, bent on their purpose – 26 but when they saw the garden, they said, ‘We must have lost our way! 27 No – we are ruined!’ 28 The wisest of them said, ‘Did I not say to you, “Will you not glorify God?”’– 29 they said, ‘Glory be to God, Our Lord! Truly, we were doing wrong!’– 30 and then they turned to each other in mutual reproach. 31 They said, ‘Alas for us! We have done terrible wrong, 32 but maybe our Lord will give us something better in its place: we truly turn to Him in hope.’ 33 Such is the punishment [in this life], but greater still is the punishment in the Hereafter, if only they knew. 34 There will be Gardens of bliss for those who are mindful of God. 35 Should We treat those who submit to Us as We treat those who do evil? 36 What is the matter with you? On what basis do you judge? 37 Do you have a Scripture that tells you 38 that you will be granted whatever you choose? 39 Have you received from Us solemn oaths, binding to the Day of Resurrection, that you will get whatever you yourselves decide? 40 Ask them [Prophet] which of them will guarantee this. 41 Do they have ‘partners’ [besides God]? Let them produce their ‘partners’, if what they say is true. 42 On the Day when matters become dire, a they will be invited to prostrate themselves but will be prevented b from doing so, 43 and their eyes will be downcast and they will be overwhelmed with shame: they were invited to prostrate themselves when they were safe [but refused]. 44 So [Prophet] leave those who reject this revelation to Me: We shall lead them on, step by step, in ways beyond their knowledge; 45 I will allow them more time, for My plan is powerful. 46 Do you demand some reward from them that would burden them with debt? 47 Do they have knowledge of the unseen that enables them to write it down? 48 Wait patiently [Prophet] for your Lord’s judgement: do not be like the man in the whale who called out in distress: 49 if his Lord’s grace had not reached him, he would have been left, abandoned and blameworthy, on the barren shore, 50 but his Lord chose him and a This is the meaning of the Arabic expression ‘when shins are bared’. b Baydawi suggests that this is because the time for obedience is over, or because they are somehow unable to do so (Tafsir).
- Page 360 and 361: 48. TRIUMPH A Medinan sura that tak
- Page 362 and 363: 336 The Quran 48: 21 hastened this
- Page 364 and 365: 49. THE PRIVATE ROOMS This Medinan
- Page 366 and 367: 50. QAF A Meccan sura which deals p
- Page 368 and 369: 342 The Quran 50: 43 their graves]
- Page 370 and 371: 344 The Quran 51: 30 woman?’ a 30
- Page 372 and 373: 346 The Quran 52: 25 them. 25 They
- Page 374 and 375: 348 The Quran 53: 24 to them from t
- Page 376 and 377: 54. THE MOON A Meccan sura dealing
- Page 378 and 379: 352 The Quran 54: 47 the Hour is mo
- Page 380 and 381: 354 The Quran 55: 24 24 His are the
- Page 382 and 383: 56. THAT WHICH IS COMING A Meccan s
- Page 384 and 385: 358 The Quran 56: 92 on you,’ fro
- Page 386 and 387: 360 The Quran 57: 11 those who gave
- Page 388 and 389: 58. THE DISPUTE A Medinan sura whic
- Page 390 and 391: 364 The Quran 58: 15 them, and know
- Page 392 and 393: 366 The Quran 59: 6 done by God’s
- Page 394 and 395: 60. WOMEN TESTED A Medinan sura, re
- Page 396 and 397: 61. SOLID LINES A Medinan sura enco
- Page 398 and 399: 62. THE DAY OF CONGREGATION A Medin
- Page 400 and 401: 63. THE HYPOCRITES A Medinan sura w
- Page 402 and 403: 64. MUTUAL NEGLECT A Medinan sura t
- Page 404 and 405: 65. DIVORCE A Medinan sura that out
- Page 406 and 407: 66. PROHIBITION A Medinan sura that
- Page 408 and 409: 67. CONTROL a A Meccan sura that ch
- Page 412 and 413: 386 The Quran 68: 51 made him one o
- Page 414 and 415: 388 The Quran 69: 26 given any Reco
- Page 416 and 417: 390 The Quran 70: 36 36 What is wro
- Page 418 and 419: 392 The Quran 71: 25 many astray. L
- Page 420 and 421: 394 The Quran 72: 17 abundant water
- Page 422 and 423: 396 The Quran 73: 20 measure of it
- Page 424 and 425: 398 The Quran 74: 32 Hellfire - and
- Page 426 and 427: 400 The Quran 75: 32 32 but denied
- Page 428 and 429: 402 The Quran 76: 22 22 [It will be
- Page 430 and 431: 404 The Quran 77: 37 will be given
- Page 432 and 433: 406 The Quran 78: 39 when the Spiri
- Page 434 and 435: 408 The Quran 79: 35 great overwhel
- Page 436 and 437: 410 The Quran 80: 37 37 each of the
- Page 438 and 439: (412) 82. TORN APART A Meccan sura
- Page 440 and 441: 414 The Quran passed by them, 31 jo
- Page 442 and 443: (416) 85. THE TOWERING CONSTELLATIO
- Page 444 and 445: (418) 87. THE MOST HIGH A Meccan su
- Page 446 and 447: (420) 89. DAYBREAK A Meccan sura in
- Page 448 and 449: (422) 90. THE CITY Revealed in Mecc
- Page 450 and 451: (424) 92. THE NIGHT A Meccan sura s
- Page 452 and 453: (426) 94. RELIEF This Meccan sura,
- Page 454 and 455: (428) 96. THE CLINGING FORM a A Mec
- Page 456 and 457: (430) 98. CLEAR EVIDENCE A Medinan
- Page 458 and 459: (432) 100. THE CHARGING STEEDS An e
68. THE PEN<br />
An early Meccan sura that deals with the accusation that Muhammad was not<br />
God’s Messenger but merely mad (verses 2–6). <strong>The</strong> arrogance of those who<br />
assume that, because they have some of the good things in this life, they can<br />
reject the Revelation, is rebutted (verses 10–16). Examples are given of those who<br />
came to regret their arrogance (verses 17–33). <strong>The</strong> Prophet is urged to remain<br />
steadfast (verses 48–52).<br />
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy<br />
1 Nun<br />
By the pen! By all they write! a 2 Your Lord’s grace b does not make<br />
you [Prophet] a madman: 3 you will have a never-ending reward––<br />
4 truly you have a strong character––5 and soon you will see, as will<br />
they, 6 which of you is afflicted with madness. 7 Your Lord knows best<br />
who strays from His path and who is rightly guided. 8 So do not yield<br />
to those who deny the truth––9 they want you to compromise with<br />
them and then they will compromise with you––10 do not yield to any<br />
contemptible swearer, 11 to any backbiter, slander-monger, 12 or hinderer<br />
of good, to anyone who is sinful, aggressive, 13 coarse, and on<br />
top of all that, an imposter. c 14 Just because he has wealth and sons,<br />
15 when our revelations are recited to him, he says, ‘<strong>The</strong>se are just<br />
ancient fables.’ 16 We shall brand him on the snout!<br />
17 We have tried them as We tried the owners of a certain garden,<br />
who swore that they would harvest its fruits in the morning 18 and<br />
made no allowance [for the Will of God]: d 19 a disaster from your<br />
Lord struck the garden as they slept 20 and by morning it was<br />
a This could refer to the angels and what they write down of people’s deeds or to the<br />
generic pen and what people write, thus swearing by the ability to write with which God<br />
endowed human beings. Cf. 96: 4–5.<br />
b Receiving God’s revelation. See esp. 15: 6 for the accusation of madness, which<br />
occurs countless times with reference to various prophets in the Quran. Another interpretation<br />
is ‘by God’s grace . . .’.<br />
c This is said to refer to al-Walid ibn al-Mughira, a staunch opponent of the Prophet.<br />
d Or ‘[for the poor]’.