
How to Read the Quran with Understanding
Learn how to read the Quran with understanding through careful recitation, reliable translations, trusted tafsir, thoughtful reflection, and practical application.
The Pen • Mecca • 52 ayahs
القَلَمِ
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Arabic Recitation
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Ayah 68:1
نٓ ۚ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ١
Nūn.1 By the pen and what they inscribe,
Ayah 68:2
مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ٢
You are not, [O Muḥammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.
Ayah 68:3
وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ٣
And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.
Ayah 68:4
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ٤
And indeed, you are of a great moral character.
Ayah 68:5
فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ٥
So you will see and they will see.
Ayah 68:6
بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلْمَفْتُونُ٦
Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil].
Ayah 68:7
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ٧
Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.
Ayah 68:8
فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ٨
Then do not obey the deniers.
Ayah 68:9
وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ٩
They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].
Ayah 68:10
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ١٠
And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer
Ayah 68:11
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍ١١
[And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip -
Ayah 68:12
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ١٢
A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,
Ayah 68:13
عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ١٣
Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.1
Ayah 68:14
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ١٤
Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,
Ayah 68:15
إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ١٥
When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."
Ayah 68:16
سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ١٦
We will brand him upon the snout.1
Ayah 68:17
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ١٧
Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning
Ayah 68:18
وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ١٨
Without making exception.1
Ayah 68:19
فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ١٩
So there came upon it [i.e., the garden] an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep.
Ayah 68:20
فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ٢٠
And it became as though reaped.
Showing 20 of 52 Ayahs
Surah Al-Qalam (The Pen) is chapter 68 of the Quran and contains 52 ayahs. The reader provides Arabic text with Urdu and English translations. Choose an ayah below to open its reference page.
Quran text and translations are supplied through Quran.com. English uses Sahih International; Urdu uses Fatah Muhammad Jalandhari. Tafseer detail pages identify the source returned by the provider.
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