القلم
Al-Qalam, The Pen
Mahmoud Khalil Al-HussaryHafs 'an 'Asim - Murattal
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Surah introduction: Tafsir as-Sa'di (Arabic)
تفسير سورة ن
وهي مكية
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
English Translation - Noor International Center. Version: 1.1.2. Last updated: 2025-06-24. QuranEnc.com
- 1
نٓ ۚ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ
(1) Nūn.[1724] By the pen and what they inscribe,
Footnotes
[1724]- See footnote to 2:1.
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- 2
مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ
(2) You are not, [O Muḥammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.
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- 3
وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ
(3) And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.
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- 4
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
(4) And indeed, you are of a great moral character.
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- 5
فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ
(5) So you will see and they will see
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- 6
بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلْمَفْتُونُ
(6) Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil].
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- 7
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
(7) Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.
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- 8
فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
(8) Then do not obey the deniers.
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- 9
وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ
(9) They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].
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- 10
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ
(10) And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer
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- 11
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍ
(11) [And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip -
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- 12
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ
(12) A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,
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- 13
عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ
(13) Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.[1725]
Footnotes
[1725]- i.e., claiming a particular lineage falsely. The description given in these verses is of al-Waleed bin al-Mugheerah (see also 74:11-25) or possibly, as asserted by Ibn Katheer, al-Akhnas bin Shurayq.
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- 14
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ
(14) Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,
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- 15
إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
(15) When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."
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- 16
سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ
(16) We will brand him upon the snout.[1726]
Footnotes
[1726]- Literally, "trunk," meaning the nose of an elephant or pig.
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- 17
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ
(17) Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning
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- 18
وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ
(18) Without making exception.[1727]
Footnotes
[1727]- i.e., without conceding that nothing can be accomplished unless Allāh wills, saying, "...if Allāh wills" ("in-shā’-Allāh"). See 18:23-24.
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- 19
فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ
(19) So there came upon it [i.e., the garden] an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep.
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- 20
فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ
(20) And it became as though reaped.
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- 21
فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ
(21) And they called one another at morning,
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- 22
أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰرِمِينَ
(22) [Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit."
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- 23
فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ
(23) So they set out, while lowering their voices,
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- 24
أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ
(24) [Saying], "There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person."
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- 25
وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَـٰدِرِينَ
(25) And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able.[1728]
Footnotes
[1728]- To carry out their plan, confident of their ability.
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- 26
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ
(26) But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost;
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- 27
بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ
(27) Rather, we have been deprived."
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- 28
قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ
(28) The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not exalt [Allāh]?'"[1729]
Footnotes
[1729]- i.e., remember or mention Him by saying, "...if Allāh wills." An additional meaning is "praise" or "thank" Him for His bounty.
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- 29
قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ
(29) They said, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."
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- 30
فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَـٰوَمُونَ
(30) Then they approached one another, blaming each other.
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- 31
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَـٰغِينَ
(31) They said, "O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors.
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- 32
عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ
(32) Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous."[1730]
Footnotes
[1730]- Of His mercy, forgiveness and bounty.
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- 33
كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ
(33) Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.
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- 34
إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
(34) Indeed, for the righteous with their Lord are the Gardens of Pleasure.
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- 35
أَفَنَجْعَلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ كَٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ
(35) Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?
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- 36
مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ
(36) What is [the matter] with you? How do you judge?
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- 37
أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَـٰبٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ
(37) Or do you have a scripture in which you learn
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- 38
إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ
(38) That indeed for you is whatever you choose?
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- 39
أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَـٰنٌ عَلَيْنَا بَـٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ
(39) Or do you have oaths [binding] upon Us, extending until the Day of Resurrection, that indeed for you is whatever you judge?
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- 40
سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ
(40) Ask them which of them, for that [claim], is responsible.
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- 41
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ صَـٰدِقِينَ
(41) Or do they have partners?[1731] Then let them bring their partners, if they should be truthful.
Footnotes
[1731]- i.e., those to whom they attribute divinity other than Allāh or partners from among themselves.
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- 42
يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ
(42) The Day the shin will be uncovered[1732] and they are invited to prostration but they [i.e., the disbelievers] will not be able,
Footnotes
[1732]- i.e., when everyone will find before him great difficulty. In accordance with authentic ḥadīths, "the shin" might also refer to that of Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā), before which every believer will prostrate on the Day of Judgement. See footnote to 2:19.
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- 43
خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَـٰلِمُونَ
(43) Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.[1733]
Footnotes
[1733]- During worldly life.
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- 44
فَذَرْنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
(44) So leave Me, [O Muḥammad], with [the matter of] whoever denies this statement [i.e., the Qur’ān]. We will progressively lead them [to punishment] from where they do not know.[1734]
Footnotes
[1734]- Allāh will increase His favors to them in this world by way of trial, whereby they will sink deeper into sin and thus into destruction.
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- 45
وَأُمْلِى لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِى مَتِينٌ
(45) And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm.
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- 46
أَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ
(46) Or do you ask of them a payment, so they are by debt burdened down?
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- 47
أَمْ عِندَهُمُ ٱلْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ
(47) Or have they [knowledge of] the unseen, so they write [it] down?
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- 48
فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ
(48) Then be patient for the decision of your Lord, [O Muḥammad], and be not like the companion of the fish [i.e., Jonah] when he called out while he was distressed.
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- 49
لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ
(49) If not that a favor [i.e., mercy] from his Lord overtook him, he would have been thrown onto the naked shore while he was censured.[1735]
Footnotes
[1735]- But instead, Allāh accepted his repentance and provided means for his recovery. See 37:139-148.
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- 50
فَٱجْتَبَـٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
(50) And his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.
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- 51
وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجْنُونٌ
(51) And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes [i.e., looks] when they hear the message, and they say, "Indeed, he is mad."
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- 52
وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
(52) But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.
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