SURAH AL-QALAM (THE PEN)

YUSUFALI: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
PICKTHAL: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
SHAKIR: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

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YUSUFALI: Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write,-
PICKTHAL: Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith),
SHAKIR: Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write,

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YUSUFALI: Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.
PICKTHAL: Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman.
SHAKIR: By the grace of your Lord you are not mad.

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YUSUFALI: Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:
PICKTHAL: And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing.
SHAKIR: And most surely you shall have a reward never to be cut off.

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YUSUFALI: And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.
PICKTHAL: And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.
SHAKIR: And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality.

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YUSUFALI: Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,
PICKTHAL: And thou wilt see and they will see
SHAKIR: So you shall see, and they (too) shall see,

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YUSUFALI: Which of you is afflicted with madness.
PICKTHAL: Which of you is the demented.
SHAKIR: Which of you is afflicted with madness.

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YUSUFALI: Verily it is thy Lord that knoweth best, which (among men) hath strayed from His Path: and He knoweth best those who receive (true) Guidance.
PICKTHAL: Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.
SHAKIR: Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right course.

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YUSUFALI: So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).
PICKTHAL: Therefor obey not thou the rejecters
SHAKIR: So do not yield to the rejecters.

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YUSUFALI: Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.
PICKTHAL: Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise.
SHAKIR: They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would be pliant.

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YUSUFALI: Heed not the type of despicable men,- ready with oaths,
PICKTHAL: Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger,
SHAKIR: And yield not to any mean swearer

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YUSUFALI: A slanderer, going about with calumnies,
PICKTHAL: Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,
SHAKIR: Defamer, going about with slander

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YUSUFALI: (Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,
PICKTHAL: Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor
SHAKIR: Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,

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YUSUFALI: Violent (and cruel),- with all that, base-born,-
PICKTHAL: Greedy therewithal, intrusive.
SHAKIR: Ignoble, besides all that, base-born;

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YUSUFALI: Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.
PICKTHAL: It is because he is possessed of wealth and children
SHAKIR: Because he possesses wealth and sons.

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YUSUFALI: When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries!
PICKTHAL: That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old.
SHAKIR: When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore.

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YUSUFALI: Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!
PICKTHAL: We shall brand him on the nose.
SHAKIR: We will brand him on the nose.

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YUSUFALI: Verily We have tried them as We tried the People of the Garden, when they resolved to gather the fruits of the (garden) in the morning.
PICKTHAL: Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning,
SHAKIR: Surely We will try them as We tried the owners of the garden, when they swore that they would certainly cut off the produce in the morning,

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YUSUFALI: But made no reservation, ("If it be Allah's Will").
PICKTHAL: And made no exception (for the Will of Allah);
SHAKIR: And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor).

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YUSUFALI: Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.
PICKTHAL: Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept
SHAKIR: Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping.

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YUSUFALI: So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).
PICKTHAL: And in the morning it was as if plucked.
SHAKIR: So it became as black, barren land.

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YUSUFALI: As the morning broke, they called out, one to another,-
PICKTHAL: And they cried out one unto another in the morning,
SHAKIR: And they called out to each other in the morning,

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YUSUFALI: "Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."
PICKTHAL: Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit).
SHAKIR: Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the produce).

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YUSUFALI: So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying)-
PICKTHAL: So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones:
SHAKIR: So they went, while they consulted together secretly,

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YUSUFALI: "Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."
PICKTHAL: No needy man shall enter it to-day against you.
SHAKIR: Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you.

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YUSUFALI: And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.
PICKTHAL: They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose.
SHAKIR: And in the morning they went, having the power to prevent.

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YUSUFALI: But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:
PICKTHAL: But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error!
SHAKIR: But when they saw it, they said: Most surely we have gone astray

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YUSUFALI: "Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"
PICKTHAL: Nay, but we are desolate!
SHAKIR: Nay! we are made to suffer privation.

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YUSUFALI: Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'"
PICKTHAL: The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah)?
SHAKIR: The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you not glorify (Allah)?

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YUSUFALI: They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"
PICKTHAL: They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong-doers.
SHAKIR: They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust.

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YUSUFALI: Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.
PICKTHAL: Then some of them drew near unto others, self-reproaching.
SHAKIR: Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other.

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YUSUFALI: They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!
PICKTHAL: They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous.
SHAKIR: Said they: O woe to us! surely we were inordinate:

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YUSUFALI: "It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"
PICKTHAL: It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord.
SHAKIR: Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it; surely to our Lord do we make our humble petition.

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YUSUFALI: Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter,- if only they knew!
PICKTHAL: Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know.
SHAKIR: Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater, did they but know!

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YUSUFALI: Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.
PICKTHAL: Lo! for those who keep from evil are gardens of bliss with their Lord.
SHAKIR: Surely those who guard (against evil) shall have with their Lord gardens of bliss.

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YUSUFALI: Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?
PICKTHAL: Shall We then treat those who have surrendered as We treat the guilty?
SHAKIR: What! shall We then make (that is, treat) those who submit as the guilty?

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YUSUFALI: What is the matter with you? How judge ye?
PICKTHAL: What aileth you? How foolishly ye judge!
SHAKIR: What has happened to you? How do you judge?

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YUSUFALI: Or have ye a book through which ye learn-
PICKTHAL: Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn
SHAKIR: Or have you a book wherein you read,

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YUSUFALI: That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?
PICKTHAL: That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose?
SHAKIR: That you have surely therein what you choose?

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YUSUFALI: Or have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?
PICKTHAL: Or have ye a covenant on oath from Us that reacheth to the Day of Judgment, that yours shall be all that ye ordain?
SHAKIR: Or have you received from Us an agreement confirmed by an oath extending to the day of resurrection that you shall surely have what you demand?

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YUSUFALI: Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!
PICKTHAL: Ask them (O Muhammad) which of them will vouch for that!
SHAKIR: Ask them which of them will vouch for that,

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YUSUFALI: Or have they some "Partners" (in Allahhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are truthful!
PICKTHAL: Or have they other gods? Then let them bring their other gods if they are truthful
SHAKIR: Or have they associates if they are truthful.

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YUSUFALI: The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able,-
PICKTHAL: On the day when it befalleth in earnest, and they are ordered to prostrate themselves but are not able,
SHAKIR: On the day when there shall be a severe affliction, and they shall be called upon to make obeisance, but they shall not be able,

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YUSUFALI: Their eyes will be cast down,- ignominy will cover them; seeing that they had been summoned aforetime to bow in adoration, while they were whole, (and had refused).
PICKTHAL: With eyes downcast, abasement stupefying them. And they had been summoned to prostrate themselves while they were yet unhurt.
SHAKIR: Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them; and they were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe.

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YUSUFALI: Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.
PICKTHAL: Leave Me (to deal) with those who give the lie to this pronouncement. We shall lead them on by steps from whence they know not.
SHAKIR: So leave Me and him who rejects this announcement; We will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive not:

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YUSUFALI: A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan.
PICKTHAL: Yet I bear with them, for lo! My scheme is firm.
SHAKIR: And I do bear with them, surely My plan is firm.

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YUSUFALI: Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt?-
PICKTHAL: Or dost thou (Muhammad) ask a fee from them so that they are heavily taxed?
SHAKIR: Or do you ask from them a reward, so that they are burdened with debt?

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YUSUFALI: Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down?
PICKTHAL: Or is the Unseen theirs that they can write (thereof)?
SHAKIR: Or have they (the knowledge of) the unseen, so that they write (it) down?

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YUSUFALI: So wait with patience for the Command of thy Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish,- when he cried out in agony.
PICKTHAL: But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of the fish, who cried out in despair.
SHAKIR: So wait patiently for the judgment of your Lord, and be not like the companion of the fish, when he cried while he was in distress.

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YUSUFALI: Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.
PICKTHAL: Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him he surely had been cast into the wilderness while he was reprobate.
SHAKIR: Were it not that favor from his Lord had overtaken him, he would certainly have been cast down upon the naked Found while he was blamed.

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YUSUFALI: Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.
PICKTHAL: But his Lord chose him and placed him among the righteous.
SHAKIR: Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the good.

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YUSUFALI: And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"
PICKTHAL: And lo! those who disbelieve would fain disconcert thee with their eyes when they hear the Reminder, and they say: Lo! he is indeed mad;
SHAKIR: And those who disbelieve would almost smite you with their eyes when they hear the reminder, and they say: Most surely he is mad.

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YUSUFALI: But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.
PICKTHAL: When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation.
SHAKIR: And it is naught but a reminder to the nations.