بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Al-Qalam 68:1
The Pen · Juz 29 · Page 564
نٓۚ وَٱلۡقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسۡطُرُونَ ١
Tafsir · in English
Tanwir al-Miqbas
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Commentary on 68:1
And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said regarding the interpretation of Allah's saying (Nun): '(Nun) He says: Allah swears by the Nun, which is the whale that carries the earths on its back while in Water, and beneath which is the Bull and under the Bull is the Rock and under the Rock is the Dust and none knows what is under the Dust save Allah. The name of the whale is Liwash, and it is said its name is Lutiaya'; the name of the bull is Bahamut, and some say its name is Talhut or Liyona. The whale is in a sea called 'Adwad, and it is like a small bull in a huge sea. The sea is in a hollowed rock whereby there is 4,000 cracks, and from each crack water springs out to the earth. It is also said that Nun is one of the names of the Lord; it stands for the letter Nun in Allah's name al-Rahman (the Beneficent); and it is also said that a Nun is an inkwell. (By the pen) Allah swore by the pen. This pen is made of light and its height is equal to the distance between Heaven and earth. It is with this pen that the Wise Remembrance, i.e. the Guarded Tablet, was written. It is also said that the pen is one of the angels by whom Allah has sworn, (and that which they write (therewith)) and Allah also swore by what the angels write down of the works of the children of Adam,
Page 564
67:27
فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡهُ زُلۡفَةٗ سِيٓـَٔتۡ وُجُوهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَقِيلَ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِي كُنتُم بِهِۦ تَدَّعُونَ ٢٧
But when they see it1 approaching, the faces of those who disbelieve will be distressed, and it will be said, "This is that for which you used to call."2
67:28
قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِنۡ أَهۡلَكَنِيَ ٱللَّهُ وَمَن مَّعِيَ أَوۡ رَحِمَنَا فَمَن يُجِيرُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ مِنۡ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٖ ٢٨
Say, [O Muḥammad], "Have you considered:1 whether Allāh should cause my death and those with me or have mercy upon us, who can protect the disbelievers from a painful punishment?"
1 translator’s note
- i.e., inform me. ↩
67:29
قُلۡ هُوَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ وَعَلَيۡهِ تَوَكَّلۡنَاۖ فَسَتَعۡلَمُونَ مَنۡ هُوَ فِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٖ ٢٩
Say, "He is the Most Merciful; we have believed in Him, and upon Him we have relied. And you will [come to] know who it is that is in clear error."
67:30
قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِنۡ أَصۡبَحَ مَآؤُكُمۡ غَوۡرٗا فَمَن يَأۡتِيكُم بِمَآءٖ مَّعِينِۭ ٣٠
Say, "Have you considered: if your water was to become sunken [into the earth], then who could bring you flowing water?"
سورة القلم
Al-Qalam
The Pen · Meccan · 52 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
68:1
نٓۚ وَٱلۡقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسۡطُرُونَ ١
Nūn.1 By the pen and what they inscribe,
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 2:1. ↩
68:2
مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجۡنُونٖ ٢
You are not, [O Muḥammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.
68:3
وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجۡرًا غَيۡرَ مَمۡنُونٖ ٣
And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.
68:4
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٖ ٤
And indeed, you are of a great moral character.
68:5
فَسَتُبۡصِرُ وَيُبۡصِرُونَ ٥
So you will see and they will see
68:6
بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلۡمَفۡتُونُ ٦
Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil].
68:7
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ ٧
Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.
68:8
فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ ٨
Then do not obey the deniers.
68:9
وَدُّواْ لَوۡ تُدۡهِنُ فَيُدۡهِنُونَ ٩
They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].
68:10
وَلَا تُطِعۡ كُلَّ حَلَّافٖ مَّهِينٍ ١٠
And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer
68:11
هَمَّازٖ مَّشَّآءِۭ بِنَمِيمٖ ١١
[And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip -
68:12
مَّنَّاعٖ لِّلۡخَيۡرِ مُعۡتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ ١٢
A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,
68:13
عُتُلِّۭ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ ١٣
Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.1
1 translator’s note
- 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. ↩
68:14
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٖ وَبَنِينَ ١٤
Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,
68:15
إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ١٥
When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."