Al-Qalam 68:17–28

68:17–28Page 565

إِنَّا بَلَوۡنَٰهُمۡ كَمَا بَلَوۡنَآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ إِذۡ أَقۡسَمُواْ لَيَصۡرِمُنَّهَا مُصۡبِحِينَ ١٧

Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning

وَلَا يَسۡتَثۡنُونَ ١٨

Without making exception.¹

فَطَافَ عَلَيۡهَا طَآئِفٞ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمۡ نَآئِمُونَ ١٩

So there came upon it [i.e., the garden] an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep.

فَأَصۡبَحَتۡ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ ٢٠

And it became as though reaped.

فَتَنَادَوۡاْ مُصۡبِحِينَ ٢١

And they called one another at morning,

أَنِ ٱغۡدُواْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡثِكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰرِمِينَ ٢٢

[Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit."

فَٱنطَلَقُواْ وَهُمۡ يَتَخَٰفَتُونَ ٢٣

So they set out, while lowering their voices,

أَن لَّا يَدۡخُلَنَّهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّسۡكِينٞ ٢٤

[Saying], "There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person."

وَغَدَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡدٖ قَٰدِرِينَ ٢٥

And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able.¹

فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡهَا قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ ٢٦

But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost;

بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ ٢٧

Rather, we have been deprived."

قَالَ أَوۡسَطُهُمۡ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ لَوۡلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ ٢٨

The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not exalt [Allāh]?'"¹