With the Name of Allah, the Merciful Benefactor, The Merciful Redeemer

1. Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write –

2. Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.

3. Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:

4. And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.

5. Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,

6. Which of you is afflicted with madness.

7. 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.

8. So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).

9. Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.

10. Heed not the type of despicable men – ready with oaths,

11. A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

12. (Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,

13. Violent (and cruel) – with all that, base-born –

14. Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.

15. When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, “Tales of the ancients,” he cries!

16. Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!

17. 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.

18. But made no reservation, (“If it be Allah’s Will”).

19. Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.

20. So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).

21. As the morning broke, they called out, one to another –

22. “Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits.”

23. So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying) –

24. “Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day.”

25. And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.

26. But when they saw the (garden), they said: “We have surely lost our way:

27. “Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!”

28. Said one of them, more just (than the rest): “Did I not say to you, ‘Why not glorify (Allah)?’ ”

29. They said: “Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!”

30. Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.

31. They said: “Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!

32. “It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!”

33. Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter – if only they knew!

34. Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.

35. Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?

36. What is the matter with you? How judge ye?

37. Or have ye a book through which ye learn –

38. That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?

39. Or have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?

40. Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!

41. Or have they some “Partners” (in godhead)? Then let them produce their “partners,” if they are truthful!

42. The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able –

43. 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).

44. Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.

45. A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan.

46. Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt? –

47. Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down?

48. 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.

49. Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.

50. Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.

51. And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: “Surely he is possessed!”

52. But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.”

1. Nun.

[These letters (Nun, etc.) are one of the miracles of the Qur’an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings].

By the pen and what the (angels) write (in the Records of men).

2. You (O Muhammad) are not, by the Grace of your Lord, a madman.

3. And verily, for you (O Muhammad) will be an endless reward.

4. And verily, you (O Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character.

5. You will see, and they will see,

6. Which of you is afflicted with madness.

7. Verily, your Lord knows better, who (among men) has gone astray from His Path, and He knows better those who are guided.

8. So (O Muhammad) obey not the deniers [(of Islamic Monotheism those who belie the Verses of Allah), the Oneness of Allah, and the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad), etc.]

9. They wish that you should compromise (in religion out of courtesy) with them, so they (too) would compromise with you.

10. And obey not everyone who swears much, and is considered worthless,

11. A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

12. Hinderer of the good, transgressor, sinful,

13. Cruel, after all that base-born (of illegitimate birth),

14. (He was so) because he had wealth and children.

15. When Our Verses (of the Qur’an) are recited to him, he says: “Tales of the men of old!”

16. We shall brand him over the nose!

17. Verily, We have tried them as We tried the people of the garden, when they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning,

18. Without saying: Insha’ Allah (If Allah will).

19. Then there passed by on the (garden) something (fire) from your Lord at night and burnt it while they were asleep.

20. So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins).

21. Then they called out one to another as soon as the morning broke,

22. Saying: “Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits.”

23. So they departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying),

24. No Miskin (poor man) shall enter upon you into it today.

25. And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power (to prevent the poor taking anything of the fruits therefrom).

26. But when they saw the (garden), they said: “Verily, we have gone astray,”

27. (Then they said): “Nay! Indeed we are deprived of (the fruits)!”

28. The best among them said: “Did I not tell you: why do you not say: Insha’ Allah (If Allah will).”

29. They said: “Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.).”

30. Then they turned, one against another, in blaming.

31. They said: “Woe to us! Verily, we were Taghun (transgressors and disobedient, etc.)

32. We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to our Lord (wishing for good that He may forgive our sins, and reward us in the Hereafter).”

33. Such is the punishment (in this life), but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they but knew.

34. Verily, for the Muttaqun (pious and righteous persons) are Gardens of delight (Paradise) with their Lord.

35. Shall We then treat the (submitting) Muslims like the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists and disbelievers, etc.)?

36. What is the matter with you? How judge you?

37. Or have you a Book through which you learn.

38. That you shall have all that you choose?

39. Or you have oaths from Us, reaching to the Day of Resurrection that yours will be what you judge.

40. Ask them, which of them will stand surety for that!

41. Or have they “partners”? Then let them bring their “partners” if they are truthful!

42. (Remember) the Day when the Shin shall be laid bare (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) and they shall be called to prostrate (to Allah), but they (hypocrites) shall not be able to do so,

43. Their eyes will be cast down, ignominy will cover them; they used to be called to prostrate (offer prayers), while they were healthy and good (in the life of the world, but they did not).

44. Then leave Me Alone with such as belie this Qur’an. We shall punish them gradually from directions they perceive not.

45. And I will grant them a respite. Verily, My Plan is strong.

46. Or is it that you (O Muhammad) ask them a wage, so that they are heavily burdened with debt?

47. Or that the Ghaib (unseen here in this Verse it means Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz) is in their hands, so that they can write it down?

48. So wait with patience for the Decision of your Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish, when he cried out (to Us) while he was in deep sorrow.

49. Had not a Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been (left in the stomach of the fish, but We forgave him), so he was cast off on the naked shore, while he was to be blamed.

50. But his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.

51. And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes through hatredness when they hear the Reminder (the Qur’an), and they say: “Verily, he (Muhammad) is a madman!”

52. But it is nothing else than a Reminder to all the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).