نٓ‌ۚ

Noon.

(These letters (Noon, etc.) are one of the miracles of the Quran, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings)

وَٱلۡقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسۡطُرُونَ  

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

مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجۡنُونٍ۬

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

وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجۡرًا غَيۡرَ مَمۡنُونٍ۬  

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

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ۬  

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

فَسَتُبۡصِرُ وَيُبۡصِرُونَ  

You will see, and they will see,

بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلۡمَفۡتُونُ

Which of you is afflicted with madness.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ

Verily, your Lord knows better, who (among men) has gone astray from His Path,

وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ  

and He knows better those who are guided.

فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

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

وَدُّواْ لَوۡ تُدۡهِنُ فَيُدۡهِنُونَ

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

وَلَا تُطِعۡ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ۬ مَّهِينٍ  

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

هَمَّازٍ۬ مَّشَّآءِۭ بِنَمِيمٍ۬

A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

مَّنَّاعٍ۬ لِّلۡخَيۡرِ مُعۡتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ

Hinderer of the good, transgressor, sinful,

عُتُلِّۭ بَعۡدَ ذَٲلِكَ زَنِيمٍ

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

أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ۬ وَبَنِينَ

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

إِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ  

When Our Verses (of the Quran) are recited to him, he says: "Tales of the men of old!"

سَنَسِمُهُ ۥ عَلَى ٱلۡخُرۡطُومِ

We shall brand him over the nose!

إِنَّا بَلَوۡنَـٰهُمۡ كَمَا بَلَوۡنَآ أَصۡحَـٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ

Verily, We have tried them as We tried the people of the garden,

إِذۡ أَقۡسَمُواْ لَيَصۡرِمُنَّہَا مُصۡبِحِينَ  

when they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning,

وَلَا يَسۡتَثۡنُونَ

Without saying: Insha Allah (If Allah will).

فَطَافَ عَلَيۡہَا طَآٮِٕفٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمۡ نَآٮِٕمُونَ

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

فَأَصۡبَحَتۡ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ

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

فَتَنَادَوۡاْ مُصۡبِحِينَ

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

أَنِ ٱغۡدُواْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡثِكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰرِمِينَ

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

فَٱنطَلَقُواْ وَهُمۡ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ

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

أَن لَّا يَدۡخُلَنَّہَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّسۡكِينٌ۬

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

وَغَدَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡدٍ۬ قَـٰدِرِينَ

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

فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡهَا قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ

But when they saw the (garden), they said: "Verily, we have gone astray,"

بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ

(Then they said): "Nay! Indeed we are deprived of (the fruits)!"

قَالَ أَوۡسَطُهُمۡ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ لَوۡلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ

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

قَالُواْ سُبۡحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ

They said: "Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been Zalimoon (wrong-doers, etc.)."

فَأَقۡبَلَ بَعۡضُہُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ۬ يَتَلَـٰوَمُونَ

Then they turned, one against another, in blaming.

قَالُواْ يَـٰوَيۡلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَـٰغِينَ

They said: "Woe to us! Verily, we were Taghoon (transgressors and disobedient, etc.)

عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبۡدِلَنَا خَيۡرً۬ا مِّنۡہَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٲغِبُونَ

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)."

كَذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡعَذَابُ‌ۖ

Such is the punishment (in this life),

وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ أَكۡبَرُ‌ۚ

but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater,

لَوۡ كَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ  

if they but knew.

إِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّہِمۡ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

Verily, for the Muttaqoon (pious and righteous persons - see V.2:2) are Gardens of delight (Paradise) with their Lord.

أَفَنَجۡعَلُ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ كَٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ

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

مَا لَكُمۡ

What is the matter with you?

كَيۡفَ تَحۡكُمُونَ  

How judge you?

أَمۡ لَكُمۡ كِتَـٰبٌ۬ فِيهِ تَدۡرُسُونَ

Or have you a Book through which you learn.

إِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ

That you shall have all that you choose?

أَمۡ لَكُمۡ أَيۡمَـٰنٌ عَلَيۡنَا بَـٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ‌ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمۡ لَمَا تَحۡكُمُونَ

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

سَلۡهُمۡ أَيُّهُم بِذَٲلِكَ زَعِيمٌ

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

أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شُرَكَآءُ

Or have they "partners"?

فَلۡيَأۡتُواْ بِشُرَكَآٮِٕہِمۡ إِن كَانُواْ صَـٰدِقِينَ  

Then let them bring their "partners" if they are truthful!

يَوۡمَ يُكۡشَفُ عَن سَاقٍ۬ وَيُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ

(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,

خَـٰشِعَةً أَبۡصَـٰرُهُمۡ تَرۡهَقُهُمۡ ذِلَّةٌ۬‌ۖ

Their eyes will be cast down, ignominy will cover them;

وَقَدۡ كَانُواْ يُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمۡ سَـٰلِمُونَ  

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).

فَذَرۡنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِہَـٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِ‌ۖ

Then leave Me Alone with such as belie this Quran.

سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ  

We shall punish them gradually from directions they perceive not.

وَأُمۡلِى لَهُمۡ‌ۚ

And I will grant them a respite.

إِنَّ كَيۡدِى مَتِينٌ  

Verily, My Plan is strong.

أَمۡ تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡ أَجۡرً۬ا فَهُم مِّن مَّغۡرَمٍ۬ مُّثۡقَلُونَ

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

أَمۡ عِندَهُمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبُ فَهُمۡ يَكۡتُبُونَ

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

فَٱصۡبِرۡ لِحُكۡمِ رَبِّكَ

So wait with patience for the Decision of your Lord,

وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلۡحُوتِ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكۡظُومٌ۬  

and be not like the Companion of the Fish, when he cried out (to Us) while he was in deep sorrow. (See the Quran, Verse 21:87).

لَّوۡلَآ أَن تَدَٲرَكَهُ ۥ نِعۡمَةٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذۡمُومٌ۬

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.

فَٱجۡتَبَـٰهُ رَبُّهُ ۥ فَجَعَلَهُ ۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ

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

وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَيُزۡلِقُونَكَ بِأَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡ لَمَّا سَمِعُواْ ٱلذِّكۡرَ

And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes through hatredness when they hear the Reminder (the Quran),

وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَمَجۡنُونٌ۬  

and they say: "Verily, he (Muhammad SAW) is a madman!"

وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٌ۬ لِّلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ

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

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