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Surah 68. Al-Qalam

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68:11
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍ Hamm a zin mashsh a in binameem in
[or to] the slanderer that goes about with defaming tales,
  - Mohammad Asad
mischief making slanderer,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
slanderer, gossip-monger,
  - Mustafa Khattab
Detractor, spreader abroad of slanders,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
A slanderer going about with calumnies.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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68:12
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ Mann a AAin lilkhayri muAAtadin atheem in
[or] the withholder of good, [or] the sinful aggressor,
  - Mohammad Asad
opponent of good, transgressor,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
withholder of good, transgressor, evildoer,
  - Mustafa Khattab
Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
(Habitually) hindering (all) good transgressing beyond bounds deep in sin.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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68:13
عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ AAutullin baAAda tha lika zaneem in
[or] one who is cruel, by greed possessed,7 and, in addition to all this, utterly useless [to his fellow-men].8
  - Mohammad Asad

The term 'utul - derived from the verb 'atala, "he dragged [someone or something] in a rough and cruel manner" - is used to describe a person combining within himself the attributes of cruelty and greed; hence the composite rendering adopted by me.

The commentators give the most divergent interpretations to the term zanim, which is evidently derived from the noun zanamah, denoting either of the two wattles, or fleshy skin protuberances, hanging below the ears of a goat. Since these wattles do not seem to have any physiological function, the term zanim has come to signify "someone [or "something"] not needed" (Taj al-'Arus): in other words, redundant or useless. It is, therefore, logical to assume that in the above context this term describes a person who is entirely useless in the social sense.

wicked oppressor, and above all, ignoble by birth,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
brute, and- on top of all that- an illegitimate child.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Greedy therewithal, intrusive.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Violent (and cruel) with all that base-born 5601
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Besides the self-deciever and the easy-going man, there is a third type, even more degraded. He has no idea of truth or sincerity. He is ready to swear friendship with every one and fidelity to every cause. But at the same moment he will slander and backbite, and cause mischief even between good but credulous persons. Evil seems to be his goal, and good his evil. He will not only pursue evil courses himself but prevent other people from doing right. When checked, he resorts to violence. In any case, he will intrude where he has no right, claiming relationship or power or consideration in circles which would gladly disown him. He is vain of his wealth or because he has a large following at his beck and call. Religion is to him merely old-fashioned superstition.

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68:14
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ An k a na tha m a lin wabaneen a
Is it because he is possessed of worldly goods and children
  - Mohammad Asad
though he be possessing wealth and children.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Now, 'simply' because he has been blessed with 'abundant' wealth and children,
  - Mustafa Khattab
It is because he is possessed of wealth and children
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons. 5602
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Because" may connect with "heed not" in verse 10, or with "violent and cruel" in verse 13. In the former case, we construe: 'Pay no attention to despicable men of the character described, simply because they happen to have wealth or influence, or much backing in man-power'. In the latter case, we construe: 'the fellow is violent and cruel, he is puffed up with his wealth or riches or backing in man-power'. In the eyes of Allah such a man is in any case branded and marked out as a sinner.

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68:15
إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ I tha tutl a AAalayhi a y a tun a q a la as at eeru alawwaleen a
that, whenever Our messages are conveyed to him, such a one says, "Fables of ancient times"?9
  - Mohammad Asad

The term banun (lit., "children" or "sons") is often used in the Qur'an metonymically, denoting "popular support" or "many adherents"; in conjunction with the term mal ("worldly goods") it is meant to illustrate a certain mentality which attributes a pseudo-religious significance to wealth and influence, and regards these visible signs of worldly success as a post-factum evidence of the "righteousness" of the person concerned and, hence, of his not being in need of further guidance.

When Our revelations are recited to him , he says: "They are nothing but the tales of the ancient."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
whenever Our revelations are recited to him, he says, 'Ancient fables!'
  - Mustafa Khattab
That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
When to him are rehearsed Our Signs "Tales of the Ancients" he cries. 5603 5604
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah's Signs, by which He calls us, are everywhere-in nature and in our very heart and soul. In Revelation, every verse is a Sign, for it stands symbolically for far more than it says. "Sign" (Ayat) thus becomes a technical term for a verse of the Qur-an.

Cf. vi. 25.

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68:16
سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ Sanasimuhu AAal a alkhur t oom i
[For this] We shall brand him with indelible disgrace!10
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "We shall brand him on the snout" (khurtum)". All commentators point out that this idiomatic phrase has a strictly metaphorical meaning, namely, "We shall stigmatize him with indelible disgrace" (cf. Lane II, 724, quoting both Raghib and Taj al-'Arus).

Soon We shall brand him on the snout.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
We will soon mark his snout.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Like 53:33-35 and 74:11-26, these verses refer to Al-Walîd ibn Al-Mughîrah, a leader of the Meccan opposition against Islam. He rejected the Prophet (ﷺ) as a madman, so the Quran responded by listing ten of his qualities—two of which were unknown to him: the fact that he was born out of wedlock and that his nose would be chopped off several years later at the Battle of Badr. At least three of his ten sons accepted Islam—including Khâlid ibn Al-Walîd.

We shall brand him on the nose.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout! 5605
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Literally, proboscis, the most sensitive limb of the elephant. The sinner makes himself a beast and can only be controlled by his snout.

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68:17
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ Inn a balawn a hum kam a balawn a a s ha ba aljannati i th aqsamoo laya s rimunnah a mu s bi h een a
[As for such sinners,] behold, We [but] try them11 as We tried the owners of a certain garden who vowed that they would surely harvest its fruit on the morrow,
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., by bestowing on them affluence out of all proportion to their moral deserts.

Surely We shall try them as We tried the owners of the garden when they swore that they would pluck its fruit the next morning,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Indeed, We have tested those 'Meccans' as We tested the owners of the garden- when they swore they would surely harvest 'all' its fruit in the early morning,
  - Mustafa Khattab
Lo! we have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed they would pluck its fruit next morning.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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. 5606
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Why do the wicked flourish?" is a question asked in all ages. The answer is not simple. It must refer to (1) the choice left to man's will, (2) his moral responsibility, (3) the need of his tuning his will to Allah's Will, (4) the patience of Allah, which allows the widest possible chance for the operation of (5) His Mercy, and (6) in the last resort, to the nature of the Punishment, which is not a merely abrupt or arbitrary act, but a long, gradual process, in which there is room for repentance at every stage. All these points are illustrated in the remarkable Parable of the People of the Garden, which also illustrates the greed, selfishness, and heedlessness of man, as well as his tendency to throw the blame on others if he can but think of a scapegoat. All these foibles are shown, but the Mercy of Allah is boundless, and even after the worst sins and punishments, there may be hope of an even better orchard than the one lost, if only the repentance is true, and there is complete surrender to Allah's Will. But if, in spite of ail this, there is no surrender of the will, then, indeed, the punishment in the Hereafter is something incomparably greater than the little calamities in the Parable.

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68:18
وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ Wal a yastathnoon a
and made no allowance [for the will of God]:12
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., they resolved upon their objective without the reservation, "if God so wills points to the first lesson to be derived from this parable, as well as to its connection with the rhetorical question in verses {14-15} above.

without adding any reservation ( such as God willing).
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
leaving no thought for Allah's Will.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Another possible translation: “… without leaving some for the poor.”

And made no exception (for the will of Allah);
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
But made no reservation ("If it be Allah's Will"). 5607
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We must always remember, in all our plans, that they depend for their success on how far they accord with Allah's Will and Plan. His universal Will is supreme over all affairs. These foolish men had a secret plan to defraud the poor of their just rights, but they were put into a position where they could not do so. In trying to frustrate others, they were themselves frustrated.

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68:19
فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ Fa ta fa AAalayh a ta ifun min rabbika wahum n a imoon a
whereupon a visitation from thy Sustainer came upon that [garden] while they were asleep,
  - Mohammad Asad
So a calamity from your Rabb came down upon it while they slept,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then it was struck by a torment from your Lord while they slept,
  - Mustafa Khattab
Then a visitation came upon it while they slept
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord (which swept away) all around while they were asleep. 5608
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

It was a terrible storm that blew down and destroyed the fruits and the trees. The whole place was changed out of all recognition.

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68:20
فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ Faa s ba h at ka al ss areem i
so that by the morrow it became barren and bleak.
  - Mohammad Asad
and by the morning it lay as if it had been already harvested.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
so it was reduced to ashes.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And in the morning it was as if plucked.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So the (garden) became by the morning like a dark and desolate spot (whose fruit had been gathered).
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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68:21
فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ Fatan a daw mu s bi h een a
Now when they rose at early morn, they called unto one another,
  - Mohammad Asad
At daybreak they called out to one another,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then by daybreak they called out to each other,
  - Mustafa Khattab
And they cried out one unto another in the morning,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
As the morning broke they called out one to another
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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68:22
أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰرِمِينَ Ani ighdoo AAal a h arthikum in kuntum sa rimeen a
"Go early to your tilth if you want to harvest the fruit!"
  - Mohammad Asad
saying: "Go out early to your crop, if you want to pick its fruit."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'saying,' 'Go early to your harvest, if you want to pick 'all' the fruit.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in morning if ye would gather the fruits." 5609
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Awaking from sleep, they were not aware that the garden had been destroyed by the storm overnight. They were in their own selfish dreams: by going very early, they thought they could cheat the poor of their share. See next note.

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68:23
فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ Fa i n t alaqoo wahum yatakh a fatoon a
Thus they launched forth, whispering unto one another,
  - Mohammad Asad
So they went, whispering to one another:
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
So they went off, whispering to one another,
  - Mustafa Khattab
So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones:
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So they departed conversing in secret low tones (saying)
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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68:24
أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ An l a yadkhulannah a alyawma AAalaykum miskeen un
"Indeed, no needy person shall enter it today [and come] upon you [unawares]!"13
  - Mohammad Asad

Ever since Biblical times it has been understood that the poor have a right to a share in the harvest of the fields and gardens owned by their more fortunate fellow-men (cf. 6:141 - "give [unto the poor] their due on harvest-day". The determination of the "owners of the garden" to deprive the poor of this right is the second type of sin to which the above parable points: and inasmuch as it is a social sin, it connects with verses {10-13}.

"Let no needy person enter upon you in the garden today."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'Do not let any poor person enter your garden today.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
No needy man shall enter it today against you.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day." 5610
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The poor man has a right in the harvest-whether as a gleaner or as an artisan or a menial in an Eastern village. The rich owners of the orchard in the Parable wanted to steal a march at an early hour and defeat this right, but their greed was punished, so that it led to a greater loss to themselves. They wanted to cheat but had not the courage to face those they cheated, and by being in the field before any one was up they wanted to make it appear to the world that they were unconscious of any rights they were trampling on.

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68:25
وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَـٰدِرِينَ Waghadaw AAal a h ardin q a direen a
- and early they went, strongly bent upon their purpose.
  - Mohammad Asad
Thus they went out, fixed in their stingy resolve (not to give any fruit to the poor people, as if they had the full control over harvesting the fruit).
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And they proceeded early, totally fixated on their purpose.
  - Mustafa Khattab
They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And they opened the morning strong in an (unjust) resolve.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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