Surah 68. Al-Qalam

slanderer, gossip-monger,

  - Mustafa Khattab

A slanderer going about with calumnies.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

withholder of good, transgressor, evildoer,

  - Mustafa Khattab

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

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

brute, and- on top of all that- an illegitimate child.

  - Mustafa Khattab

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.

Now, 'simply' because he has been blessed with 'abundant' wealth and children,

  - Mustafa Khattab

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.

whenever Our revelations are recited to him, he says, 'Ancient fables!'

  - Mustafa Khattab

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

leaving no thought for Allah's Will.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

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

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.

Then it was struck by a torment from your Lord while they slept,

  - Mustafa Khattab

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.

so it was reduced to ashes.

  - Mustafa Khattab

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

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then by daybreak they called out to each other,

  - Mustafa Khattab

As the morning broke they called out one to another

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'saying,' 'Go early to your harvest, if you want to pick 'all' the fruit.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"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.

So they went off, whispering to one another,

  - Mustafa Khattab

So they departed conversing in secret low tones (saying)

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'Do not let any poor person enter your garden today.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

"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.

And they proceeded early, totally fixated on their purpose.

  - Mustafa Khattab

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

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali