Overview - Surah 68: al-Qalam (The Pen )
The Surah tells us that the message of the Prophet is not the talk of a madman. The writings of all scriptures bear testimony to the truth of this message. It urges people to be charitable and help the poor and needy. The story of the people of a garden is mentioned who wished to deny the charity to the poor and they suffered the consequence in losing everything. The Surah ends with the story of Prophet Jonah. It urges the Prophet and through him his followers to continue this mission and not to give up in frustration. The mission of Islam is for the whole world.
Surah al-Qalam takes its name from the first Ayat, ن ۚ وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ "Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe," [68:1].
There are 52 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 52 |
| Total Words * | 300 |
| Root Words * | 130 |
| Unique Root Words * | 5 |
| Makki / Madani | Makki |
| Chronological Order* | 2nd (according to Ibn Abbas) |
| Year of Revelation* | 1st-3rd year of Prophethood |
| Events during/before this Surah*
Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam
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| Events during/after still to occur*
Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam ,Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam ,Public Invitation to Islam - Persecution of Muslims; antagonism - ridicule - derision - accusation - abuse and false propaganda.,Physical beating and torture of some Muslims - 1st Migration of Muslims to Abyssinia,2nd Migration to Abyssinia,Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 1,Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 2,Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 3,Death of Abu Talib - Death of Khadijah - Stoning at Ta'if - al-Isra wal Mi'raj - Night Journey,1st Pledge of Aqabah,2nd Pledge of Aqabah,,Migration from Makkah to Madinah - Building of Masjid Nabi in Madinah - Treaty with Jews of Madinah - Marriage of Prophet to Aishah,Change of Qiblah from Jerusalem to Makkah - Battle of Badr,Battle of Uhud,,Battle of Ahzab - Expedition of Banu Quraydhah,Treaty of Hudaiybiyah - Letters to Kings and Rulers,,Conquest of Makkah - Battle of Hunain,Hajj led by Abu Bakr - Expedition of Tabuk,Farewell Hajj by Prophet - Death of Prophet - End of Divine Revelation
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| Names of Prophets Mentioned
No Prophets names are mentioned in this Surah
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| Surah Index
Children, Jonah, Judgement (Day) , Materialism, Muhammad (not a madman) , Pen, Resurrection (Day)
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It consists of three themes: Replies to the objections of the opponents, warning and admonition to them, and exhortation to the Prophet to be patient and firm. At the outset, the Prophet has been consoled: “The disbelievers call you a madman whereas the Book that you are presenting and your magnificent conduct are in themselves sufficient to refute their accusations. Soon they will know as to who was mad and who was sane; therefore do not be affected by them, for they are only trying to intimidate you and make you compromise with them.” Then, in order to enlighten the common people the character of a prominent man from among the opponents, whom the people of Makkah fully well recognised, has been presented, without naming him: At that time, the Prophet’s pure and sublime conduct was before them, and every discerning eye could also see what sort of character and morals were possessed by the chiefs of Makkah, who were leading the opposition against him. Then, in v. 17-33, the parable of the owners of a garden has been presented, who after having been blessed by God turned ungrateful to Him, and did not heed the admonition of the best man among them when it was given them. Consequently, they were deprived of the blessing and they realised this, when all they had lay devastated. With this parable the people of Makkah have been warned to the effect: “With the appointment of the Prophet to Prophethood, you, O people of Makkah, too, have been put to a test similar to the one to which the owners of the garden had been put. If you do not listen to him, you too will be afflicted with a punishment in the world and the punishment of the Hereafter is far greater.”
Then, in v. 34-47, the disbelievers have been admonished, in which they are addressed directly and sometimes through the Prophet. A summary of what has been said is: Well being in the Hereafter belongs to those who spend their lives in the world in full consciousness of God. It is utterly against reason that the obedient servants should meet in the Hereafter the same fate as the guilty. There is absolutely no basis of the disbelievers misunderstanding that God will treat them in the manner they choose for themselves, whereas they have no guarantee for this. Those who are being called upon to bow before God in the world and they refuse to do so, would be unable to prostrate themselves on the Day of Resurrection even if they wanted to do so, and thus would stand disgraced and condemned. Having denied the Qur’an they cannot escape Divine punishment. The rein they are being given, has deluded them. They think that since they are not being punished in spite of their denial, they must be on the right path, whereas they are following the path of ruin. They have no reasonable ground for opposing the Messenger, for he is a preacher without any vested interest: he is not asking any reward of them for himself, and they cannot either make the claim that they know with certainty that he is not a true Messenger, nor that what he says is false. In conclusion, the Prophet has been exhorted to bear with patience the hardships that you face in the way of preaching the Faith till God’s judgment arrives.
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
- Both Surah al-Qalam [68] and Surah al-Haqqah [69] have 52 Ayat.
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = 5* | ||
| # | Root Word | Frequency in Surah | Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | ر ب ب | 10 | 980 |
| 2. | ك و ن | 8 | 1390 |
| 3. | ق و ل | 7 | 1722 |
| 4. | ع ل م | 5 | 854 |
| 5. | أَم | 5 | 137 |
| 6. | ج ن ن | 4 | 201 |
| 7. | ب ص ر | 4 | 148 |
| 8. | إِلَىٰ | 4 | 742 |
| 9. | ن ع م | 3 | 140 |
| 10. | ط و ع | 3 | 129 |
| Root Word | Frequency in Surah |
Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|
| ر ب ب | 10 | 980 |
| ك و ن | 8 | 1390 |
| ق و ل | 7 | 1722 |
| ع ل م | 5 | 854 |
| أَم | 5 | 137 |
| ج ن ن | 4 | 201 |
| ب ص ر | 4 | 148 |
| إِلَىٰ | 4 | 742 |
| ن ع م | 3 | 140 |
| ط و ع | 3 | 129 |
This is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed at Makkah and its subject matter shows that it was sent down at the time when opposition to the Prophet had grown very harsh and oppressive.
- Allah declared Muhammad (pbuh) to be of the highest moral character.
- Allah Almighty swears by the pen, highlighting the importance of knowledge and writing. (68:1)
- Commandment of not yielding to any disbelieving oath monger, slanderer and wicked person.
- Example of the arrogant stingy owners of a garden who did not want to pay charity and as a result, their garden was destroyed.
- Allah is not going to treat the Muslims as He will treat the guilty.
- Those who do not believe in Allah's revelations are led step by step towards destruction.
- Three important themes of this Surah:
- Response to the opponents objections,
- Warning and admonition to the disbelievers, and
- Exhortation of patience to the Prophet (pbuh).
Tafsir Zone
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Overview (Verses 48 - 50) Now the Prophet is directed to remain patient in adversity. He should persevere in his efforts to deliver his message, and face all obstacles including people's twisted minds, the harm they cause him and their denial of the truth. He must remain patient facing all this adversity until God judges as He pleases at the time of His choice. The Prophet is here reminded of the experience of a brother of his who lived in former times. That prophet was impatient and felt fed up with all the opposition. Had he not been granted God's grace, he would have been left in a state of disgrace: The man in the whale was the Prophet Jonah, as mentioned in Sarah 37. God reminds the Prophet Muhammad, the last of all prophets, of Jonah's experience so that he can benefit by it. All prophets preceded Muhammad and he, the one charged with delivering God's final message to all mankind, should benefit from all their experiences. His task is not to address a particular tribe, town or nation, but to put God's message to all communities and all generations. His example should provide guidance for them all. Thus he should set a code of living that remains suitable for all mankind's needs, in all situations and all conditions, despite the fact that every day brings something new. The gist of Jonah's experience is that God sent him to the people of a town said to be Nineveh, near Mousil in today's Iraq. When they were slow in responding to his call, he was terribly upset. He left them in anger, thinking that God would not leave him to bear all the opposition those people presented. God would be kind to him and send him to others who would be less stubborn. In his distress, he went towards the coast where he took a boat. When they were far out at sea, the boat became shaky and seemed about to sink. It thus became necessary to throw someone overboard so as to reduce the load. They drew lots to choose that person. Jonah was the one, and they threw him overboard. Subsequently, a whale swallowed him. Finding himself in such terrible distress, in layers of darkness, inside the whale in the depths of the sea, Jonah appealed to God, saying: "There is no deity other than You! Limitless are You in Your glory! I have done wrong indeed." (21: 87) God bestowed His grace on him and the whale threw him out, leaving him skinless on the shore. His skin had melted inside the whale. God preserved his life by His will, which is unrestricted by any law that is familiar or unfamiliar to man. Here, in this surah, God says that had it not been for the grace He bestowed on him, Jonah would have been abandoned, disgraced by God because of his lack of patience. He had acted on his own initiative, without waiting for God's permission. He was though only spared by God's grace. God accepted Jonah's repentance just as he demonstrated what deserves acceptance. Hence, God chose him and made him one of His righteous servants. God reminds the Prophet Muhammad of Jonah's experience in the whale so as to reassure him at a time he was facing stubborn rejection. This reminder comes after He has told him to leave the battle to Him, to conduct as He determines in the way He wishes. 'What the Prophet is required to do, is to remain patient in adversity and to await God's judgement as and when it comes. The true hardship the advocates of the divine message face is that of remaining patient in adversity until God makes His judgement at the right time, as His wisdom dictates. Along the way they face many types of adversity such as accusations of lying, physical persecution, stubborn rejection, the apparent power of falsehood as it seems to be victorious, and the need to remain steadfast in the face of all this, reassured that God's promise will be fulfilled. They must not hesitate to travel along their charted way, no matter what hardship they have to face. This requires great effort, determination and patience, as well as support from God. As for the battle itself, God has determined its nature and willed to conduct it Himself. It is He who has decided to give the unbelievers time and to lead them step by step, for a purpose of His own. Thus did He promise His Messenger, and He fulfilled the promise in good time. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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Overview (Verses 48 - 50) Now the Prophet is directed to remain patient in adversity. He should persevere in his efforts to deliver his message, and face all obstacles including people's twisted minds, the harm they cause him and their denial of the truth. He must remain patient facing all this adversity until God judges as He pleases at the time of His choice. The Prophet is here reminded of the experience of a brother of his who lived in former times. That prophet was impatient and felt fed up with all the opposition. Had he not been granted God's grace, he would have been left in a state of disgrace: The man in the whale was the Prophet Jonah, as mentioned in Sarah 37. God reminds the Prophet Muhammad, the last of all prophets, of Jonah's experience so that he can benefit by it. All prophets preceded Muhammad and he, the one charged with delivering God's final message to all mankind, should benefit from all their experiences. His task is not to address a particular tribe, town or nation, but to put God's message to all communities and all generations. His example should provide guidance for them all. Thus he should set a code of living that remains suitable for all mankind's needs, in all situations and all conditions, despite the fact that every day brings something new. The gist of Jonah's experience is that God sent him to the people of a town said to be Nineveh, near Mousil in today's Iraq. When they were slow in responding to his call, he was terribly upset. He left them in anger, thinking that God would not leave him to bear all the opposition those people presented. God would be kind to him and send him to others who would be less stubborn. In his distress, he went towards the coast where he took a boat. When they were far out at sea, the boat became shaky and seemed about to sink. It thus became necessary to throw someone overboard so as to reduce the load. They drew lots to choose that person. Jonah was the one, and they threw him overboard. Subsequently, a whale swallowed him. Finding himself in such terrible distress, in layers of darkness, inside the whale in the depths of the sea, Jonah appealed to God, saying: "There is no deity other than You! Limitless are You in Your glory! I have done wrong indeed." (21: 87) God bestowed His grace on him and the whale threw him out, leaving him skinless on the shore. His skin had melted inside the whale. God preserved his life by His will, which is unrestricted by any law that is familiar or unfamiliar to man. Here, in this surah, God says that had it not been for the grace He bestowed on him, Jonah would have been abandoned, disgraced by God because of his lack of patience. He had acted on his own initiative, without waiting for God's permission. He was though only spared by God's grace. God accepted Jonah's repentance just as he demonstrated what deserves acceptance. Hence, God chose him and made him one of His righteous servants. God reminds the Prophet Muhammad of Jonah's experience in the whale so as to reassure him at a time he was facing stubborn rejection. This reminder comes after He has told him to leave the battle to Him, to conduct as He determines in the way He wishes. 'What the Prophet is required to do, is to remain patient in adversity and to await God's judgement as and when it comes. The true hardship the advocates of the divine message face is that of remaining patient in adversity until God makes His judgement at the right time, as His wisdom dictates. Along the way they face many types of adversity such as accusations of lying, physical persecution, stubborn rejection, the apparent power of falsehood as it seems to be victorious, and the need to remain steadfast in the face of all this, reassured that God's promise will be fulfilled. They must not hesitate to travel along their charted way, no matter what hardship they have to face. This requires great effort, determination and patience, as well as support from God. As for the battle itself, God has determined its nature and willed to conduct it Himself. It is He who has decided to give the unbelievers time and to lead them step by step, for a purpose of His own. Thus did He promise His Messenger, and He fulfilled the promise in good time. |
- 068 - Al-Qalam - Saad Alghamdi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5AipeB_7jc
- 068 - Al-Qalam Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO-B6vk8hKE&index=68&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM
- 068 - Al-Qalam Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjIQOxkUDYI&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe&index=68
- Idris Akbar Surah Qalam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-HyswsZURs
- 068 - Al-Qalam Muhammad MInshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMUVDeTrN7c&index=68&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPGhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMUVDeTrN7c&index=68&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG
