Sūrah Al-Qalam The Pen
القلم
52 verses, Makkī. One of the earliest revelations. By the pen and what they write you are not, by the grace of your Lord, a madman. The people of the garden who planned to harvest without saying "If Allah wills" their garden was destroyed overnight. Be patient like Dhū al-Nūn Yūnus ﷺ who called in the darkness of the whale's belly.
Surah Overview
Key Themes from Ibn Kathīr
The earliest defense of the Prophet's character (68:2–4): "You are not, by the favour of your Lord, a madman and indeed you will have a reward uninterrupted and indeed you are of a great character." Ibn Kathīr: the first direct personal praise of the Prophet ﷺ in revelation refuting the Quraysh's accusation of madness. ʿĀʾishah was asked about his character and said: "His character was the Qurʾān."
The people of the garden (68:17–29): Owners of a garden in Yemen inherited it from a righteous father who gave freely to the poor. They plotted to harvest early in the morning before the poor could come to ask for their share. They woke early but found the garden devastated and black as if scorched. They realised their error: "We did transgress maybe our Lord will give us better than it in exchange we turn to our Lord." Ibn Kathīr: the parable of gratitude the father's practice of giving was the reason for the garden's blessing. When his sons planned to cut the poor out, Allah cut the blessing out.
- The honour of the pen (68:1): Allah swears by the pen and by what is written. Ibn Kathīr: the first divine oath involving an instrument of human knowledge writing, record-keeping, and scholarship are honoured as means of preserving truth. The Qurʾān began with "Read" (Iqraʾ) and this early surah swears by the pen the tools of learning are sacred.
- Do not obey every contemptible oath-maker (68:10–13): "And do not obey every worthless habitual oath-taker, scorner going about with malicious gossip preventer of good, transgressor, sinful, cruel and in addition to that, of illegitimate birth." Ibn Kathīr: the ten-trait description of the type of person whose advice must not be followed the slanderer, the miser with goodness, and the aggressive criminal.
- The day of the shin (68:42): "The Day the shin will be uncovered and they will be called to prostrate but will not be able to their eyes humbled, humiliation covering them." Ibn Kathīr cites the ḥadīth: on the Day of Judgement, Allah will reveal His shin as a sign the believers will prostrate, but the hypocrites' backs will be stiff, unable to prostrate despite their worldly prostrations.
- Those near favour (68:32–33): After the destroyed garden, the surah says: "Such is the punishment in this world but the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if only they knew. Indeed for the righteous with their Lord are the Gardens of Pleasure." Ibn Kathīr: even worldly punishment is a warning before the greater accounting.
- Shayṭān's plot (68:51): "Indeed those who disbelieved almost make you slip with their glares when they hear the reminder and they say: Indeed he is mad." Ibn Kathīr: the evil eye (al-ʿayn) referenced the Prophet ﷺ was protected from their glares and Allah confirms his sanity against their accusations.