68.

Sura Qalam (or The Pen)

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The general opinion is that a great part of this Sura was second in order
of revelation, the first being Sura Iqra (No.96) verses 1-5. In every period of
history of mankind, it is the habit of the people to call Truth as Falsehood and
Wisdom as Madness. The Holy Prophet, Muhammad (SA) was the sanest and
wisest of men. But those who were unable to understand his preaching called
him possessed or mad. This is the last Quranic Sura which defines the true
Reality in contrast with the false standards set up by men.

Allah solemnly commences the Sura with a oath by the mystic Pen and
mystic Record – symbolical foundations of the Revelation. Allah then testifies
to the fact that the Prophet (SA) was neither insane nor possessed. He has a
sublime character and unfailing recompense awaits him. The Meccan infidels
shall soon see which of them were really insane. Your Lord knows best those
who stray from his path, and those who are rightly guided.

Give no heed to the disbelievers. They wish you slacken in your

mission, so that they would be slacken. The Prophet was advised not to yield
to a profane swearer who took oaths to try to substantiate his false statements.
Such a person was a habitual slanderer, the opponent of good, the wicked
transgressor, the bully who is besides this of doubtful birth. Though he had
wealth and children, but when Qur-anic verses were recited to him he called
these as fables of the ancients. Hell waits for him, and to make him prominent
for his infany he shall be branded on his nose.

The Sura further says that Allah has tests them (the Meccan) as he
tested the owners of the orchard who had sworn that they would pluck its fruit
next morning without adding any reservations (such as: if it be Allah’s will). A
visitant from Allah came down upon it while they slept, and in the morning it
was as black as midnight.

At daybreak they called out to one another, to hurry to the orchards to

pick the fruits before any destitute person comes for alms. However, what they
saw were the ruins of their gardens. Then they realized that they were wrong
and glorified their Lord and hoped that Allah would, in His grace, give them
better garden in lieu of the one that was destroyed. Finally Allah wound up the
simile and warned that such was the punishment for those who transgress. But
the punishment of the life to come is more terrible.

Surely, for the pious are the gardens of bliss with their Lord. The
righteous believers and the sinners can not be treated alike. How do the
infidels assume that they too would be in the Paradise? Is it written in any
scripture? On the Day of Judgement Allah will manifest Himself partly. The
mankind shall be asked to prostrate, but the disbelievers would not be able to
do it (due to stiff backs). Their eyes shall be downcast, disgrace shall
overwhelm them. This development is explained by Allah as being due to the
fact that in their life when the infidels were physically fit and sound, they had
refused to prostrate to Allah. Hence they will reap what they had sown. Allah
is never unjust to any person.

Allah then advised the Prophet to leave the disbelievers to Him, and
He would soon settle scores with them. Allah would draw them in slowly and
imperceptivibly in a manner which they would not detect. It would be in the
form of respite followed by a sudden swoop (as in the case of earlier
generations). His plan is truly powerful.

Are you (The Prophet) demanding pay from them, so that they are
burdened with debt? Or have they knowledge of what is hidden and can write
it down? Wait then (The Prophet), for the judgement of your Lord and do not
act like him (Prophet Yunis) who was swallowed by the wale when he called
out to Allah in despair. Had His Lord not bestowed on him His grace, he
would have been cast down in the open to be blamed. But his Lord chose him
and made him a righteous man.

Allah then consoled the Prophet by saying that He would realize that
the detractors by their insinuations against him and against the Qur-an when it
was recited to them, were likely to upset him by their devouring glances and
wild utterances, particularly when they denounced him as a mad man and the
Qur-an as a precut of his madness, arbitrary, fables of the ancient. Actually the
Qur-an was revealed as admonition to the entire world.