Surah Al-Qalam for Kids

Surah Al-Qalam full text with English translation

Uthmani Arabic text with the Sahih International English translation under each ayah.

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1. 1

   نٓ ۚ وَٱلْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ

   Nūn. By the pen and what they inscribe,

2. 2

   مَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍۢ

   You are not, [O Muḥammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.

3. 3

   وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍۢ

   And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.

4. 4

   وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍۢ

   And indeed, you are of a great moral character.

5. 5

   فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ

   So you will see and they will see.

6. 6

   بِأَييِّكُمُ ٱلْمَفْتُونُ

   Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil].

7. 7

   إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ

   Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.

8. 8

   فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

   Then do not obey the deniers.

9. 9

   وَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ

   They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].

10. 10

    وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍۢ مَّهِينٍ

    And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer

11. 11

    هَمَّازٍۢ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍۢ

    [And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip -

12. 12

    مَّنَّاعٍۢ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ

    A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,

13. 13

    عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ

    Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.

14. 14

    أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍۢ وَبَنِينَ

    Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,

15. 15

    إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

    When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."

16. 16

    سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ

    We will brand him upon the snout.

17. 17

    إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ

    Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning

18. 18

    وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ

    Without making exception.

19. 19

    فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ

    So there came upon it [i.e., the garden] an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep.

20. 20

    فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ

    And it became as though reaped.

21. 21

    فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ

    And they called one another at morning,

22. 22

    أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰرِمِينَ

    [Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit."

23. 23

    فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ

    So they set out, while lowering their voices,

24. 24

    أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌۭ

    [Saying], "There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person."

25. 25

    وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍۢ قَـٰدِرِينَ

    And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able.

26. 26

    فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ

    But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost;

27. 27

    بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ

    Rather, we have been deprived."

28. 28

    قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ

    The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not exalt [Allāh]?'"

29. 29

    قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ

    They said, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."

30. 30

    فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ يَتَلَـٰوَمُونَ

    Then they approached one another, blaming each other.

31. 31

    قَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَـٰغِينَ

    They said, "O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors.

32. 32

    عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًۭا مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ

    Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous."

33. 33

    كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ

    Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.

34. 34

    إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

    Indeed, for the righteous with their Lord are the Gardens of Pleasure.

35. 35

    أَفَنَجْعَلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ كَٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ

    Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?

36. 36

    مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ

    What is [the matter] with you? How do you judge?

37. 37

    أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَـٰبٌۭ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ

    Or do you have a scripture in which you learn

38. 38

    إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ

    That indeed for you is whatever you choose?

39. 39

    أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَـٰنٌ عَلَيْنَا بَـٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ

    Or do you have oaths [binding] upon Us, extending until the Day of Resurrection, that indeed for you is whatever you judge?

40. 40

    سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ

    Ask them which of them, for that [claim], is responsible.

41. 41

    أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ صَـٰدِقِينَ

    Or do they have partners? Then let them bring their partners, if they should be truthful.

42. 42

    يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍۢ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ

    The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but they [i.e., the disbelievers] will not be able,

43. 43

    خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌۭ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَـٰلِمُونَ

    Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.

44. 44

    فَذَرْنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

    So leave Me, [O Muḥammad], with [the matter of] whoever denies this statement [i.e., the Qur’ān]. We will progressively lead them [to punishment] from where they do not know.

45. 45

    وَأُمْلِى لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِى مَتِينٌ

    And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm.

46. 46

    أَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ أَجْرًۭا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍۢ مُّثْقَلُونَ

    Or do you ask of them a payment, so they are by debt burdened down?

47. 47

    أَمْ عِندَهُمُ ٱلْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ

    Or have they [knowledge of] the unseen, so they write [it] down?

48. 48

    فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌۭ

    Then be patient for the decision of your Lord, [O Muḥammad], and be not like the companion of the fish [i.e., Jonah] when he called out while he was distressed.

49. 49

    لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌۭ

    If not that a favor [i.e., mercy] from his Lord overtook him, he would have been thrown onto the naked shore while he was censured.

50. 50

    فَٱجْتَبَـٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ

    And his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.

51. 51

    وَإِن يَكَادُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُۥ لَمَجْنُونٌۭ

    And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes [i.e., looks] when they hear the message, and they say, "Indeed, he is mad."

52. 52

    وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌۭ لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

    But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.

Surah Al-Qalam word by word

Every word of the surah with its pronunciation and English meaning, in reading order.

How to memorize Surah Al-Qalam

1. Listen: press “Start learning” and listen to Mishary Alafasy recite Surah Al-Qalam three times while following the Arabic text.
2. Practice each ayah: in Practice mode every ayah repeats ×3, ×5 or ×7 with an echo pause, so your child says it back out loud.
3. Learn it in parts: with 52 ayat, split it into 11 parts of 5 ayat and only move on when the current part is solid.
4. Memorize levels: each level hides more words until your child can recite the whole surah from memory.
5. Puzzles: put the words of each ayah back in order to check the memorization, then review it tomorrow before starting the next surah.

Surah Al-Qalam facts

Surah number

68

Ayat

52

Revelation

Makki (Makkah)

Juz

29

In the Mushaf

Pages 564–566

Position in Noor Garden path

48 of 49

Reciter

Mishary Rashid Alafasy

Keep learning

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• Hadith for kids