الْقَلَم

As the morning broke, they called out, one to another,-

"Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."

So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying)-

"Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."

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

But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:

"Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"

Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, ´Why not glorify (Allah)?´"

They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"

Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.

They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!

"It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"

Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter,- if only they knew!

Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.

Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?

What is the matter with you? How judge ye?

Or have ye a book through which ye learn-

That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?

Or have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?

Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!