Tafseer of The Pen · Al-Qalam · 68:1
Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe,
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the words of the Exalted: ن وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ (1) ("Nūn. By the pen and by what they write down (1)").
The people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) differed over the explanation of His words ( ن ). Some of them said: it is the Fish (al-Ḥūt) upon which the layers of the earth rest.
Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Ibn Abī ʿAdī related to us, on the authority of Shuʿba, on the authority of Sulaymān, on the authority of Abū Ẓabyān, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: The first thing Allah created of anything was the pen (al-qalam). Then it flowed forth with all that would be. Thereafter the water vapor was raised up, and from it the heavens were created. Then He created the Nūn, and the earth was spread out upon the back of the Nūn. Then the earth moved and shook, so it was fixed firm with the mountains — indeed, the mountains pride themselves over the earth. He said: And he recited: ( ن وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ).
Tamīm ibn al-Muntaṣir related to us, saying: Isḥāq related to us, on the authority of Sharīk, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū Ẓabyān, or Mujāhid, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, in similar fashion, except that he said: "and from it the heavens were split open".
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Yaḥyā related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, saying: Sulaymān related to me, on the authority of Abū Ẓabyān, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: The first thing Allah created was the pen. He said: "Write." It said: "What shall I write?" He said: "Write the decree (al-qadar)." He said: Then it flowed forth with all that would happen, from that day until the rising of the Hour. Thereafter He created the Nūn, and raised up the water vapor; from it the heaven was split open and the earth was spread out upon the back of the Nūn. Then the Nūn stirred, and the earth shook, so it was fixed firm with the mountains — indeed, they pride themselves over the earth.
Wāṣil ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Fuḍayl related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū Ẓabyān, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: "The first thing Allah created of anything was the pen. He said to it: 'Write.' It said: 'And what shall I write?' He said: 'Write the decree.' He said: Then the pen flowed forth with all that would be of that, until the rising of the Hour. Thereafter the water vapor was raised up, and from it the heavens were split open. Then He created the Nūn, and the earth was rolled out upon its back. Then the Nūn stirred, and the earth shook, so it was fixed firm with the mountains — indeed, they pride themselves over the earth."
Wāṣil ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Abū Ẓabyān, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, in similar fashion.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, that Ibrāhīm ibn Abī Bakr informed him on the authority of Mujāhid, who said: It used to be said: the Nūn is the Fish that is beneath the seventh earth.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, saying: Maʿmar said: al-Aʿmash related to us, that Ibn ʿAbbās said: Indeed, the first thing that was created was the pen — then he mentioned something similar to the narration of Wāṣil on the authority of Ibn Fuḍayl, and he added: thereafter Ibn ʿAbbās recited: ( ن وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ).
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā Muslim ibn Ṣubayḥ, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: Indeed, the first thing my Lord created was the pen. He said to it: "Write", and it wrote what would be until the rising of the Hour. Thereafter He created the Nūn above the water, and then He pressed the earth down upon it.
And others said: ( ن ) is a letter of the letters of al-Raḥmān (the Most Merciful).
* Mention of who said that:
ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad al-Marwazī related to us, saying: ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Yazīd, on the authority of ʿIkrima, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: الر and حم and ( ن ) are the letters of al-Raḥmān, written separately from one another.
Muḥammad ibn Maʿmar related to me, saying: ʿAbbās ibn Ziyād al-Bāhilī related to us, saying: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of Abū Bishr, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His words: الر and حم and ( ن ) — he said: it is a name, written in separate letters.
And others said: ( ن ) is the inkwell, and the pen is the pen.
* Mention of who said that:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Yaʿqūb related to us, saying: my brother ʿĪsā ibn ʿAbd Allāh related to us, on the authority of Thābit al-Bunānī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: Indeed, Allah created the Nūn, and that is the inkwell, and He created the pen. He said: "Write." It said: "What shall I write?" He said: "Write what shall be until the Day of Resurrection, of work performed — good or evil — or of provision allotted, permitted or forbidden." Thereafter He linked to each of these its own destiny: its entry into this world, how long its stay therein would last, and in what manner it would depart from it. Then He appointed over the servants guardians, and over the Book treasurers. The guardians copy out each day the work of that day. So when the provision is used up, the track is cut off, and the term has expired, the guardians come to the treasurers and ask for the work of that day, whereupon the treasurers say to them: "We find with us nothing more for your charge." Then the guardians return and find them already dead. He said: Then Ibn ʿAbbās said: Are you not an Arab people who hear how the guardians say: إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسْتَنْسِخُ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ("Indeed, We used to have copied out what you used to do")? And can there be copying except from an original?
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of al-Ḥasan and Qatāda, concerning His words: ( ن ) — he said: it is the inkwell.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: al-Ḥakam ibn Bashīr related to us, saying: ʿAmr related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, who said: the Nūn is the inkwell.
And others said: ( ن ) is a tablet of light.
* Mention of who said that:
al-Ḥasan ibn Shabīb al-Muktib related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Ziyād al-Jazarī related to us, on the authority of Furāt ibn Abī al-Furāt, on the authority of Muʿāwiya ibn Qurra, on the authority of his father, who said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "( ن وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ) is a tablet of light that flows forth with all that shall be until the Day of Resurrection."
And others said: ( ن ) is an oath by which Allah swore.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His words: ( ن وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ) — Allah swears by what He wills.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said, concerning the words of Allah: ( ن وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ) — he said: this is an oath by which Allah swore.
And others said: it is a name of the names of the sūra.
And others said: it is a letter of the letters of the alphabet. We have already mentioned the discussion concerning what is akin to this of the disconnected letters with which the openings of the sūras begin, and the discussion concerning His words here is in accordance with the discussion concerning that.
And the reciters differed over the recitation of ( ن ). The majority of the reciters of Kūfa, with the exception of al-Kisāʾī, and the majority of the reciters of Basra, pronounced the nūn in it and in يس clearly, because it is an alphabet letter, and the alphabet is founded upon pausing at it, even if it is joined. Al-Kisāʾī, however, assimilated the final nūn of both and concealed it, on account of the joining.
And the correct ruling concerning this, according to us, is that they are two eloquent recitations: with whichever of the two the reciter recites, he hits the correct — except that pronouncing the nūn clearly is more eloquent and better known, and for that reason it is more to my preference. As for the pen: that is the well-known pen, except that the one by which our Lord swears among the pens is the pen that Allah, whose mention is exalted, created and which He commanded, whereupon it flowed forth with the writing down of all that shall be until the Day of Resurrection.
Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-Anmāṭī related to me, saying: ʿAbbād ibn al-ʿAwwām related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Wāḥid ibn Sulaym related to us, saying: I heard ʿAṭāʾ say: I asked al-Walīd ibn ʿUbāda ibn al-Ṣāmit: What was the testament of your father when death encompassed him? He said: He called me and said: O my little son, fear Allah and know that you cannot truly fear Allah and cannot attain knowledge until you believe in Allah alone and in the decree (al-qadar), the good of it and the evil of it. Indeed, I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say: "Indeed, the first thing Allah created was the pen which He created. He said to it: 'Write.' It said: 'O Lord, and what shall I write?' He said: 'Write the decree.' He said: Then the pen flowed forth at that moment with all that has been and that shall be unto eternity."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Ṭūsī related to me, saying: ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Shaqīq related to us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Mubārak informed us, saying: Rabāḥ ibn Zayd informed us, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Ḥabīb, on the authority of al-Qāsim ibn Abī Bazza, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, that he used to relate that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "The first thing Allah created was the pen, and He commanded it, and it wrote down all things."
Mūsā ibn Sahl al-Ramlī related to us, saying: Nuʿaym ibn Ḥammād related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak related to us with his isnād, on the authority of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in similar fashion.
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Abū Hāshim, on the authority of Mujāhid, who said: I said to Ibn ʿAbbās: Indeed, some people deny the decree. He said: Indeed, they deny the Book of Allah; I would surely seize one of them by his hair, so that it would not be cut off [from him]. Indeed, Allah was upon His Throne before He created anything, and the first thing Allah created was the pen, which flowed forth with all that shall be until the Day of Resurrection. People only act according to a matter that has already been completed.
Ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Ṣamad related to us, saying: Shuʿba related to us, saying: Abū Hāshim related to us, that he heard Mujāhid say: I heard ʿAbd Allāh — we do not know whether it was Ibn ʿUmar or Ibn ʿAbbās — say: Indeed, the first thing Allah created was the pen, and the pen flowed forth with all that shall be; and people today only perform work in that which has already been completed.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Muʿāwiya ibn Ṣāliḥ related to me; and ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ādam related to me, saying: my father related to us, saying: al-Layth ibn Saʿd related to us, on the authority of Muʿāwiya ibn Ṣāliḥ, on the authority of Ayyūb ibn Ziyād, who said: ʿAbbād ibn al-Walīd ibn ʿUbāda ibn al-Ṣāmit related to me, saying: my father informed me, saying: my father ʿUbāda ibn al-Ṣāmit said: O my little son, I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say: "Indeed, the first thing Allah created was the pen. He said to it: 'Write', and it flowed forth at that moment with all that shall be until the Day of Resurrection."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His words: ( ن وَالْقَلَمِ ) — he said: that with which the Remembrance (al-dhikr) was written.
al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, who informed him on the authority of Ibrāhīm ibn Abī Bakr, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His words: ( ن وَالْقَلَمِ ) — he said: that with which the Remembrance was written.
And His words: ( وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ) — he says: and that which they pen down and write. And when the interpretation is directed in this direction, then the oath is by the creation and their deeds. And it is possible that the words have another meaning, namely that the meaning of it is: "and their writing down of what they write down", so that "mā" has the meaning of the verbal noun. And when the interpretation is directed in this direction, then the oath is by the Book, as though it were said: "Nūn, by the pen and the Book."
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the people of interpretation also spoke.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning ( وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ) — he said: and what they pen down.
ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His words: ( وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ) — he says: they write.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His words: ( وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ) — he said: and what they write.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning ( وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ) — "and what they write". One says of this: "saṭara fulānun al-kitāba fa-huwa yasṭur saṭran" — when he writes it; and from that comes the verse of Ruʾba ibn al-ʿAjjāj:
"Indeed I — and by lines written down in a row —" (1)
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Footnotes:
(1) The verse is in the dīwān of Ruʾba ibn al-ʿAjjāj the rajaz-poet (his dīwān, Leipzig edition, p. 174). It is among the evidentiary citations of Abū ʿUbayda in Majāz al-Qurʾān concerning the words of the Exalted: ( وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ ); he said: "and what they write", Ruʾba said: "Indeed I and lines..." — the verse. And al-asṭār is the plural of saṭr, and that is the row of palm trees or of joined script letters.
