68: The Pen (Al-Qalam)

Nūn, with which this verse begins, while being a letter of the Arabic alphabet, is also a word meaning inkstand. The context, which mentions pen and writing, favours this interpretation. It is not an abbreviation such as those occurring at the commencement of chapters 2, 3 etc. The Quran, in the earliest abbreviation used in it, gives us a clue to the significance of the abbreviations occurring in it by using nūn, which is also a word. The verse also has a wider significance, indicating that the Quran will always continue to occupy a unique position among all the books which are ever written. This unique position consists in its completeness and exhaustive dealing with all the truths about religion. See also 25:33 footnote.

The first allegation of the disbelievers against the Holy Prophet was that he was mad. This allegation is dealt with in this chapter. The first answer to it is contained in verses 1–2. In v. 1, attention is really called to the fact that the Prophet’s prophecies about his own future and the fate of the opponents, which were already put down in writing, would prove that the Prophet was not mad, for the ravings of a madman could not bear fruit. It should be noted that the Quran again and again challenges its opponents to write down their prophecies about the Holy Prophet, thus showing that its own were actually written down from the first, as this chapter is one of the earliest revelations. See also v. 47 and 52:41.

The Prophet is further told that his exertions will be followed by a reward which will never be cut off, i.e., he will be successful in establishing a religion whose blessings will continue forever, while a madman’s actions cannot bear any fruit. Thus there is not only a clear prophecy here of the final triumph of the Prophet over his enemies, but there is also a prophecy that what is stated in the Quran rests on such a firm foundation that it will never prove untrue.

The Prophet’s possession of the most sublime morals is a further proof that he cannot be a madman. He had already won from his contemporaries the recognition of his sublime morality, who had given him the title of al-Amīn, the faithful one. By calling him al-Amīn, the people expressed their high appreciation of his sublime morality, as if he were the one, and only one, as indicated by prefixing al, who could be trusted in all matters. His moral greatness was thus testified to by Aishah, than whom none was more intimate with the Prophet, who said: His morals are the Quran; meaning that all the pictures of sublime morality depicted by the Quran are really a glimpse of the moral greatness of the Prophet.

The first desire of the Quraish was no doubt, owing to their great respect for the Holy Prophet, that he should not condemn their evil deeds in strong language, and thus they too would not be severe in opposition to him.

The description applies to all leaders of opposition to Truth. As against the sublime morals of the Inviter to Truth, verses 10–13 describe the low state of morality of those who do not care for the moral values of life.

Branding on the snout is equivalent to bringing a man to disgrace which sticks to him.

This parable sets forth the ultimate fate of the opponents. It is one of the earliest prophecies, and it foretells the failure of opposition and shows also that the Prophet’s heart was full of sympathy for the poor from the very first.

It shows that while the Quran threatened the opponents with punishment, it foretold at the same time that they would accept the Truth ultimately. This happened about twenty years afterwards. All their exertions came to naught and their power in the land was frustrated, but they then saw their error, came over to Islam, and were made the rulers of vast kingdoms. Thus their Lord gave them instead one better, because they made their petition to Him.

The separate mention of the punishment of the Hereafter is clear evidence that the punishment spoken of in the previous verses, referred to at the beginning of this verse, was a punishment which was to overtake them in this life, and thus to afford a proof of the truth of the chastisement of the Hereafter.

Writing is always mentioned in connection with the knowledge of the unseen, because it is writing alone that makes the truth of a prophecy sure. This is proof that the Quran itself, containing numerous prophecies, was written from the first, otherwise a challenge to the opponents in these early revelations to write down the knowledge of the future which they had through their diviners would be meaningless.

The Prophet Jonah is here called the Companion of the fish because of the incident mentioned in 37:142.

The chapter ends with the same allegation by the disbelievers as the one with which it opened. The last verse, and it is nothing but a Reminder for the nations, sums up the arguments against that allegation. Note that even as early as this revelation, the Prophet’s message is declared to be meant for all nations.