Suwar Quran

Surah Al-Qalam explained for children, in pictures

Say in sha Allah, share your good with those in need, and hold on to good character

52 verses · 11 lessons · Juz Tabarak

Meaning from Tafsir Al-Muyassar, simplified for children. Reviewed by Sherif Alkady, 21 October 2026.

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The lessons

  1. Paper-cut picture from Surah Al-Qalam: a reed pen resting beside a small clay inkpot on a wooden desk by a sunny window, a plain blank sheet of paper
    1 · Verses 1–4

    Nun, by the pen

    (Nun) is one of the separate letters; we read it as it is. Allah swears by the pen and by the good and the knowledge people write: O Muhammad, peace be upon him, by your Lord's favour you are not mad; you have a reward that never ends, and you have a great character.

  2. Paper-cut picture from Surah Al-Qalam: a big firm rock standing still in the middle of a rushing clear stream, water flowing around it on both sides, green banks
    2 · Verses 5–9

    Do not obey the deniers

    You will see and they will see which of you is the one led astray. Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His way and who is rightly guided. So do not obey the deniers; they wish you would soften in your religion so that they would soften towards you.

  3. Paper-cut picture from Surah Al-Qalam: a single wilted flower on a dusty path surrounded by sharp tangled thorny bushes, grey sky
    3 · Verses 10–16

    A slanderer spreading gossip

    And do not obey any man who swears a lot, a worthless liar, who mocks people and carries tales between them to cause trouble, who holds back good, an aggressive sinner, cruel and base. He grew proud because he had wealth and sons; when Our verses are recited to him he says: tales of the ancients. We will brand him on the nose.

  4. Paper-cut picture from Surah Al-Qalam: a garden of blackened burnt fruit trees and dark ashes at grey dawn, a low stone wall around it
    4 · Verses 17–20

    The owners of the garden

    We tested the people of Makkah as We tested the owners of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit early in the morning so the poor would get none, and they did not say: if Allah wills. So Allah burned it in the night while they slept, and it became black.

  5. Paper-cut picture from Surah Al-Qalam: a closed wooden orchard gate with a heavy iron lock at early dawn, a narrow path leading to it, mist over the trees behind the wall
    5 · Verses 21–25

    No poor man today

    In the morning they called to one another: go early to your crop. So they set off whispering: no poor person will enter your garden today. They went out early, sure they were able to do it.

  6. Paper-cut picture from Surah Al-Qalam: a burnt orchard at sunrise with one small fresh green sprout pushing up from the dark ashes, warm light on it
    6 · Verses 26–33

    Glory be to our Lord

    When they saw it they said: we are lost! No, we have been deprived. The fairest of them said: did I not tell you, why do you not glorify Allah? They said: glory be to our Lord, we were wrongdoers; perhaps our Lord will give us something better; we turn to our Lord in hope.

  7. Paper-cut picture from Surah Al-Qalam: a blooming garden with fruit trees and clear streams flowing between flower beds, soft golden light
    7 · Verses 34–41

    Gardens of delight

    For the righteous there are gardens of delight with their Lord. Shall We treat the Muslims like the criminals? What is wrong with you, how do you judge? Do you have a book that gives you whatever you choose? Or promises binding on Us? Or partners? Let them bring them, if they are truthful.

  8. Paper-cut picture from Surah Al-Qalam: a quiet mosque courtyard at dawn with neat rows of empty prayer rugs on the floor, soft first light
    8 · Verses 42–43

    Called to prostrate

    On the Day of Resurrection matters become hard, and Allah uncovers His shin in a way that befits His majesty; the believers prostrate to Him, while the disbelievers are called to prostrate and cannot, eyes lowered; they used to be called to prayer while healthy and refused.

  9. Paper-cut picture from Surah Al-Qalam: a tall candle burning slowly on a stone ledge in the evening, its wax running down, a dark window behind it
    9 · Verses 44–47

    I give them time

    So leave Me with those who deny this Quran. We will lead them step by step from where they do not know, and I give them time; My plan is firm. Or do you ask them for a payment, so they are weighed down by debt? Or do they have the unseen, so they write it down?

  10. Paper-cut picture from Surah Al-Qalam: a great gentle whale swimming in a deep calm blue sea, a quiet sandy shore with a leafy gourd plant in the distance, soft light
    10 · Verses 48–50

    The companion of the whale

    Be patient with your Lord's decision, and do not be like the companion of the whale, Jonah, peace be upon him, when he called out to his Lord full of distress. Had a favour from his Lord not reached him, he would have been cast on the bare shore, blamed. But his Lord chose him and made him one of the righteous.

  11. Paper-cut picture from Surah Al-Qalam: a lantern glowing on a windowsill at dawn, the window open to a calm sea and the sun rising over it
    11 · Verses 51–52

    A reminder for all

    When the disbelievers hear the Quran, they almost strike you down with their looks out of hatred, and they say: he is mad. But the Quran is nothing but a reminder for all the worlds, humans and jinn.

Surah Al-Qalam at a glance

Surah Al-Qalam is a Makki surah with 52 verses; it is number 68 in the mushaf, in juz 29 (Juz Tabarak), and starts on page 564.

Order in the mushaf
68
Number of verses
52 verses
Makki or Madani
Makki (revealed in Makkah)
Juz
29 (Juz Tabarak)
Starts on page
564
What its name means
Al-Qalam is the Pen we write with: the surah opens by swearing by it, and it is also called Surah Nun after its first letter.

Classification, verse count and page numbers follow the Madinah Mushaf (Hafs from Asim, Kufi count).

Word meanings in Surah Al-Qalam for kids

Meanings from Tafsir Al-Muyassar, in simple words.

يَسْطُرُونَ
what they write (Verse 1)
غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍۢ
never reduced, never cut off (Verse 3)
خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍۢ
a great and noble character, as the Quran teaches (Verse 4)
تُدْهِنُ
go soft on them and give in to some of their wrong (Verse 9)
حَلَّافٍۢ
one who swears often (Verse 10)
مَّهِينٍ
contemptible (Verse 10)
هَمَّازٍۢ
one who mocks and backbites people (Verse 11)
مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِيمٍۢ
one who carries tales to make trouble between people (Verse 11)
مَّنَّاعٍۢ لِّلْخَيْرِ
one who blocks every good (Verse 12)
أَثِيمٍ
full of sins (Verse 12)
أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
tales of the ancients (Verse 15)
ٱلْخُرْطُومِ
the nose (Verse 16)
لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا
they would surely pick its fruit (Verse 17)
مُصْبِحِينَ
early in the morning (Verse 17)
يَسْتَثْنُونَ
say: if Allah wills (Verse 18)
طَآئِفٌۭ
a fire that burned it at night (Verse 19)
كَٱلصَّرِيمِ
burnt black like a dark night (Verse 20)
ٱغْدُوا۟
go out early (Verse 22)
حَرْثِكُمْ
your crops (Verse 22)
يَتَخَٰفَتُونَ
whispering to one another (Verse 23)
حَرْدٍۢ
their bad plan to keep the poor away (Verse 25)
أَوْسَطُهُمْ
the most just of them (Verse 28)
تُسَبِّحُونَ
say: if Allah wills (Verse 28)
يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ
blaming one another (Verse 30)
طَٰغِينَ
going beyond the limit (Verse 31)
رَٰغِبُونَ
hoping for forgiveness and good (Verse 32)
زَعِيمٌ
guarantor (Verse 40)
خَٰشِعَةً
lowered, unable to look up (Verse 43)
تَرْهَقُهُمْ
covers them (Verse 43)
سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم
We will lead them on step by step, without them noticing (Verse 44)
وَأُمْلِى
and I give them more time (Verse 45)
مَتِينٌ
firm and strong (Verse 45)
مَّغْرَمٍۢ
a cost to pay (Verse 46)
مُّثْقَلُونَ
weighed down (Verse 46)
كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ
Yunus, peace be upon him (Verse 48)
مَكْظُومٌۭ
full of distress (Verse 48)
تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ
reached him (Verse 49)
بِٱلْعَرَآءِ
the open, empty land (Verse 49)
فَٱجْتَبَٰهُ
so He chose him (Verse 50)
لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ
to strike you with their evil eye (Verse 51)
ذِكْرٌۭ
a reminder (Verse 52)

Check your understanding of Surah Al-Qalam: questions for kids

Read the question, think, then tap the answer you choose.

  1. 1. What does Allah swear by at the start of the surah?

  2. 2. How did Allah describe the Prophet's character ﷺ?

  3. 3. What did the owners of the garden plan to do?

  4. 4. What did the garden owners forget to say?

  5. 5. What happened to the garden at night?

  6. 6. What did the garden owners say after they regretted it?

  7. 7. Who is the companion of the whale?

Questions parents ask

What is a simple explanation of Surah Al-Qalam for children?

Allah swears by the pen and by the good and the knowledge people write that the Prophet, peace be upon him, is not mad as the deniers said, and that he has a great character. Then it tells the story of the owners of the garden who wanted to keep the poor from its fruit, and tells the Prophet to be patient and not be like the companion of the whale, Jonah, peace be upon him.

What is the story of the owners of the garden?

The owners of the garden swore to cut its fruit early in the morning so the poor would get none, and they did not say: if Allah wills. So Allah burned it in the night while they slept, and it became black. When they saw it they regretted it and said: glory be to our Lord, we were wrongdoers; perhaps our Lord will give us something better.

What is the lesson of Surah Al-Qalam?

To say in sha Allah, to share our good with those in need, and to hold on to good character, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, did.

Why is Surah Al-Qalam called by this name?

Al-Qalam is the Pen we write with: the surah opens by swearing by it, and it is also called Surah Nun after its first letter.

What are the main facts about Surah Al-Qalam?

Surah Al-Qalam is a Makki surah with 52 verses; it is number 68 in the mushaf, in juz 29 (Juz Tabarak), and starts on page 564. Its big idea: Say in sha Allah, share your good with those in need, and hold on to good character.

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