Translation of the meanings Ayah 16 Surah Al-Qalam - English Translation - Rowwad Translation Center - The Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia

Ayah: 16

سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلۡخُرۡطُومِ

We will soon brand him on the snout^[3].

[3] Lit., "trunk," meaning the nose of an elephant or pig. These verses refer to Al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah, a leader of the pagans of Makkah and a staunch enemy of Islam. He called the Prophet (ﷺ) a madman, so the Qur’an responded by mentioning ten of Al-Walīd’s qualities. (See 53:33-35 and 74:11-26). Two of those qualities were not known to him: the fact that he was an illegitimate child and that his nose would be chopped off years later at the Battle of Badr. Khālid ibn al-Walīd and two of his brothers embraced Islam.