23

Al-Mu’minūn

Makkan Period

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

[1] The believers have indeed attained true success: [2] those who, in their Prayers, humble themselves; [3] who avoid whatever is vain and frivolous; [4] who observe Zakāh; [5] who strictly guard their private parts ¹ [6] save from their wives, or those whom their right hands possess;² for with regard to them they are free from blame – [7] As for those who seek beyond that, they are transgressors – [8] who are true to their trusts and their covenants, [9] and who guard their Prayers. [10] Such are the inheritors [11] that shall inherit Paradise; and in it they shall abide for ever.

[12] We created man out of the extract of clay, [13] then We made him into a drop of life-germ, then We placed it in a safe depository, [14] then We made this drop into a clot, then We made the clot into a lump, then We made the lump into bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We caused it to grow into another creation.3 Thus Most Blessed is Allah, the Best of all those that create. [15] Thereafter you are destined to die, [16] and then on the Day of Resurrection you shall certainly be raised up.

[17] We have indeed fashioned above you seven paths.⁴ Never were We unaware of the task of creation.⁵

[18] We sent down water from the sky in right measure, and caused it to stay in the earth, and We have the power to cause it to vanish (in the manner We please). [19] Then through water We caused gardens of date-palms and vines to grow for you wherein you have an Abūndance of delicious fruits and from them you derive your livelihood. [20] And We also produced the tree which springs forth from Mount Sinai,6 containing oil and sauce for those that eat.

[21] And indeed there is also a lesson for you in cattle. We provide you with drink out of what they have in their bellies; and you have many other benefits in them: you eat of them, [22] and are carried on them and also on ships.

[23] We sent Noah to his people, and he said: “My people! Serve Allah; you have no deity other than He. Do you have no fear?” [24] But the notables among his people had refused to believe, and said: “This is none other than a mortal like yourselves who desires to attain superiority over you. Had Allah wanted (to send any Messengers) He would have sent down angels. We have heard nothing like this in the time of our forebears of old (that humans were sent as Messengers). [25] He is a person who has been seized with a little madness; so wait for a while (perhaps he will improve).” [26] Noah said: “My Lord! Come to my help at their accusation that I am lying.” [27] Thereupon We revealed to him, saying: “Build the Ark under Our eyes and according to Our revelation. And when Our command comes to pass and the oven boils over, take on board a pair each from every species, and also take your household except those of them against whom sentence has already been passed and do not plead to Me on behalf of the wrong-doers. They are doomed to be drowned. [28] And then when you and those accompanying you are firmly seated in the Ark, say: “Thanks be to Allah Who has delivered us from the wrong-doing people.” [29] And say: “My Lord! Make my landing a blessed landing, for You are the Best of those Who can cause people to land in safety.”

[30] There are great Signs in this story; and surely We do put people to test.

[31] Then, after them, We brought forth another generation; [32] and We sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, saying: “Serve Allah; you have no god other than He. Do you have no fear?” [33] The notables among his people who had refused to believe and who denied the meeting of the Hereafter, and those whom We had endowed with ease and comfort in this life, cried out: “This is no other than a mortal like yourselves who eats what you eat and drinks what you drink. [34] If you were to obey a human being like yourselves, you will certainly be losers. [35] Does he promise you that when you are dead and are reduced to dust and bones, you will be brought forth to life? [36] Far-fetched, utterly far-fetched is what you are being promised. [37] There is no other life than the life of the world. We shall live here and here shall we die; and we are not going to be raised again. [38] This man has forged a mere lie in the name of Allah and we shall never believe what he says.” [39] The Messenger said: “My Lord! Come to my help at their accusing me of lying.” [40] He answered: “A short while, and they shall be repenting.” [41] Then a mighty blast quite justly overtook them, and We reduced them to a rubble. So away with the wrong-doing folk!

[42] Then, after them, We brought forth other generations. [43] No nation can outstrip its term, nor can it put it back. [44] Then We sent Our Messengers in succession. Whenever a Messenger came to his people they rejected him, calling him a liar. Thereupon, We made each people to follow the other (to its doom), reducing them to mere tales (of the past). Scourged be the people who do not believe!

[45] Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our Signs and a clear authority [46] to Pharaoh and to his chiefs, but they behaved superciliously and they were haughty. [47] They said: “Shall we put faith in two mortals like ourselves when their people are slaves to us?” [48] So they rejected them, calling them liars, and they too eventually became of those that were destroyed. [49] And We gave Moses the Book that people might be guided by it.

[50] And We made Mary’s son, and his mother, a Sign, and We gave them refuge on a lofty ground, a peaceful site with springs flowing in it.

[51] Messengers! Partake of the things that are clean, and act righteously. I know well all that you do. [52] This community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord; so hold Me alone in fear.

[53] But people later cut up their religion into bits, each group rejoicing in what they have. [54] So leave them immersed in their heedlessness till an appointed time.

[55] Do they fancy that Our continuing to give them wealth and children (means) that [56] We are busy lavishing on them all kinds of good? Nay, they do not perceive the reality of the matter. [57] Surely those who stand in awe for fear of their Lord, [58] who have full faith in the Signs of their Lord; [59] who associate none with their Lord in His Divinity, [60] who give, whatever they give in charity, with their hearts trembling at the thought that they are destined to return to their Lord; [61] it is these who hasten to do good works and vie in so doing with one another. [62] We do not lay a burden on anyone beyond his capacity. We have a Book with Us that speaks the truth7 (about everyone); and they shall in no wise be wronged. [63] Nay, their hearts are lost in ignorance of all this; and their deeds too vary from the way (mentioned above). They will persist in these deeds [64] until We seize with Our chastisement those of them that are given to luxuriant ways. They will then begin to groan. [65] “Put a stop to your groaning now! Surely no help shall be provided to you from Us. [66] My Signs were rehearsed to you and you turned back on your heels and took to flight, [67] behaving arrogantly, and making fun, and talking nonsense (about the Book in your nightly chats).”

[68] Did they never ponder over this Word (of God)? Or has he (to wit, the Messenger) brought something the like of which did not come to their forefathers of yore? [69] Or is it that they were unaware of their Messenger and were therefore repelled by him for he was a stranger to them? [70] Or do they say that there is madness in him? Nay, he has brought them the Truth and it is the Truth that most of them disdain. [71] Were the Truth to follow their desires, the order of the heavens and the earth and those who dwell in them would have been ruined. Nay, the fact is that We have brought to them their own remembrance; and yet it is from their own remembrance that they are turning away.

[72] Are you asking them for something? What Allah has given you is the best. He is the Best of providers. [73] You are calling them to a Straight Way, [74] but those who do not believe in the Hereafter are ever prone to deviate from the Right Way.

[75] Were We to be merciful to them and remove from them their present afflictions,8 they would persist in their transgression, blindly wandering on. [76] (They are such) that We seized them with chastisement (and yet) they did not humble themselves before their Lord, nor do they entreat [77] until We opened upon them the door of a severe chastisement. Then lo, in this state they become utterly despaired of any good.

[78] It is He Who has endowed you with the faculties of hearing and sight and has given you hearts (to think). Scarcely do you give thanks. [79] It is He Who has dispersed you all around the earth, and it is unto Him that you shall all be mustered. [80] It is He Who gives life and causes death, and He holds mastery over the alternation of night and day. Do you not understand this? [81] Nay, but they say the like of what their predecessors of yore had said. [82] They say: “Is it that when we are dead and have been reduced to dust and bones, shall we then be raised up again? [83] We were promised such things and so were our forefathers before us. All these are no more than tales of the past.”

[84] Ask them: “Whose is the earth and those who are in it? Tell us if you know” [85] They will surely say: “Allah’s.” Say: “Then why do you not take heed?” [86] Ask them: “Who is the Lord of the seven heavens, the Lord of the Great Throne?” [87] They will surely say: “Allah.” Say: “Will you not, then, fear (Allah)?” [88] Ask them: “Say, if you indeed know, to whom belongs the dominion over all things; (Who is it) that grants asylum, but against Whom no asylum is available?” [89] They will surely say: “(The dominion over all things) belongs to Allah.” Say: “Whence are you then deluded?” [90] We have brought before them the Truth, and there is no doubt that they are lying.9 [91] Never did Allah take unto Himself any son,¹⁰ nor is there any god other than He. (Had there been any other gods) each god would have taken his creatures away with him, and each would have rushed to overpower the other. Glory be to Allah from all that they characterize Him with! [92] He knows both what is visible and what is not visible. Exalted is Allah above all that they associate with Him.

[93] Pray, (O Muḥammad): “My Lord, if You should bring the scourge of which they had been warned in my presence, [94] then do not include me, my Lord, among these wrong-doing people.”11 [95] Surely We are able to show you what We warn them against.

[96] (O Muḥammad)! Repel evil in the best manner. We are well aware of all that they say about you. [97] And pray: “My Lord! I seek Your refuge from the suggestions of the evil ones; [98] I even seek Your refuge, my Lord, lest they should approach me.”

[99] (They shall persist in their deeds) until when death comes to anyone of them he will say: “My Lord, send me back to the world [100] that I have left behind. I am likely to do good.” Nay, it is merely a word that he is uttering. There is a barrier12 behind all of them (who are dead) until the Day when they will be raised up. [101] And then no sooner the Trumpet is blown than there will remain no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask one another. [102] It will be an Hour when those whose scales are heavy, they alone will attain success; [103] and those whose scales are light, those will be the ones who will have courted loss. They will abide in Hell. [104] The Fire shall scorch their faces, exposing their jaws. [105] “Are you not those to whom My revelations were recited, and you dubbed them as lies?” [106] They will say: “Our Lord! Our misfortune prevailed over us. We were indeed an erring people. [107] Our Lord! Take us out of this. Then if we revert (to evil-doing) we shall indeed be wrong-doers.” [108] Allah will say: “Away from Me; stay where you are and do not address Me. [109] You are those that when a party of My servants said: ‘Our Lord, we believe, so forgive us, and have mercy on us, for You are the Best of those that are merciful,’ [110] you made a laughing-stock of them and your hostility to them caused you to forget Me, and you simply kept laughing. [111] Lo! I have rewarded them this Day for their steadfastness, so that they, and they alone, are triumphant.” [112] Then Allah will ask them: “For how many years did you stay on earth?” [113] They will say: “We stayed for a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep count of this.” [114] He will say: “You stayed only for a while, if you only knew that. [115] Did you imagine that We created you without any purpose, and that you will not be brought back to Us?”

[116] So, exalted be Allah, the True King! There is no god but He, the Lord of the Great Throne. [117] He who invokes any other god along with Allah – one for whom he has no evidence13 – his reckoning is with his Lord alone. Indeed, these unbelievers shall not prosper.

[118] And say, (O Muḥammad): “My Lord, forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the Best of those that are merciful.”

1. This means two things. First, that the believers cover the private parts of their body; that is, they shun nudity. Second, that they guard their chastity and modesty; that they are not unfettered in the exercise of their sex urges.

2. That means the slave-girls, who are captured in war and are given in the possession of a person by the Islamic state in case there is no exchange of prisoners of war.

3. Though all this happens in the creation of animals as well, by this process of creation God has shaped man into a special creature different from animals.

4. It probably means the orbit of the seven planets. Since man at that time knew only of seven planets, hence only those orbits are mentioned. This statement does not mean that there are no other orbits.

5. Alternatively, this verse can be rendered as follows: “We were never (nor are) oblivious of the creatures.” The idea expressed here is that it is quite evident from everything that God has created that it has neither been created without purpose nor is the creation of any devoid of skill. On the contrary, God’s creation conforms to a well-considered plan, with the result that all parts of His creation reveal a high degree of mutual harmony and coordination. Purposiveness is also evident from every aspect of this vast universe which conclusively points to the wisdom of its Creator. Alternatively, if the verse is understood in the second sense (namely “We were never oblivious of the creatures”), it would mean that God has never been negligent of the needs of any of His creatures, nor has He ever been unaware of the state they are in. The result is that God has never allowed anything to go in a direction opposed to His plans, nor has He ever been negligent in providing for the natural requirements of anything. God has always been mindful of all His creation, be it a tiny particle or the leaf of a tree, or anything else.

6. This alludes to olive, the most important product in all the lands around the Mediterranean Sea. The olive tree is mentioned here in association with Mount Sinai. This presumably is because the original region of the olive tree is Mount Sinai which in turn is the most prominent place in that region.

7. The “Book” here means the record of deeds that is being compiled separately for each individual.

8. This alludes to the hardship and suffering experienced by the Makkans as a result of the famine that raged for some years after the advent of Muḥammad (peace be on him) as a Prophet.

9. Their assertion that aught other than the One True God partakes of Divinity (that is, shares with God any of His attributes or authority, or His rights vis-à-vis His creatures) is a lie. They also lie when they say that there will be no After-Life. This lie can even be shown to be so by virtue of their own statements. For, on the one hand, they themselves conceded that God is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and that He has absolute control over everything in the universe. On the other, they contend that Godhead is not exclusively God’s but rests with others too – with those who are bound to be His creatures and servants and, thus, are under His omnipotent control. Quite evidently these two positions totally contradict each other. The same applies to the unbelievers’ contention regarding the After-Life. On the one hand, they concede that God has created both human beings and this enormous Universe. On the other hand, they contend that God lacks the power to resurrect those whom He had once created. Such an assertion is most patently irrational. Thus, both their doctrines, polytheism and denial of the After-Life, are altogether inconsistent with their own stated positions.

10. This statement should not be regarded as one that simply refutes the Christian doctrine that Jesus was the son of God. It also refutes similar doctrines held by other religious groups. The Arab polytheists of the time also claimed that their deities were God’s offspring. Most polytheists the world over have in one way or another succumbed to this error.

11. This, of course, does not mean that there was any danger that the Prophet (peace be on him) would become one of the wrong-doers. Nor was there any possibility that he would succumb to iniquity if he did not make the prayer mentioned here. Rather, the point that is being stressed is that God’s punishment is something to be dreaded. God’s punishment is so horrendous that even the righteous should seek refuge from it.

12. The word barzakh is an Arabized form of the Persian word pardah (signifying a barrier). According to this verse, there is presently a barrier between those who are dead and the present world. This barrier prevents the dead from returning to life, and so they will stay where they are till the Day of Judgement.

13. An alternative rendering of the above verse could be: “He who invokes any other god along with Allah has no sanction to do so.”