Al-Mu'minun 23:42
The Believers · Juz 18 · Page 344
ثُمَّ أَنشَأۡنَا مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ قُرُونًا ءَاخَرِينَ ٤٢
Then We produced after them other generations.
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 23:42–44
After the advent of each prophet, the succeeding generations of his community were always led astray. In order to reform them, prophets were sent to them again and again. In Adam’s generation Noah appeared. In Noah’s generation (the ‘Ad), Hud appeared as a prophet. In Hud’s generation (the Thamud), Salih appeared. But on each occasion those who had accepted the prophet of the past without question, were the very same people who were not at all prepared to accept the prophet of their own times. The reason for this is that the prophet of the past, as a result of a wealth of traditions surrounding him, ultimately becomes a symbol of national pride, or national identity. He assumes the status of a national hero. By accepting him, one’s superiority complex is satisfied. Obviously, who will refuse to accept such a prophet? But, the case of the prophet during his lifetime is just the opposite. He has neither any halo of history around him nor any traditions of greatness to enhance his persona. Accepting him amounts to accepting an invisible reality. This is why those who accepted the prophet of the past have always refused to accept the prophet of their own times. ‘So away with the people who will not believe!’ Those referred to in this injunction are people who could recognize God’s emissary only when, as a result of historical process, he had become their national hero.
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23:28
فَإِذَا ٱسۡتَوَيۡتَ أَنتَ وَمَن مَّعَكَ عَلَى ٱلۡفُلۡكِ فَقُلِ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي نَجَّىٰنَا مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٢٨
And when you have boarded the ship, you and those with you, then say, 'Praise to Allāh who has saved us from the wrongdoing people.'
23:29
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَنزِلۡنِي مُنزَلٗا مُّبَارَكٗا وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡمُنزِلِينَ ٢٩
And say, 'My Lord, let me land at a blessed landing place, and You are the best to accommodate [us].'"
23:30
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ وَإِن كُنَّا لَمُبۡتَلِينَ ٣٠
Indeed in that are signs, and indeed, We are ever testing [Our servants].
23:31
ثُمَّ أَنشَأۡنَا مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ قَرۡنًا ءَاخَرِينَ ٣١
Then We produced after them a generation of others.
23:32
فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا فِيهِمۡ رَسُولٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥٓۚ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ ٣٢
And We sent among them a messenger1 from themselves, [saying], "Worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him; then will you not fear Him?"
1 translator’s note
- Prophet Hūd, who was sent to the tribe of ʿAad. ↩
23:33
وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ مِن قَوۡمِهِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَكَذَّبُواْ بِلِقَآءِ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ وَأَتۡرَفۡنَٰهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا مَا هَٰذَآ إِلَّا بَشَرٞ مِّثۡلُكُمۡ يَأۡكُلُ مِمَّا تَأۡكُلُونَ مِنۡهُ وَيَشۡرَبُ مِمَّا تَشۡرَبُونَ ٣٣
And the eminent among his people who disbelieved and denied the meeting of the Hereafter while We had given them luxury in the worldly life said, "This is not but a man like yourselves. He eats of that from which you eat and drinks of what you drink.
23:34
وَلَئِنۡ أَطَعۡتُم بَشَرٗا مِّثۡلَكُمۡ إِنَّكُمۡ إِذٗا لَّخَٰسِرُونَ ٣٤
And if you should obey a man like yourselves, indeed, you would then be losers.
23:35
أَيَعِدُكُمۡ أَنَّكُمۡ إِذَا مِتُّمۡ وَكُنتُمۡ تُرَابٗا وَعِظَٰمًا أَنَّكُم مُّخۡرَجُونَ ٣٥
Does he promise you that when you have died and become dust and bones that you will be brought forth [once more]?
23:36
۞ هَيۡهَاتَ هَيۡهَاتَ لِمَا تُوعَدُونَ ٣٦
How far, how far, is that which you are promised.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., how distant and improbable it is. ↩
23:37
إِنۡ هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنۡيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحۡيَا وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَبۡعُوثِينَ ٣٧
It [i.e., life] is not but our worldly life - we die and live, but we will not be resurrected.
23:38
إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبٗا وَمَا نَحۡنُ لَهُۥ بِمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٣٨
He is not but a man who has invented a lie about Allāh, and we will not believe him."
23:39
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱنصُرۡنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ ٣٩
He said, "My Lord, support me because they have denied me."
23:40
قَالَ عَمَّا قَلِيلٖ لَّيُصۡبِحُنَّ نَٰدِمِينَ ٤٠
[Allāh] said, "After a little, they will surely become regretful."
23:41
فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّيۡحَةُ بِٱلۡحَقِّ فَجَعَلۡنَٰهُمۡ غُثَآءٗۚ فَبُعۡدٗا لِّلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٤١
So the shriek1 seized them in truth,2 and We made them as [plant] stubble. Then away with the wrongdoing people.
23:42
ثُمَّ أَنشَأۡنَا مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ قُرُونًا ءَاخَرِينَ ٤٢
Then We produced after them other generations.