Ma'arif al-Qur'an · Tafsir · in English
Al-Mu'minun 23:37–50
23:37–41Page 344
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.
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."
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱنصُرۡنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ ٣٩
He said, "My Lord, support me because they have denied me."
قَالَ عَمَّا قَلِيلٖ لَّيُصۡبِحُنَّ نَٰدِمِينَ ٤٠
[Allāh] said, "After a little, they will surely become regretful."
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.
إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ
There is nothing but our worldly life. We die and we live and we are not to be raised again. - 23:37
This is the argument which the unbelievers advance when denying belief in the Day of Judgment. Those who deny it publicly are confirmed infidels, but it is very unfortunate that many Muslims also act in a manner that the same denial can be felt from their deeds and actions. They seem to be totally oblivious of the coming in of the Hereafter. May Allah Ta'ala grant them faith to release themselves from the clutches of this belief of theirs.
23:42–50Page 344
ثُمَّ أَنشَأۡنَا مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ قُرُونًا ءَاخَرِينَ ٤٢
Then We produced after them other generations.
مَا تَسۡبِقُ مِنۡ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلَهَا وَمَا يَسۡتَـٔۡخِرُونَ ٤٣
No nation will precede its time [of termination], nor will they remain [thereafter].
ثُمَّ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلَنَا تَتۡرَاۖ كُلَّ مَا جَآءَ أُمَّةٗ رَّسُولُهَا كَذَّبُوهُۖ فَأَتۡبَعۡنَا بَعۡضَهُم بَعۡضٗا وَجَعَلۡنَٰهُمۡ أَحَادِيثَۚ فَبُعۡدٗا لِّقَوۡمٖ لَّا يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٤٤
Then We sent Our messengers in succession. Every time there came to a nation its messenger, they denied him, so We made them follow one another [to destruction], and We made them narrations.1 So away with a people who do not believe.
ثُمَّ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مُوسَىٰ وَأَخَاهُ هَٰرُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَسُلۡطَٰنٖ مُّبِينٍ ٤٥
Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our signs and a clear authority1
إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَمَلَإِيْهِۦ فَٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ قَوۡمًا عَالِينَ ٤٦
To Pharaoh and his establishment, but they were arrogant and were a haughty people.
فَقَالُوٓاْ أَنُؤۡمِنُ لِبَشَرَيۡنِ مِثۡلِنَا وَقَوۡمُهُمَا لَنَا عَٰبِدُونَ ٤٧
They said, "Should we believe two men like ourselves while their people are for us in servitude?"
فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا فَكَانُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡمُهۡلَكِينَ ٤٨
So they denied them and were of those destroyed.
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَهۡتَدُونَ ٤٩
And We certainly gave Moses the Scripture that perhaps they1 would be guided.
وَجَعَلۡنَا ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ وَأُمَّهُۥٓ ءَايَةٗ وَءَاوَيۡنَٰهُمَآ إِلَىٰ رَبۡوَةٖ ذَاتِ قَرَارٖ وَمَعِينٖ ٥٠
And We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign and sheltered them within a high ground having level [areas] and flowing water.
Commentary
وَآوَيْنَاهُمَا إِلَىٰ رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ (and We gave them shelter on a height, a place of rest and running springs). According to Bayan-ul-Qur’ an, this verse refers to the event that a tyrant was resolute to kill Sayyidna ` Isa and his mother (علیہما السلام) right from his childhood. They escaped from him and, with Allah's grace, found a place on a height where they enjoyed a peaceful life until Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) attained maturity and was entrusted with prophethood. (This commentary is taken from Khulasa-e-tafsir of Ma` ariful-Qur’ an).
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences