Tazkirul Quran · Tafsir · in English
المؤمنون
Al-Mu'minun
The Believers · Meccan · 118 ayahs
23:1–11Page 342
قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ١
Certainly will the believers have succeeded:
ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ فِي صَلَاتِهِمۡ خَٰشِعُونَ ٢
They who are during their prayer humbly intent
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَنِ ٱللَّغۡوِ مُعۡرِضُونَ ٣
And they who turn away from ill speech
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِلزَّكَوٰةِ فَٰعِلُونَ ٤
And they who are observant of zakāh
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِفُرُوجِهِمۡ حَٰفِظُونَ ٥
And they who guard their private parts
إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزۡوَٰجِهِمۡ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُهُمۡ فَإِنَّهُمۡ غَيۡرُ مَلُومِينَ ٦
Except from their wives or those their right hands possess,1 for indeed, they will not be blamed -
فَمَنِ ٱبۡتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡعَادُونَ ٧
But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors -
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِأَمَٰنَٰتِهِمۡ وَعَهۡدِهِمۡ رَٰعُونَ ٨
And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٰتِهِمۡ يُحَافِظُونَ ٩
And they who carefully maintain their prayers -
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡوَٰرِثُونَ ١٠
Those are the inheritors
ٱلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلۡفِرۡدَوۡسَ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ ١١
Who will inherit al-Firdaus.1 They will abide therein eternally.
In this world of God, success is for one who is a true believer, one who devotes himself fully to God and not to anybody other than God, and who leads a God-oriented life. Realisation of God is not a simple matter. It brings about a revolution in the life of a man. He becomes a worshipper of God and bows down before Him in submission. His sincerity and seriousness increase to the extent that wasting time in useless pursuits appears fatal to him. He sets aside a portion of his earnings in the name of God and with that he helps the needy. He exercises control over his sexual desires and gives free rein to them only within the limit prescribed by God for the purpose. He lives his life in this world as a responsible person and never misappropriates whatever is entrusted to him. Such a man never dishonours any pledge undertaken by him. Those who possess these qualities are the favoured subjects of God. These are the people for whom God has kept ready the ideal world, namely, the gardens of Paradise. After death they will be sent into this sublime atmosphere so that they may savour its joys forever.
23:12–14Page 342
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِن سُلَٰلَةٖ مِّن طِينٖ ١٢
And certainly did We create man from an extract of clay.
ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَٰهُ نُطۡفَةٗ فِي قَرَارٖ مَّكِينٖ ١٣
Then We placed him as a sperm-drop1 in a firm lodging [i.e., the womb].
ثُمَّ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلنُّطۡفَةَ عَلَقَةٗ فَخَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡعَلَقَةَ مُضۡغَةٗ فَخَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡمُضۡغَةَ عِظَٰمٗا فَكَسَوۡنَا ٱلۡعِظَٰمَ لَحۡمٗا ثُمَّ أَنشَأۡنَٰهُ خَلۡقًا ءَاخَرَۚ فَتَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ أَحۡسَنُ ٱلۡخَٰلِقِينَ ١٤
Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allāh, the best of creators.1
The vivid Quranic description of the various developmental stages of the formation and birth of human beings, is surprisingly identical with modern scientific findings. This provides a clear proof of the fact that the Quran is the Book of God. Had it not been so, such similarity between the findings of modern research and the statements of the Quran, made fourteen hundred years ago, would not have been possible. Cf. 39:6 and the corresponding note.
23:15–16Page 342
ثُمَّ إِنَّكُم بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ ١٥
Then indeed, after that you are to die.
ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ تُبۡعَثُونَ ١٦
Then indeed you, on the Day of Resurrection, will be resurrected.
The young one of a human being grows in the womb of his mother. In ancient times, the period from conception till child-birth was shrouded in mystery. It was only in the twentieth century that modern scientific developments made it possible to observe the development of a baby in the mother’s womb and obtain direct information about it. The vivid Quranic description of the various developmental stages of the formation and birth of human beings, is surprisingly identical with modern scientific findings. This provides a clear proof of the fact that the Quran is the Book of God. Had it not been so, such similarity between the findings of modern research and the statements of the Quran, revealed fourteen hundred years ago, would not have been possible. The development of the embryo in the mother’s womb shows that the Creator of this world is the most perfect Being. Our knowledge of the creation of man from the very beginning, is sufficient to make us believe that a second creation will take place and will occur in exactly the manner described by the prophets.
23:17–22Page 342
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا فَوۡقَكُمۡ سَبۡعَ طَرَآئِقَ وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ ٱلۡخَلۡقِ غَٰفِلِينَ ١٧
And We have created above you seven layered heavens, and never have We been of [Our] creation unaware.
وَأَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءَۢ بِقَدَرٖ فَأَسۡكَنَّٰهُ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ ذَهَابِۭ بِهِۦ لَقَٰدِرُونَ ١٨
And We have sent down rain from the sky in a measured amount and settled it in the earth. And indeed, We are Able to take it away.
فَأَنشَأۡنَا لَكُم بِهِۦ جَنَّٰتٖ مِّن نَّخِيلٖ وَأَعۡنَٰبٖ لَّكُمۡ فِيهَا فَوَٰكِهُ كَثِيرَةٞ وَمِنۡهَا تَأۡكُلُونَ ١٩
And We brought forth for you thereby gardens of palm trees and grapevines in which for you are abundant fruits and from which you eat.
وَشَجَرَةٗ تَخۡرُجُ مِن طُورِ سَيۡنَآءَ تَنۢبُتُ بِٱلدُّهۡنِ وَصِبۡغٖ لِّلۡأٓكِلِينَ ٢٠
And [We brought forth] a tree issuing from Mount Sinai which produces oil and food [i.e., olives] for those who eat.
وَإِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ لَعِبۡرَةٗۖ نُّسۡقِيكُم مِّمَّا فِي بُطُونِهَا وَلَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَنَٰفِعُ كَثِيرَةٞ وَمِنۡهَا تَأۡكُلُونَ ٢١
And indeed, for you in livestock is a lesson. We give you drink from that which is in their bellies, and for you in them are numerous benefits, and from them you eat.
وَعَلَيۡهَا وَعَلَى ٱلۡفُلۡكِ تُحۡمَلُونَ ٢٢
And upon them and on ships you are carried.
Man is a small creature. Compared to him, the universe is so large that it strikes terror into man. In the vastness of space, innumerable stars and planets revolve at high speed. Yet, the most wonderful aspect of the universe is that it is highly favourable to the existence of human beings. Moreover, exceptional the planet appear to have been made keeping all man’s needs in mind. For example, man is able to domesticate a variety of animals and put them to various uses. The cow’s stomach, for instance, is a wonderful factory which converts into a valuable commodity—milk. All these factors warrant man’s recognition of his Kind and Merciful God and his remaining ever grateful to Him.
23:23–25Page 343
وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ فَقَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥٓۚ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ ٢٣
And We had certainly sent Noah to his people, and he said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him; then will you not fear Him?"
فَقَالَ ٱلۡمَلَؤُاْ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن قَوۡمِهِۦ مَا هَٰذَآ إِلَّا بَشَرٞ مِّثۡلُكُمۡ يُرِيدُ أَن يَتَفَضَّلَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَأَنزَلَ مَلَٰٓئِكَةٗ مَّا سَمِعۡنَا بِهَٰذَا فِيٓ ءَابَآئِنَا ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ٢٤
But the eminent among those who disbelieved from his people said, "This is not but a man like yourselves who wishes to take precedence over you; and if Allāh had willed [to send a messenger], He would have sent down angels. We have not heard of this among our forefathers.
إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلُۢ بِهِۦ جِنَّةٞ فَتَرَبَّصُواْ بِهِۦ حَتَّىٰ حِينٖ ٢٥
He is not but a man possessed with madness, so wait concerning him for a time."
The community into which Noah was born was not one made up of unbelievers in the common sense of the term. It consisted of the followers of Adam who were believers in God and prophethood. In spite of this, why did its members refuse to accept Noah as the prophet of God? It was because the Prophet Noah appeared to them as an ordinary man like themselves. A prophet is a man born of human parents. Therefore, to the people of his age, he always seemed to be a man like themselves. It is in later history that a prophet appears to them as glorious, invested as he then is with legendary greatness. That is why a prophet’s contemporaries fail to recognize him. To them the prophet appears to be a man who makes false claims to prophethood in order to be taken as a great man. They presume him to be a madman and ignore him. It has been the story of every community that, as time has gone on, it has started following the traditions of its forefathers instead of following the real teachings of God. Whenever a prophet appeared and again preached genuine religion, they felt that the prophet’s religion was different from the traditions of its forefathers. Given the mindset of these people, their forefathers appeared to be greater and the prophet appeared to be a comparatively lesser person. This is the main reason why the call of the prophets of every period seemed a strange cry to their contemporaries.
23:26–27Page 343
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱنصُرۡنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ ٢٦
[Noah] said, "My Lord, support me because they have denied me."
فَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡهِ أَنِ ٱصۡنَعِ ٱلۡفُلۡكَ بِأَعۡيُنِنَا وَوَحۡيِنَا فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَمۡرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ فَٱسۡلُكۡ فِيهَا مِن كُلّٖ زَوۡجَيۡنِ ٱثۡنَيۡنِ وَأَهۡلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ مِنۡهُمۡۖ وَلَا تُخَٰطِبۡنِي فِي ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓاْ إِنَّهُم مُّغۡرَقُونَ ٢٧
So We inspired to him, "Construct the ship under Our observation and Our inspiration, and when Our command comes and the oven overflows,1 put into it [i.e., the ship] from each [creature] two mates and your family, except him for whom the decree [of destruction] has proceeded. And do not address Me concerning those who have wronged; indeed, they are to be drowned.
The Prophet Noah admonished his community for a long time. But his community was not ready to accept his call. At last he prayed, ‘Oh God! I have not been able to make my people accept the truth. Now, You reveal the truth to them!’ But when the outermost limit of human effort has been reached, Divine action begins. It is then the time for reckoning and not for advice or admonition. So, God’s retribution appeared in the shape of a devastating storm, which drowned Noah’s entire community, with the exception of a few believers in Noah. The refusal to acknowledge the Truth is the worst type of transgression. Those who indulge in this transgression are liable to be seized upon by God and then nothing can save them from their fate.
23:28–30Page 344
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.'
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].'"
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ وَإِن كُنَّا لَمُبۡتَلِينَ ٣٠
Indeed in that are signs, and indeed, We are ever testing [Our servants].
In an environment fraught with idolatory, the few who had faith in Noah had that very day, in both the literal and the figurative sense, entered the Divine ark. When they boarded the wooden ship at the time of the storm, it marked the completion of the first stage of their decision. While they had intellectually saved themselves from evil, God saved them from the grim consequences of the Flood which would have been their fate, had they rejected the truth. A man of faith attributes his every success to the blessing of God. Therefore, with each success he thanks God. And the relief afforded from Noah’s flood was clearly an instance of God’s help. At this juncture, the words that spontaneously came out of a believer’s mouth have been recorded in this verse. He admits the grace of God bestowed upon him and solicits His further blessings in future, because he is sure that the present and future are both in the hands of God.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences