Surah 23. Al-Mu'minun

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Verses [Section]: 1-22[1], 23-32 [2], 33-50 [3], 51-77 [4], 78-92 [5], 93-118 [6]

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Quran Text of Verse 51-77یٰۤاَیُّهَاO MessengersالرُّسُلُO MessengersكُلُوْاEatمِنَofالطَّیِّبٰتِthe good thingsوَ اعْمَلُوْاand doصَالِحًا ؕrighteous (deeds)اِنِّیْIndeed, I Amبِمَاof whatتَعْمَلُوْنَyou doعَلِیْمٌؕAll-Knower وَ اِنَّAnd indeedهٰذِهٖۤthisاُمَّتُكُمْyour religionاُمَّةً(is) religionوَّاحِدَةًoneوَّ اَنَاAnd I Amرَبُّكُمْyour Lordفَاتَّقُوْنِ so fear Me فَتَقَطَّعُوْۤاBut they cut offاَمْرَهُمْtheir affair (of unity)بَیْنَهُمْbetween themزُبُرًا ؕ(into) sectsكُلُّeachحِزْبٍۭfactionبِمَاin whatلَدَیْهِمْthey haveفَرِحُوْنَ rejoicing فَذَرْهُمْSo leave themفِیْinغَمْرَتِهِمْtheir confusionحَتّٰیuntilحِیْنٍ a time اَیَحْسَبُوْنَDo they thinkاَنَّمَاthat whatنُمِدُّهُمْWe extend to themبِهٖ[with it]مِنْofمَّالٍwealthوَّ بَنِیْنَۙand children نُسَارِعُWe hastenلَهُمْto themفِیinالْخَیْرٰتِ ؕthe goodبَلْNayلَّاnotیَشْعُرُوْنَ they perceive اِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoهُمْ[they]مِّنْfromخَشْیَةِ(the) fearرَبِّهِمْ(of) their Lordمُّشْفِقُوْنَۙ(are) cautious وَ الَّذِیْنَAnd thoseهُمْ[they]بِاٰیٰتِin (the) Signsرَبِّهِمْ(of) their Lordیُؤْمِنُوْنَۙbelieve وَ الَّذِیْنَAnd thoseهُمْ[they]بِرَبِّهِمْwith their Lordلَا(do) notیُشْرِكُوْنَۙassociate partners 23. Al-Mu'minun Page 346وَ الَّذِیْنَAnd those whoیُؤْتُوْنَgiveمَاۤwhatاٰتَوْاthey giveوَّ قُلُوْبُهُمْwhile their heartsوَجِلَةٌ(are) fearfulاَنَّهُمْbecause theyاِلٰیtoرَبِّهِمْtheir Lordرٰجِعُوْنَۙ(will) return اُولٰٓىِٕكَ(It is) thoseیُسٰرِعُوْنَwho hastenفِیinالْخَیْرٰتِthe good (deeds)وَ هُمْand theyلَهَاin themسٰبِقُوْنَ (are) foremost وَ لَاAnd notنُكَلِّفُWe burdenنَفْسًاany soulاِلَّاexceptوُسْعَهَا(to) its capacityوَ لَدَیْنَاand with Usكِتٰبٌ(is) a Recordیَّنْطِقُ(which) speaksبِالْحَقِّwith the truthوَ هُمْand theyلَا(will) notیُظْلَمُوْنَ be wronged بَلْNayقُلُوْبُهُمْtheir heartsفِیْ(are) inغَمْرَةٍconfusionمِّنْoverهٰذَاthisوَ لَهُمْand for themاَعْمَالٌ(are) deedsمِّنْbesidesدُوْنِbesidesذٰلِكَthatهُمْtheyلَهَاfor itعٰمِلُوْنَ (are) doers حَتّٰۤیUntilاِذَاۤwhenاَخَذْنَاWe seizeمُتْرَفِیْهِمْtheir affluent onesبِالْعَذَابِwith the punishmentاِذَاbehold!هُمْTheyیَجْـَٔرُوْنَؕcry for help لَا(Do) notتَجْـَٔرُواcry for helpالْیَوْمَ ۫todayاِنَّكُمْIndeed youمِّنَّاfrom Usلَاnotتُنْصَرُوْنَ will be helped قَدْVerilyكَانَتْwereاٰیٰتِیْMy Versesتُتْلٰیrecitedعَلَیْكُمْto youفَكُنْتُمْbut you usedعَلٰۤی(to) onاَعْقَابِكُمْyour heelsتَنْكِصُوْنَۙturn back مُسْتَكْبِرِیْنَ ۖۗ(Being) arrogantبِهٖabout itسٰمِرًاconversing by nightتَهْجُرُوْنَ speaking evil اَفَلَمْThen, do notیَدَّبَّرُواthey ponderالْقَوْلَthe Wordاَمْorجَآءَهُمْhas come to themمَّاwhatلَمْnotیَاْتِ(had) comeاٰبَآءَهُمُ(to) their forefathersالْاَوَّلِیْنَؗ(to) their forefathers اَمْOrلَمْ(do) notیَعْرِفُوْاthey recognizeرَسُوْلَهُمْtheir Messengerفَهُمْso theyلَهٗ(are) rejecting himمُنْكِرُوْنَؗ(are) rejecting him اَمْOrیَقُوْلُوْنَthey sayبِهٖIn himجِنَّةٌ ؕ(is) madnessبَلْNayجَآءَهُمْhe brought themبِالْحَقِّthe truthوَ اَكْثَرُهُمْbut most of themلِلْحَقِّto the truthكٰرِهُوْنَ (are) averse وَ لَوِBut ifاتَّبَعَ(had) followedالْحَقُّthe truthاَهْوَآءَهُمْtheir desiresلَفَسَدَتِsurely (would) have been corruptedالسَّمٰوٰتُthe heavensوَ الْاَرْضُand the earthوَ مَنْand whoeverفِیْهِنَّ ؕ(is) thereinبَلْNayاَتَیْنٰهُمْWe have brought themبِذِكْرِهِمْtheir reminderفَهُمْbut theyعَنْfromذِكْرِهِمْtheir reminderمُّعْرِضُوْنَؕ(are) turning away اَمْOrتَسْـَٔلُهُمْyou ask themخَرْجًا(for) a paymentفَخَرَاجُBut the paymentرَبِّكَ(of) your Lordخَیْرٌ ۖۗ(is) bestوَّ هُوَand Heخَیْرُ(is) the Bestالرّٰزِقِیْنَ (of) the Providers وَ اِنَّكَAnd indeed youلَتَدْعُوْهُمْcertainly call themاِلٰیtoصِرَاطٍ(the) Pathمُّسْتَقِیْمٍ Straight وَ اِنَّAnd indeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoلَا(do) notیُؤْمِنُوْنَbelieveبِالْاٰخِرَةِin the Hereafterعَنِfromالصِّرَاطِthe pathلَنٰكِبُوْنَ surely (are) deviating 23. Al-Mu'minun Page 347وَ لَوْAnd ifرَحِمْنٰهُمْWe had mercy on themوَ كَشَفْنَاand We removedمَاwhatبِهِمْ(was) on themمِّنْofضُرٍّ(the) hardshipلَّلَجُّوْاsurely they would persistفِیْinطُغْیَانِهِمْtheir transgressionیَعْمَهُوْنَ wandering blindly وَ لَقَدْAnd verilyاَخَذْنٰهُمْWe seized themبِالْعَذَابِwith the punishmentفَمَاbut notاسْتَكَانُوْاthey submitلِرَبِّهِمْto their Lordوَ مَاand notیَتَضَرَّعُوْنَ they supplicate humbly حَتّٰۤیUntilاِذَاwhenفَتَحْنَاWe openedعَلَیْهِمْfor themبَابًاa gateذَاof a punishmentعَذَابٍof a punishmentشَدِیْدٍsevereاِذَاbeholdهُمْTheyفِیْهِin itمُبْلِسُوْنَ۠(will be in) despair

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Translation of Verse 51-77

51. O messengers ! Eat of the clean things, and do righteous deeds.⁵⁰ I am well aware of what you do.

52. And this ummah of yours is only one ummah,⁵¹ and I am your Lord, so fear Me.⁵²

53. Yet men have broken their religion into pieces,⁵³ each sect is rejoicing in what it has.⁵⁴

54. So leave them in their negligence till a time.⁵⁵

55. Do they think that in giving them wealth and children,

56. We are hastening to add to their good ? Nay, but they do not understand (the reality).⁵⁶

57. Verily, those who live shaking in fear of their Lord;⁵⁷

58. Who believe in the revelations of their Lord;

59. And who ascribe no partners to their Lord;

60. And who give what they give with their hearts filled with awe that they will return to their Lord;⁵⁸

61. These (are the persons who) hasten to good things, and are the first to attain them.⁵⁹

62. We task not any soul more than what it can bear.⁶⁰ And We have a Book which speaks the truth,⁶¹ and they will not be wronged.

63. Nay, but their hearts are negligent of this, and they have other work besides that which they are doing;⁶²

64. Till when We grasp their rich ones with the punishment they cry out.⁶³

65. ”Do not cry, for from Us you will not get any help!”

66. Whenever My revelations were recited to you, you used to turn back on your heels,

67. In scorn making fun of it in your nightly foolish talk.⁶⁴

68. Have they not pondered the Word,⁶⁵ or has anything come to them which came not to their forefathers of the past?⁶⁶

69. Or have they not recognised their messenger that they deny him?⁶⁷

70. Or do they say: There is a madness in him?⁶⁸ Nay, but he brought them the Truth, but most of them abhor the Truth.⁶⁹

71. And if the Truth had followed their desires, verily the heavens and the earth, and whoever is therein would have been corrupted.⁷⁰ Nay, We have brought them their Reminder, but they have turned away from the Reminder.⁷¹

72. Do you ask (O Prophet!) any recompense from them ?⁷² (But for you) the recompense of your Lord is better, and He is the best of all providers.

73. And verily you invite them to the right path.

74. And verily who do not believe in the Hereafter are indeed astray from the path.⁷³

75. And if We showed them mercy and relieved them of their suffering, they would still wander on blindly in their transgression.⁷⁴

76. And surely We seized them with punishment, but they neither humbled themselves to their Lord, nor did they submissively invoke Him,⁷⁵

77. Until, when We will open for them the gate of severe punishment, then they will plunge into utter despair.⁷⁶

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Commentary

50. This command was given to every messenger, therefore, it has been narrated in such a way as if all the messengers are present and the command is being given to them at one time. This is a very effective manner of conveying the significance of the message.

Eating of clean things comprises of two things: that is those things be eaten which are clean according to the Shariah, and secondly those things which have been obtained by lawful means.

When this direction is given to the messengers, then observing it becomes automatically imperative for their followers. In a hadith, the best explanation of this ayah is given :

“Abu Hurairah has reported that the messenger of Allah has stated that Allah is clean and accepts only clean things. He has commanded the men of faith to follow what He has commanded the messengers to follow. Allah has commanded :

“O messengers! Eat of the clean things, and do righteous deeds. I am well aware of what you do.” (Al- Muminoon 51 ). Allah has also stated:

“O people of faith! Eat of clean things which We have provided you.” (Baqarah -21). The narrator states that the Prophet then spoke about a person who undertakes a long journey for Hajj, whose hairs are dishevelled and dirty because of the dust, he raises his hands towards the sky and prays: ‘O my Lord ! O my Lord !’ although his food, his drink and his clothing are all from unlawful means, and he has grown up eating unlawful food, then how can his prayers be answered ? (Muslim Kitabuz Zakat)

One point also emerges out of this ayah that there is deep relation between eating clean things and performing good deeds. Accordingly clean and pure food nurtures and nourishes good and righteous acts.

51. For explanation, see Surah Anbiya Note No.133.

52. This thing has also been narrated in Surah Anbiya, ayah No.92, although there instead of ‘Fear Me’ the direction is ‘Worship Me.’ This is a pointer to the fact that fear of Allah and His worship are inseparable. A person who is afraid of God will definitely worship Him. Not to worship the only God is to be fearless of him.

53. For explanation, see Surah Anbiya, Note No. 135

54. That is: Every sect is smugly stuck to its faith and is satisfied with it and it is so absorbed with it and religiosity that it is not prepared to see reason. Every sect is so much prejudiced and partial to its creed that it is not prepared to review it or to consider any suggestion. The condition of the So called great intellectuals is such that when the question of religion comes, their intelligence gets bogged down. That is the reason why they do not hesitate to perform absurd acts in the name of religious rites. They do not show as much love for their God as they show for their faith, although all the activities of religion is carried on in the name of God only.

55. Those who want to remain lost in their negligence and do not want to listen to the message of the missionary, should be left to themselves. Very soon will they know that the thing which they thought to be their life saving boat was made of paper.

56. That is: They are under the wrong impression that the abundance of wealth and children that they have got is because they are not the followers of any false religion, though availability of these things in plenty is not the proof of their faith and belief being true, for through these things people are being tested. But these people take the reverse meaning of this.

57. This is the desired fear of God in man that he should not only fear God but he should be ever shaking in awe of Him, and the very thought of any punishment from Him should make him tremble. This is the most important quality of a man of faith, and this is not a negative quality but a quality which creates great strength in him. It gives him such a strength that no power in the world can bend him and even a tyrant like Pharao fails to make him submissive.

58. That is: By giving alms and doing charitable deeds they do not remain satisfied that they have fulfilled their responsibility, but inspite of this they are afraid at the very thought of their appearing before their Lord for giving account of their acts, fearing whether such and such an act would be considered sincere by Allah or not, and whether they would be let of unscathed for their acts of commission and omission or not. This condition of their hearts and thinking is not confined to the acts of charity only, but in the case of all other acts of virtue their thoughts run on similar lines. Accordingly in a hadith in reply to a question from Ayesha (R) whether by this are meant those persons who drink wine and steal and rob people, the Prophet (S.A.W.) is reported to have said :

“No, daughter of Siddiq, (it refers to) those who observe fast, who offer salat, and give alms, and they are afraid lest it might not be accepted from them.” -(Tirmizi -Kitabut Tafseer).

In the ayah the condition of the heart or the line of thinking in connection with the giving of alms has been mentioned in particular, because generally the giver of alms and charity becomes an easy prey to showing off or exhibitionism.

59.People of these qualities are not only active in good acts but they vie with others to rush and do the good act quicker than others, as if the real goal is to give a good account in the field of virtue and not in the field of material progress and games, etc.

60. For explanation, see Surah Baqarah, Note No.482.

61. Here the Book means the Book of accounts of man’s deeds. It speaks means it will be a speaking record of man’s deeds and misdeeds.

62.They are not interested in the acts which are worthy, acceptable by God, and guarantor of the success in the Hereafter from the moral point of view. This was the condition of the disbelievers, but in modern times the condition of Muslims is also amazing. What an amazingly large number of Muslims is interested in seeing cricket matches instead of establishing salat, while they have been commanded to establish salat, and not witnessing matches. They spend whole nights in seeing useless films, so much so that at the time of the Tahajjud prayers, which is supposed to be the time when the prayers are answered they waste in watching obscene films on video. Their hearts are attracted towards dargah (mausoleums) while as Muslims their hearts should be attracted towards the Masjid. They will make arrangement on a grand scale for innovative (bidat) rites, like sherbet during Moharram, Khichda, Niaz, Giarwheen, Maulood, Miladunnabi procession etc, but they will remain miles away from the sunnah of the Prophet. They will indulge in wasteful spending and will fritter away their wealth in exhibitionist acts, but they will avoid paying the dues to the deserving and spending in the path of Allah. They will read umpteen books on worldly matters, but they will find no time to read the Book of Allah. Despite these acts of negligence and disregard they think that success in the Hereafter is for them.

63. Seizing the rich and well to do people in punishment means that the divine punishment which will come for the disbelieving nation, it will seek the rich people as its target, for they were the people who had spread corruption in the society. They were absorbed in living a life of pleasure and luxury, and used their wealth in preventing the propagation of truth.

(See Surah Bani Israil, ayah No.16, Note No.20

264). Refers to the practice of the polytheists of Makkah who used to arrange nightly meetings of story-telling and arrogantly belied Qur’an, and used to say absurd things against it.

65. Had they pondered over the Divine Word, the holy Qur’an, they would have realised that it is a Book from Allah, and they would have appreciated it, but without pondering over it they formed a prejudiced view about it.

This ayah also invites people to ponder over the messages of Qur’an, and this invitation has been given to the deniers. From this it becomes clear that Qur’an has been revealed for all classes and masses to understand, it invites everyone to contemplate over its message. Therefore, it is not right to think that it is for the ulema or the scholars to understand it. In the present day it has become easy to understand the Qur’an on account of its translations being available in almost all the languages of the world. Therefore, there is no reason why a man should not study it. Those who say that Qur’an is not for being understood by the common man, they try to keep Muslims and non-Muslims away from it. They provide a proof of their ignorance and they do not want that the people would establish the right relationship with this Divine Book.

66.That is: The sending down of a prophet among them is not an event that has taken place for the first time, and that the people who preceded them were not unaware of it. Ibrahim and Ismail were messengers from Allah and were their forefathers, and they had built the House of Ka’ba on receiving inspiration from Allah, and had fixed the rites for the Hajj pilgrimage. Then what is the reason for considering revelation and prophethood as something unique ?

67. That is: it is also unlikely that they are finding it difficult to recognise their messenger, for they have gained good experience about the personality of the Prophet, and his truthfulness is well known to them. The signs of prophethood in his personality are so clearly visible that there is no possibility of a doubt about it.

68. For explanation, see Surah Hijr, Note No.8.

69. The real reason for their denial is that they do not like Truth, as it is not in accordance with their desires.

70. The system of universe is running on the basis of truth. If it were to run according to the desires of the people, it would be corrupted and would soon disintegrate, for the desires of the people can be wrong, contradictory and unjust. Even in this world we see that a party which comes to power cannot run the government with success, because different, desires and contradictory views take the peace of truth and justice, with the result that corruption creeps in society and system of government. Therefore, man must become realistic and reality demands that man’s desires should be subservient to truth, and he should not try to manipulate truth to follow his desires. The polytheists wanted to see truth in the form of polytheism, while it is nothing but false desires, and tawheed or monotheism is the absolute truth and the greatest reality of the universe.

71.Qur’an is out and out a Reminder and Admonition for them, which is for their own good. But the thing which was sent down for their own welfare is being shunned by them.

72.That is: O Prophet! You are not demanding any money or recompense from them that they might think that this man is out for making money like the soothsayers.

73. Any person who does not believe in the Hereafter is astray. For a man to find the path of guidance it is necessary that he should believe in the Hereafter. And in believing in the Hereafter amounts to having faith in being revived on the Day of Resurrection, appearing in the presence of Allah and receiving reward or punishment for the acts performed in the world.

74.That is: If We remove their sufferings, they would not be grateful to us but instead would be more active in transgression.

There is a hint in it of the event which had occurred at that time the idolaters of Makkah were facing a great calamity. From the narratives it appears that they were facing a great famine.

75.means that suffering and tribulations in which an idolatrous nation is thrown after the coming of a prophet among them in order that its members may come to their senses. In the Qur’an this divine tradition has been mentioned at several places, e.g.

“We did not send a prophet to township but We did subject its people to tribulation and adversity so that they might grow humble.” -(Surah A’raf- 94 ).

And at another place this warning is given that they would be subjected to a greater punishment in this world so that they might turn to God: Ha Meem Sajdah’s ayah is :

“We will make them taste small punishment before the greater punishment so that they might turn to God.”

The infidels of Makkah had also come within the striking range of divine tradition. From the various narratives it is learnt that they had to pass through the trying experiences of starving during a very severe famine.

76. Small or ordinary punishment is with a view to making them mend themselves, but if they do not take any lesson from that, they would be the target of a greater punishment, which will be the means of their permanent deprivation and despair.