Surah Mu’minun
Contents
The believers are sure to succeed: [23:1]
those who are humble in their prayers, [23:2]
and those who avoid nonsense, [23:3]
and those who work for charity, [23:4]
and those who reserve their private parts [23:5]
for their spouses, or those over whom they have legitimate rights, for they are without blame, [23:6]
while any who seek beyond that are transgressors; [23:7]
and those who honor their trusts and their promises, [23:8]
and those who observe their prayer— [23:9]
they are the inheritors, [23:10]
those who will inherit paradise, where they will abide forever. [23:11]
We created the human being from an extract of earth, [23:12]
then placed it as a drop in a secure repository; [23:13]
then We made the drop a clot, then We made the clot a lump of flesh, then We made the flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We produced another creature from it. So blessed is God, best of creators. [23:14]
And as for you, after that you are going to die: [23:15]
and then you will, on the day of resurrection, be raised up. [23:16]
And We created seven courses above you; and We are never neglectful of Creation, [23:17]
as We send down water from the sky and store it in the ground; and We are able to remove it. [23:18]
And with it We produce for you orchards of dates and vineyards of grapes, which yield you much fruit, and from which you eat; [23:19]
also a tree that comes from Mt. Sinai, which produces an oil and a dressing for those who enjoy. [23:20]
And surely there is a lesson for you in domestic animals: We let you drink of what is in their insides, and you find many benefits in them, and you eat parts of them, [23:21]
and you are carried on them, and on ships as well. [23:22]
We sent Noah to his people; he said, “My people, worship God: you have no other deity. Won’t you then be aware?” [23:23]
But the chiefs of those of his people who scoffed said, “This is nothing but a human like you, who wants to claim superiority over you. But if God had wished, God would have sent down angels. We have never heard of this among our ancestors. [23:24]
“He is only a man, possessed; so watch him for a while.” [23:25]
He said, “My Lord, help me, for they call me a liar!” [23:26]
So We inspired him, “Build the ark under Our oversight, according to Our suggestion. Then when Our decree comes to pass and the water sources overflow, lead mated pairs of every kind into the ark, along with your family, except those of them against whom pronouncement has been made before. And do not speak to Me of those in the wrong, for they are going to be drowned. [23:27]
“Then when you are settled on the ship, you and those with you, then say, ‘Praise be to God, who has rescued us from people who are unjust.’ [23:28]
“And say, ‘My Lord, deliver me to a shore with a blessed landing, as you are the best to provide a harbor.’” [23:29]
Surely there are signs in that, even if We do impose trials. [23:30]
Then We produced another generation after them: [23:31]
and We sent them a messenger from among them: “Worship God— you have no other deity, so won’t you be aware?” [23:32]
But the chiefs of his people who scoffed and denied the meeting of the hereafter, while We had bestowed on them the good things in life, said, “This is nothing but a human being like yourselves— he eats what you eat and drinks what you drink. [23:33]
“If you obey a human like yourselves, then you will surely be lost. [23:34]
“Does he promise you that when you have died and become dust and bones you will be resurrected? [23:35]
“Preposterous, far-fetched, is what you’re being promised! [23:36]
“There’s nothing but our life in the world; we die and we live, but we’re not resurrected. [23:37]
“He is only a man, slandering God with a lie, and we don’t believe him.” [23:38]
He said, “My Lord, help me, for they disavow me.” [23:39]
“After a while,” said God, they will be regretful!” [23:40]
So the blast took them with true justice, turning them into scum; so away with wrongdoing people! [23:41]
Then We produced later generations after them. [23:42]
No people can precede its term, or can put it off. [23:43]
Then We sent Our messengers one after another. Each time its messenger came to a people, they called him a liar. So We made them follow each other, and We made stories of them. So away with people who do not believe! [23:44]
Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron, with Our signs and clear authority, [23:45]
to Pharaoh and his chiefs; but they were insolent, being arrogant people: [23:46]
They said, “Shall we believe in two men like ourselves, whose people are our slaves, yet?” [23:47]
So they called the two of them liars; and thus were among those destroyed. [23:48]
But We had given Moses scripture that they might be guided. [23:49]
And We made a sign of the son of Mary and his mother, and We sheltered them both on high ground with security and flowing springs. [23:50]
Messengers, partake of the good things, and act with integrity; for I know what you are doing. [23:51]
And this community of yours is a single community, and I am your Lord, so be conscious of Me. [23:52]
But they have divided their common interest into sects, each party pleased with what they have. [23:53]
So leave them in their confusion for a while. [23:54]
Do they figure that because We have enriched them with property and children [23:55]
We are hurrying with blessings for them? No, they do not understand [23:56]
that it is those who are wary out of dread of their Lord, [23:57]
and those who believe in the signs of their Lord, [23:58]
and those who do not attribute partners to their Lord, [23:59]
and those who give what they give with apprehensive hearts, because they will return to their Lord, [23:60]
are the ones who hasten to good things; and they take the lead in them. [23:61]
We do not assign a soul more than its capacity; and We have a record that tells the truth; and they will not be done injustice. [23:62]
But their hearts are oblivious of this, and they have activities apart from that, which they will go on doing, [23:63]
until We impose the penalty on those of them surrounded with luxury: then behold how fervently they pray! [23:64]
“Don’t bellow your prayers today, for you will not be helped by Us. [23:65]
“Our signs were recited to you, but you would recoil at once, [23:66]
“being too arrogant, babbling about it like entertainers.” [23:67]
Haven’t they considered the Word, or has there come to them what did not come to their ancestors of yore? [23:68]
Or have they not recognized their messenger, and thus they disavow him? [23:69]
Or do they say he is possessed? No, he has brought them truth, even if most of them hate the truth. [23:70]
If the truth conformed to their desires, the heavens and the earth and all beings in them would have become corrupt. No, We have given them their reminder, but they turn away from their reminder. [23:71]
Do you ask them for payment? Better is payment from your Lord, who is the best of providers. [23:72]
And you do indeed call them to a path that is straight, [23:73]
while those who do not believe in the hereafter are swerving from the path. [23:74]
Even if We had mercy on them and removed the hardship they are suffering, they would still persist in their error, wandering astray. [23:75]
We have already punished them, but they have not humbled themselves to their Lord, and they do not beg, [23:76]
until We have opened to them a door to intense agony: behold how they despair in there! [23:77]
It is God who produced for you hearing and seeing and feeling: you are scarcely grateful. [23:78]
And it is God who scattered you over the earth, and you will be gathered to God. [23:79]
And it is God who gives life and causes death, and the alternation of day and night is due to God; won’t you understand? [23:80]
Instead, they say things like the ancients said: [23:81]
they said, “When we have died and become dust and bones, will we really be resurrected? [23:82]
“We have already been promised this before; these are mere myths of the ancients.” [23:83]
Say, “To whom does the earth belong, and all creatures on it, if you know?” [23:84]
They will say, “To God.” Say, “So won’t you remember?” [23:85]
Say, “Who is the Lord of the seven heavens, and the Lord of the cosmic throne?” [23:86]
They will say, “The ownership is God’s.” Say, “So won’t you be aware?” [23:87]
Say, “In whose hand is the power that rules all things, who protects and needs no protection, if you know?” [23:88]
They will say, “God’s.” Say, “Then how are you being deluded?” [23:89]
No, We brought them truth— but they were themselves being false. [23:90]
God never begot any offspring, and there are no coexistent deities, for each deity would have taken away what it created, and some of them would surely gain ascendancy over others. God is beyond anything they describe, [23:91]
knowing the hidden and the manifest, transcendent beyond any association they impute. [23:92]
Say, “My Lord, if You will show me what they are threatened with, [23:93]
“then, my Lord, don’t put me among an unjust people.” [23:94]
And We are indeed able to show you what We threaten them with. [23:95]
Repel evil by what is better. We know best about what they prescribe. [23:96]
And say, “My Lord, I take refuge with You from the urgings of the devils. [23:97]
“and I take refuge with You, my Lord, lest they get to me.” [23:98]
When death finally comes to one of them, he says, “My Lord, send me back, [23:99]
“that I may do right by what I neglected.” There is no way; for that is just talk. And before them is a gap until the day they’ll be resurrected. [23:100]
Then, when the trumpet is sounded, there will be no more relations among them that day, and they will not ask after each other; [23:101]
and those whose balances are heavy will be the happy ones, [23:102]
while those whose balances are light are the ones who have lost their souls, to abide in hell: [23:103]
The fire will burn their faces as they grimace therein. [23:104]
“Were not My signs related to you, but you called them false?” [23:105]
They will say, “Our Lord, our wretchedness overcame us, and we were a people in error. [23:106]
“Our Lord, get us out of this! Then if we return, it will be us in the wrong.” [23:107]
“Be off into it, and do not speak to Me. [23:108]
“There was a party of My servants who would say, ‘Our Lord, we believe, so forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the best of those who show mercy.’ [23:109]
“But you made them a target of ridicule, to the point where it made you forget My admonition as you were laughing at them, [23:110]
“Today I have rewarded them for the fact that they endured; so they are the ones who are triumphant.” [23:111]
“How many years did you stay on earth?” [23:112]
They will say, “We stayed for a day, or part of a day; but ask those who count.” [23:113]
“You stayed but a little while; if only you had known: [23:114]
“Did you figure We only made you for Jim, and that you would not be returned to Us?” [23:115]
So God is above all, the true ruler; there is no deity other than God, Lord of the most eminent throne. [23:116]
And whoever prays to another deity beside God has no proof for it; his reckoning is with his Lord alone. The ungrateful will never be happy. [23:117]
So say, “My Lord, forgive and have mercy, as You are the best of the merciful.” [23:118]