SiirahAl-Mu'minZn : 23 : 1 - 11 297

(TheBelievers)
SZrah Al-Mu'miniin was revealed i n Makkah and i t h a s 118Verses a n d 6 sections

With the n a m e of Allah, t h e All-Merciful, t h e Very-Merciful

Verses 1- 11

Success is really attained by the believers [I] who are

concentrative in their $ a l a (prayers) [21 and who keep
themselves away from vain things [31, and who are
performers of ZakZh,* [41 and who guard their private
p a r t s [51 except from their wives o r from those
(slave-girls) owned by their right hands, because they
- --

*. Although ZakZh is normally known as the obligatory alms prescribed as a second

pillar of Islam, but the literal meaning of the word is 'purification'. Both the
meanings are possible here. According to the second meaning the reference would
be to the purification of inward qualities i.e. morals. Somc commentators have
construed this verse in this sense. That is why we have used the word 'performers'
as a literal translation of "ahb" (Fa6i!un) instead of 'payers' which admits the
first meaning only.
SiirahAl-Mu'miniin : 23 : 1 - 11 298

are not liable to blame. [ 6 ] However, those who seek

(sexual pleasure) beyond that are the transgressors [71 -
and (success is attained) by those who honestly look
after t h e i r t r u s t s and covenant, [81 and who
consistently observe their prayers. [91 Those are the
inheritors [lo] w h will~ inherit Firdaus (the Paradise).
They will be there forever. 1111

Commentary
Merits and special features of SGrah Al-Mu'minun
MusnZd of Ahmad quotes SayyidnZ 'Umar al-FErGq & t h a t
whenever a wahy was being revealed to the Holy Prophet $& those near
him used to hear a sound like the buzz of the bees. One day when they
heard such a sound, they all waited hoping to learn about the revelation.
When the Holy Prophet $$$ returned to his normal state after receiving
the wahy, he sat down facing the Ka'bah and prayed to Allah in the
followingwords:

"0 Allah, give us more (bounties) and do not decrease (them for
us) .and grant us respect and do not put us to humiliation, and
give us and do not deprive us and give us preference (on our
enemies) and do not give preference (to our enemies) against us
and be pleased with us and make us pleased."

Then the Holy Prophet $& said to his companions, "Just now ten
verses have been revealed to me and anyone who follows them in letter
and spirit will go to heaven." He then recited the first ten verses of SErah
Al-Mu'minGn. (Ibn Kathb)
Nasa'i in his d l +l;(has quoted Yazid Ibn BabnEs that he once
questioned Sayyidah 'A'ishah +hl p, about the habits and the
behavior of the Holy Prophet $& to which she replied that it was according
to what has been revealed in the Qur'En. Then she recited these ten
verses of the Qur'Zn and said, "these verses describe his behavior".
What is FalEh? How and from where can it be obtained?
j&j'J, $1 ,,,3,
Success is really attained by the believers - 23:l.
SGrah Al-Mu'minin : 23 : 1- 11 299
The word faliih (translated above as 'success') has been used in the
Qur'an and Sunnah on numerous occasions. The call to prayers invites
every Muslim towards faliih five times a day. The word signifies the
attainment of all desires a s well as protection from all misfortunes.
(Qamus). It is so comprehensive in its connotation that it may be regarded
as the acme of one's desire - but the total falGh, where no desire remains
unfulfilled or complete immunity from the vicissitudes of fate exists, is not
granted even to great kings or to the most revered prophets of Allah. In
any case there is a n ever-present fear of a decline in or loss of good
fortune, or the apprehension of an impending disaster, and no living
person can claim to be free from it.
Thus it is evident that total faliih cannot be achieved in this world
which is a place of pain and suffering, where nothing is everlasting and
everything must ultimately perish. However this priceless commodity will
be available in another world, namely the Paradise and it is there that
,, a,
8 ,,'D
5
people will achieve all their wishes very promptly d p I.'4~ 3 (They have
all that 'they call for - 36:57). In that world there will be no sorrow, no
distress, and everyone will enter there with the following words on his
lips:

Praise belongs to Allah who has put away all sorrow from us.
Surely our Lord is All-Forgiving, All-Thankful, who of His
bounty has made us to dwell in the abode of everlasting life -
35:34, 35.
This verse also suggest that in this world there is nobody who at some
time or the other has not been afflicted by pain and anguish. Therefore,
on entering the Paradise people will say that they have been delivered
from all sufferings. In Stirah al-A'lZ while the Qur'Zn says that faliih
may be obtained by purifying oneself against sins
.I' p $1 A,'),it also
(A 1 1 1.J'

says that total faliih may be achieved in the Hereafter only. A Person
who aims at faliih must not succumb to the temptations of this world:
'*,- ,,#"D '.
i k y ~ ;691i41
8, 1

(Jj,JJ &
J

&Ij
Nay, but you prefer the present life; and the world to come is
better, and more lasting. - 87: 16, 17
SiirahAl-Mu'miniin: 23 : 1 - 11 300

In brief, while total falah may be obtained in the Paradise only, Allah
grants falEh to his servants in this world also in the narrow sense of the
word i.e. he grants them prosperity and relief from pain. In the present
verse Allah has promised falah to those believers who possess the seven
attributes mentioned therein, and it includes the total faliih which can be
achieved in the Hereafter only in addition to whatever falah may be
obtained in this world.
Here one may ask that while the promise of total faliih in the
Hereafter to the believers who possess the seven attributes mentioned in
this verse is understandable, the common experience is that in this world
the recipients of falZih (prosperity and success) are generally the infidels
and the impious persons. On the other hand the prophets and other
reformers have, in all ages, suffered privations of life. The answer to this
is that since total falZih is to be achieved in the Hereafter only, it is
inevitable that every body in this world, whether he is a good and a pious
man or whether he is a wicked person and an unbeliever, must face a
certain measure of pain and hardship. Similarly every person, good or
bad, has some of his wishes granted in this world. In these circumstances
how is one to decide as to which of these two categories is the recipient of
falah. The answer to this question can only be provided by the fate
which awaits them.
Human experience and observations provide sufficient evidence that
although the pious people who possess the seven attributes mentioned
above may at times face hardships and tribulations in this world, yet very
soon they are released from all distress and they achieve their wishes.
They command the respect of the whole world as long as they live and
then after their death their memory is cherished and revered by all.
The seven attributes of a perfect Believer on the basis of which
he has been promised faliih in this verse both in this world and in
the-Hereafter
The first and most important attribute which is fundamental and
basic to everything else is that a person should be a true believer. The
ohher seven attributes mentioned in the verse are discussed below.
The first attribute is t
& KhushZ (translated in the text as being
concentrative) during prayers. The literal meaning of this word is
--SGrahAl-Mu'minGn :23 : 1 - 11 301
"calmness",but in religious terminology it means "to bring about a state of
perfect concentration in the heart" so that he does not knowingly allow
any thoughts to enter his heart other than the remembrance of Allah. ~t
also means that during prayers a person must abstain from moving his
body and limbs unnecessarily (BayZn ul-Qur'Zn). He must, in particular,
avoid those movements of the body which have been forbidden by the
Holy Prophet and which the jurists have compiled under the general
heading oLj$ (things which are disliked during prayers). Tafsir
Maqhari quotes the above definition of t$ (Khushii') from SayyidnE
'Arnr Ibn DhZr &. Other scholars have given different definitions of this
word, but they are in fact further details of what the serenity of the heart
and the body means. For instance, according to SayyidnZ Mujiihid,
casting down one's eyes and keeping the voice low is t & whereas
SayyidnZ 'A1I & said that ts is to refrain from casting sideways
glances obliquely. SayyidnZ 'A@ says that the word means "not toying
with any part of the body". There is a hadith from SayyidnZ AbG Dharr
& that the Holy Prophet $&' once said, "Allah keeps an eye over His
servant during prayers so long as he concentrates his attention on Allah,
but when he turns his attention elsewhere and glances obliquely
sideways, Allah also turns away from him." (Ma~har:)The Holy Prophet $&
is reported to have directed SayyidnZ 'Anas & to keep his eyes fixed at
the spot which he touched with his forehead when performing sajdah
(prostration)and not to look right and left during prayers.
Sayyidna Abii Hurairah 4$%says that the Holy Prophet saw a man
praying who was toying with his beard and remarked cll;;J 1.b
(If this man had KhushYi' in his heart, his body and limbs would
have remained calm).
How important is KhushG' during prayers?
Imam Ghazzali, Qurtubi and some other scholars are of the view that
Khushu' during prayers is obligatory and a prayer offered.without total
Khushii' will be deemed not to have been performed. However there are
3thers who believe that while Khushii' is the essence of prayers and its
absence deprives the prayers of their true purpose, yet i t cannot be
regarded as an indispensable condition for the prayers to be valid and its
absence will not render it necessary to repeat performance of the prayers.
Hakim ul-Ummah has written in Bayiin ul-QurYEnt h s t while
KhushT is not a necessary condition for the validity of the prayers, yet it
is an essential element for the acceptance of the prayers by Allah and
from this point of view it is obligatory. TabarZni in his book al-Mu'jim
al-Kabk has related a hadith on the authority of Sayyidnii Abii ~ a r d i i '
& that the Holy Prophet said, "The first thing that will be taken away
from this Ummah is Khushu' so much so that a time will come when no
one will be left to practice Khushu"'.
The second attribute of a good Muslim is that he abstains from
frivolous and vain things. (Laghw, translated in the text as 'vain
things') means useless talk and action which do not bring any religious
reward and in its extreme form it may include sinful acts t h a t are
positively harmful and must, therefore, be avoided. And in its mild from
laghw is neither useful nor harmful but it is very desirable to give up this
habit. There is a hadith in which the Holy Prophet #&said f ~y l ,y
eru Y L. d~(It is a part of one's being a fair Muslim that he gives up all
that is useless for him). For these reasons guarding oneself against
useless acts has been described as an attribute of a good Muslim in this
verse.
The third attribute is ZakKh which, literally means "to purify" but
in religious terminology it means giving in charity a portion of one's
wealth subject to certain prescribed conditions and the word has been
generally used in the Qur'Zn in this sense. This meaning of the word can
be applied in this verse also. However this meaning of the word in the
present context has been questioned by some scholars on the ground that
this verse was revealed in Makkah when ZakTih was not made obligatory.
(ZakZh was made obligatory after Hijrah to Madinah). Ibn Kathir and
other commentators have answered this objection by claiming that ZakKh
was in actual fact made obligatory in Makkah as will be evident from
SErah Al-Muzzammil, which is by consensus a Makkan S'Cirah, in which
the words ;$>Il,?j (and pay zakah) occur alongside of the words 6$~112i
However arrangements for its collection and details regarding the
determination of wealth liable to ZakKh ( n i g s )were settled after Hijrah
to Madhah. According to this interpretation of the verse ZakKh was made
obligatory in Makkah but rules prescribing its various details were
formulated in Madhah. As regards t k s e scholars who hold the view that
ZakKh was made obligatory after Hijrah to Madhah, they believe that
the word must be interpreted here in its common literal sense i.e. to purify
one's own self. There is an indication in the verse itself which supports
this meaning of the word. It will be observed that wherever obligatory
ZakZh has been mentioned in the Qur7Znthe words used are '5j(>1
.
:G!
~,.Y>I oJJ?and $31
>"'
(which refer to the 'payment' of zakah) whereas
here the words used are ;y>(who are performers of zakah) which
clearly indicates t h a t in this verse the word has not been used in its
,
technical meaning. Besides, the word L&L (performers) is related to 3L(
(performance) and technically Zakah is not an act but a portion of wealth
and the use of the word for this portion of wealth needs suitable
explanation. If the technical meaning of the word ZakZh is adopted, then
its being obligatory and binding on all Muslims is undisputed and if the
word means purification of soul then that too is obligatory and to c l ~ a n s e
one's soul of impurities and sins such as polytheism, hypocrisy, vanity,
jealousy, hatred, greed, miserliness is called $3 (tazkiyah). All these
things are forbidden and are major sins and it is obligatory to purify one's
soul from them.
Forth Attribute is guarding ones private parts against unlawful
,>' .,'a \!
," ,3
p" 241; (And who guard
liaison. +,+I G j i &I;$$ ,.
their private parts except from their wives or from those (slave-girls)
owned by their right hands - 23:5,6). They satisfy their needs with their
wives and their legal bondmaids according to the prescribed laws and
,, ,'. 3,-* 3 J*
avoid unlawful liaison. About these people the Qur'En says 2 &i
(Because they are not liable to blame - 23:6), which also means that the
sexual desire must be kept under strict control and must not be allowed to
become a means of gratification of one's passions.

;jWl @k, @i;T;i 31

$ (However, those who s e e k (sexual
pleasure) beyond that are the transgressors - 7). Satisfying one's desire
with someone other than one's own wife or a lawfully acquired slave-girl
is strictly forbidden and the ban includes adultery (marrying a woman
whom one is not allowed to marry under the religious code is also
adultery), having sex with one's wife or slave-girl when s h e i s
menstruating or is confined, or having unnatural sex with them,
homosexuality and bestiality, while most jurists include masturbation also
in the ban. (TafsTrBayanul-Qurzn, Qurtubi, al-Bahr ul-Muhit, etc.)
Fifth Attribute of a good Muslim is that he should discharge his
SiirahAl-Mu'minun : 23 : 1 - 11 304

trust truly and faithfully. 5 9 ,bGj ~ +Y pp - ,> .>.#

(And [success is
attained] by those who honestly look after their trusts and covenant, -
23:8). The word o c ~(trusts)
f covers everything which a person has
undertaken to perform or which have been placed under his care as trust.
Since it may be of many kinds, the word is used in plural, so that it may
include all sorts of trusts whether they may relate to the rights of Allah or
to the rights of human beings. To perform scrupulously all the injunctions
and duties made obligatory by religious laws and to abstain from things
which have been forbidden or declared undesirable is to look after the
trust that relates to the rights of Allah. As regards the discharge of trusts
relating to the rights of human beings, these take numerous forms, and
the most well-known is that a person must promptly return to the owner
on demand any goods which have been in his custody as trust. Any
information received in confidence is a trust and to reveal it to anybody
else without the permission of the person who gave it is a breach of trust.
Mutual settlement between an employer and an employee of the terms of
employment, i.e. the work to be done and time to be spent in the
performance of work, and the wages to be paid is a trust and binding on
both the parties and a violation of this agreement by either party would
constitute a breach of t r u s t . Hence discharge of t r u s t i s a n
all-encompassingword.
Sixth Attribute of a perfect Muslim is to fulfill his covenant. The
word -&(covenant) has two connotations. One is a covenant between two
parties specifying the duties and obligations of either party and is binding
on both and a breach of this covenant by either party is a fraud and
deceit and therefore forbidden in Islam. The other is where a person
voluntarily promises to give something to someone or undertakes to do
some job. This is known as oGj (promise) and its fulfillment is also
obligatory under the dictates of Sharlah. There is a Hadith which says
2 3 (a promise is like a debt). It means that a promise is like a debt and
must be fulfilled in the same manner as a debt must be discharged, the
difference being that whereas the repayment of a debt can be enforced
through a court of law, a voluntary promise is not enforceable likewise.
Nevertheless the person making the promise is morally bound to abide by
it and failure to do so would be a sin unless there is a religious ground for
his inability to fulfill his promise.
Seventh attribute
&& & ~$1; ((And who consistently observe their prayers -
23:9). To observe one's prayers here means to offer them regularly a t the
appointed time, and the word (Prayers) has been used in the plural
form to include all the five prayers. In an earlier verses the word ;&
(Saliih: prayer) was used in the singular because the emphasis was on
KhushE' which is the essence of all prayers whether they are fard, wiijib,
sunnah or na@.
A careful study of the above seven attributes would show that they
encompass all the duties which man owes to Allah and to fellow men, and
all the laws governing those duties. A person who possesses these
attr'ibutes and adheres to them is a complete mu'min (believer) and
deberving of fali3h in this world and in the Hereafter. It will also be noted
that these seven attributes begin and also end with a reference to prayers
which suggests that if prayers are offered in the pltescribed manner with
all their requirements, the other attributes will appear automatically.

Those are the inheritors who will inherit Firdaus (Paradise)- 23:10.11.
The good Muslims who possess the attributes described above have
been declared in this verse to be the heirs to the garden of Paradise.
There is a suggestion here that just as the assets of a deceased person
must devolve on his heirs, similarly the possessors of these attributes will,
without doubt, enter Paradise. It should be noted that the possessors of
these seven qualities have been mentioned in the beginning as those who
attain falah or success, then after describing these qualities i t is
mentioned in this last sentence that possessors of these qualities will
inherit Paradise. This indicates that the total fallih (success) may be
achieved in Paradise only.

Verses 12 22 -
And We have created man from an extract of clay. [I21
Then We made him a sperm-dropin a firm resting place.
[I31 Then We made the sperm-drop into a clot, then We
turned the clot into a foetus-lump, then We made the
foetus-lump into bones, then We clothed the bones with
flesh; thereafter We developed it into another creature.
So, glorious is Allah, the Best of the creators. [I41 Then,
after all this, you are to die. [I51 Then you are to be
raised again on the Day of Judgment. [I61
And We created upon you seven paths (heavens) and We
were never neglectful of the creation. [I71
And We sent down water from the sky in due measure,
then We lodged it in the earth, and of course, We are
able to take i t away. [I81 Then We produced with it
gardens of date-palms and vines for your benefit. For
you there are many fruits in them, and of them you eat
[I91 - and (We produced) a tree (of olive) that comes out
from the (mount) s r of Sinai, which grows having oil
and a dressing for those who eat. [201
And indeed there is a sure lesson in the cattle for you.
We give you a drink from that which lies in their
bellies, and for you there are many benefits in them,
 and of them you eat, [211 and on them and on the boats
you are transported. [221

Commentary
In the earlier verses it was explained that man can achieve falah
(success) in this world and in the Hereafter by spending his time in
assiduously worshipping Allah and, in compliance with His commands, by
keeping his body and soul pure at all times and by discharging the claims
and duties which he owes to fellow human beings. The present verse
gives a n account of the universal and supreme power of Allah the
Almighty and a manifestation of His power in the process leading to the
creation of the human race. If a person whom Allah has given wisdom
and intelligence ponders seriously the meanings of these verses, he must
necessarily choose the path which would lead him to falah in this world
and in the Hereafter
J, :*&>;~:j,p&a.
,-,d.
And We have created man from an extract of clay. - 23:12
The word hi% sulZilah means "extract" and & means "wet earth" or
clay and the verse means t h a t man was created from some special
elements extracted from earth. Creation of mankind began with Sayyidna
-
'Adam @\who was himself created from this essence of earth. Therefore
the first creation has been related to earth after which the seed of one
man becomes the means of another man's creation. In the next verse $
%% (then We made him a sperm-drop) this same point has been
mentioned differently. The meaning of all this is that the first life i.e.
SayyidnZ 'Adam ?%!dl was created from earth and continued further with
the sperm which is a refined element of the same earth. This is how a
majority of commentators have explained this verse. Another view is that
& $d (extract of clay) may also mean human seed because i t is
iroduced from the food which a man takes and the food grows out of the
earth.
Seven stages of the creation of man
In the above verse seven stages in the creation of man have been
described. These are:
(1)& I
J% (an extract of clay).
(2) (sperm-drop),
 (3) (clot),
(4)2(foetus-lump),
(5) C& (bones),
(6) clothing bones with flesh, and
(7) completion of the process of creation by blowing the spirit into the
child.
A very interesting story about Sayyidnii 'Abbiis &
Qurtubi in his commentary has related a very interesting story in
which SayyidnE 'Abbas @ is said to have determined the exact date of
9
.
r r r

the Night of Majesty (&I+) and based his reasoning on this verse: The
story goes likes this. One day Sayyidna 'Umar & while sitting in the
company of some eminent companions of the Holy Prophet $&, asked them
on what d a t e of t h e month of Ramadan t h e Night of Majesty
(Lailatulqadr) would fall. None of them was able to mention a specific
date so they all said that only Allah knew the answer. Sayyidna Umar &
then turned to SayyidnZ Ibn 'Abbas & who was the youngest among
them and asked him if he had an answer to the question. Sayyidna Ibn
'Abbas & then said, " 0 Amir ul-Mominin! Allah created seven skies and
seven earths. He created man in seven stages and provided him
sustenance from seven sources. Therefore in my opinion the Night of
.,>.
rr9
Majesty ( J U\ will surely fall on the twenty-seventh night of the
month of Ramadan." When SayyidnE Umar & heard this reasoning, he
said to the companions, "See, this lad has given an answer which none of
you could give". This story is reproduced at length in the MusnEd of Ibn
Abi Shaibah. When SayyidnE Ibn 'AbbEs & mentioned the seven stages
of man's creation, he was obviously alluding to this verse. As for the seven
sources of human sustenance, the reference is to the verse in Siirah
'Abas :
g ; ~ ~ ; ~ & T z ; ~ ; ~ $ - j ; & ; &-;,g ~ ~ t i
I, 91,

And therein made the grains to grow and vines, and reeds, and
olives, and palms, and clense-tree gardens, and fruits, and
pastures. 90:27 - 31

This verse mentions eight items of which the first seven are food for
human beings and the eighth provides fodder for animals.
 The supreme beauty and eloquence of the Qur'Znic language is
evident from the fact that the seven stages of the creation of man have
not all been described in the same manner. I n describing t h e
metamorphosis of the human foetus from one stage to the next, the word
(afterwards)has been used at some place which is a suggestion of some
delay in the process, while at other places the particle 3 has been used as
a prefix indicating uninterrupted succession in the process of change.
Some of the changes in the human foetus in mother's womb take a long
time to take place whereas other changes occur in relatively shorter
?
periods. Thus the word has been used in the context of the first two
changes. First there is & ?% (an extract of clay) which changes into
#.,3 j 3 , -

?
the seed lib; & (then We made him a sperm-drop). Now it is well
known that the production of food from the earth, its absorption in the
human body of that special element which changes into the seed is a long
drawn out process. Similarly the third stage of the transformation from
the sperm-drop a
to clot a
takes a long time*to materialize and has
I.. r, r r r r r #3

been described by the Qur'Zn in the words LLG;14k;ll- (; (then We made

the sperm-drop into a clot - 23:14). The next three stages, i.e. from &
(clot) to (foetus-lump), from to bones, and thirdly clothing flesh
on bones occurring in short periods is not too remote a possibility, and in
describing these three changes the particle d has been used which, as
has been explained earlier, is indicative of uninterrupted succession. The
final change in the condition of the unborn child comes when life and soul
are breathed into it. And since, according to human reckoning, putting
life and soul into a lifeless mass must necessarily take a long time,
therefore, here again the word has been used to describe this final
stage of transformation.
The final stage in human creation, i.e. putting life and soul into it
The Qur'Zn describes this change with the words p i liLc 2W (We
, r # ,r

?
developed it into another creature - 23:14). This distinction is due to the
fact that whereas the first six stages in the creation of man are related to
the world of elements and substances, the final stage relates to the
transfer of soul from the world of spirits into his body and is, therefore,
described as >T &.,i.e. a special or distinct creation.
Biological spirit and Real Spirit
"We developed it into another creature" in this verse is i n t e r p r e ~ dby
Ibn 'AbbZs, MujZhid, Sha'bi, 'Ikrimah, Dahhak and Abul-'Aliyah to mean
blowing spirit into the body. TafsG Maghari mentions that most probably
it refers to the biological spirit. According to its explanation spirits are of
two kinds. Biological spirit is a subtle substance embedded in every part of
the body of a human being or an animal. This is the spirit recognized by
medical scientists and the philosophers. This biological spirit is created
after the organs are created. That is why its creation is mentioned in this
verse with the word (thereafter). The other kind of spirit is the 'Real
spirit'. It belongs to the spiritual universe. This real spirit was created
long before the creation of human beings, and it is these spirits which
were assembled by Allah when He asked them, "AmI not your Lord?" and
they answered, "Why not?" This Real Spirit having been created long
before, is connected by Allah Ta'ZlZ with biological spirit in a manner not
known to anyone. Life of man depends on this connection and when
biological spirit of a person is disconnected from Real Spirit, he dies.
Therefore, it is also possible that it is this connection which is referred to
in this verse by the words another creation.
, a ,,,*,i
>,dl s(So,
dl 3 glwious is Allah, the best of the creators-
23:14). The word & and & mean "to create something from nothing",
which is a very special and exclusive attribute of Allah. Thus, Allah alone
is the creator and none else. Neither an angel nor man can create
anything. However sometime these two words are used in the sense of
manufacturing which is no more than the reshaping and assembly by
man of substances created by Allah. The man who does this is also called
,
9 ,,#,>.
the creator of an article. The Qur'Zn says G ! d p L ; (you invent a lie-
.,>,.
29:17), and again it says about SayyidnZ 'fsZ $1 $ &I 55
$1 (I create for you from clay something in the shape of a bird - 3:49). In
all these places the word & (creating) has been used in the metaphorical
sense to mean "manufacture".
Here the word 2,k (creators) has been used in the plural and the
meaning is that though ordinary human beings who manufacture things
may also be called &-or creators in the metaphorical sense, yet Allah is
the best among all those creators.
;Jp&Jj&$;
Then, after all this, you are to die - 23:15
The preceding three verses were about the creation of man and this
verse and the one which follows is about the life to come. In this verse
Allah says that after his creation man will spend a period of time in this
world and then will meet his death from which there is no escape. Then
He says that man will be raised on the Day of Resurrection MI $1
>',,J
iz
d,+ (Then you are to be raised again on the Day of Judgment - 23:16) so
that his deeds and actions in this world may be weighed and he may be
sent to Paradise or Hell as he deserves. This is how a man's life would
end. Further on there is a brief mention of the events which will take
place in the intervening period between his life in this world and the life
to come, and of the gift and blessings which Allah will bestow upon him.
This is prefaced by a reference to the creation of the skies.

And We created upon you seven paths (heavens)- 23:17

is the plural of G$ which may also be used as a synonym for &
&I$
(tier) in which case the meaning would be that Allah created seven skies
overhead row upon row in tiers. The other and more common meaning of
the word dJ is "road" or "passage" in which case the verse would mean
that these skies provide a path for the angels who bring commands from
Allah to the earth.
.. s\
> $ , L j (And We were never neglectful of the creation -
L?
23:17). The verse means that Allah did not just abandon man after
creating him, but was ever mindful of his needs and provided the means
for his sustenance and growth. To this end He first created the skies and
from the skies He sent forth rains upon the earth which then produced
food for men's nourishment.
The Divine system of providing water to meet human needs
@
;;;' I
$ f +G; & I
. <!;$ >;g, 2 ~ G ~ Le
I
G2'3
: gq*
I *
f ; $a,
~

And We sent down water from the sky in due measure, then We
lodged it in the earth, and of course, We are able to take it
away. - 23:18
The addition of the phrase J~ (In due measure) shows how feeble
and utterly powerless man is, because if the very things without which no
life can exist exceed a certain limit, they become the cause of death and
destruction. Water is a case in point without which no living thing - man
- -

or beast - can survive. Torrential rains coming down from the sky cause a
deluge which becomes a source of misery for human beings. But Allah is
kind anci merciful and He sends rains which, while fulfilling man's needs,
do not turn into flood except at those places where it is His will that they
should be engulfed in water. Another point to consider is that if man was
to obtain his daily requirement of water through daily rainfall, that too
would cause extreme discomfort and suffering, because he is not by
nature adapted to live in an environment where rain falls every day.
Moreover the conduct of business would become impossible in such
conditions. On the other hand, if the total quantity of water that men
would need for a whole year, or for six months or even for three months
were to come down in a single downpour and people are told to store their
quota of water and use it according to their daily needs, that would be an
impossible task because, apart from lack of adequate storage capacity, the
water would become foul and unfit for consumption. Therefore Allah has
regulated the supply of water in such a way that when rains come, the
water saturates the earth and the plants and then it flows into lakes,
ponds and natural depressions where it is used by men and animals
according to their needs. But the water stored in this manner can only
last for a limited time and men of different regions need a continuous
supply of fresh water. To meet this eventuality Allah has designed a
system by which very large quantities of water are converted into oceans
of ice and snow and placed on top of mountains where the atmosphere'is
pure and free from pollution. Slowly and gradually the snow melts and
the water seeps through the pores in the mountains and flows into the
network of underground water channels which carry it to all parts as
springs and flow on the surface of the earth as streams, water courses and
rivers. This fresh running water provides drinking water to men and
animals and irrigates fields which yield food and fodder for all living
things. Another part of the water percolates deep into the ground and
becomes sub-soil water and is drawn up from wells. This entire design and
,L, ,,
process is covered in the Qur'Zn by a simple and short sentence $ &li
@JYI(23:18). A point is also made at the end of the verse that the sub-soil
water which is drawn from wells has been placed by merciful Allah at a
depth from where it can be drawn easily because by its nature, water
flows downwards and could have gone down to a depth from where it
would have been impossible to draw i t out. This is explained by the
sentence 5xG +.C L,; . ~ c!j and, of course, We are able to take i t
away(23:18).
The Qar'Zn then goes on to say that it is from an assured and regular
supply of water only that Allah created fruit gardens which produce dates
and grapes and many other kinds of fruits. People eat these fruit for their
taste and flavour and also preserve some of them for future use as articles
,,>>..
of food as is evident from the sentence i)+ &j (And of them you eat -
2 3 : ~ )Then
. special mention is made of olives and the oil extracted from it
because it has many uses and offers many benefits. And since the Mount
Sinai produces an abundant crop of olives therefore a reference has been
made to it $ ~ i;;
>,>'*.,
,.+'., (And [We produced] a tree [of olive] that
comes out from the [mount] TGr of Sinai. - 23:20). Sinai is the name of the
area where the Ttir Mountain is located. Olive oil can be used to massage
the body, in lamps to provide light and in food as a curry or dressing. This
has been expressed in the verse in the words. x$ $j $34
. . (which
grows having oil and a dressing for those who eat - 23:20). The reason
why olive tree has been associated with the TGr mountain is that this tree
first grew on that mountain. Some people have said that it was the first
tree to grow on earth after the great Deluge in the days of SayyidnZ Niih
mi. (Ma~hari)

Then there is a mention of the blessings and the numerous gifts which
Allah has provided for the benefit of mankind so that they may ponder
and worship Him. The words of the verse are i% J $~ ?!* ,(And
j
indeed there is a sure lesson in the cattle for you - 23:21). The lesson to
which this verse refers has been described further in the words &
j give you a drink from that which lies in their bellies - 2321).
I;..$ ,'(We
Some of the ways in which the cattle serve mankind are that they provide
milk which is a very clear and nourishing food; every part of their body is
put to some use, and their wool, hides, intestines etc. are all utilized, in
industries which support a country's economy, the meat of the animals,
,)>J>#

which are hala (permissible) is a favourite food for all men. d$L- l&j
(and of them you eat - 23:21). And finally they are used, together with
ships, as mounts and as means of transporting goods from one place to
another. In the last benefit, ships and boats are also included, because
they are also used in transportation jw @I&; @; (And on them
and on the boats you are transported - 23:22). All types of mounts which
 - -

a r e run with wheels may also be added to fulk (boats) because they
render the same service.

-
Verses 23 30

And surely, We sent Niih to his nation. So he said, ''0

my people, worship Allah. You have no god whatsoever
other than Him. So, do you not fear Allah?" [231 So, said
the disbelieving chiefs from among his nation, 'This
(man) is nothing but a human being like you. He
wishes to impose his superiority over you. Had Allah
willed, He would have sent down angels. We have not
heard of such a thing among our forefathers. 1241 He is
none but a man possessed by madness, so wait for
(what happens to) him, for some time" [251
He said, 'My Lord, help me, for they have belied me."
[261 So, We sent Our revelation to him, saying, "Makethe
Siirah Al-Mu'miniin : 23 : 31 - 41 315
ship under Our eyes and Our revelation. So, when Our
command comes and the oven gushes forth, take on its
board a pair of two from each (species) along with your
family, except those of them against whom the word
has already passed. And do not speak to Me (in favour)
of those who did wrong. They are sure to be drowned.
[27] So, when you and those with you, are well seated in
the ship, say, 'Praise is for Allah who saved us from the
wrongdoing people.' [28] And say, 'My Lord, make me
land a blessed landing. And You are the best of those
who bring (someone) to land"'. [291
Surely, there are signs in it and We do always test
(people). 1301
;$!I ;ij (And the oven gushes forth - 2327). The word J$means oven
which is used for making flat, round bread, and is also used in the sense
of the whole earth. According to some people J$is a specific oven in the
KGGh mosque, while others believe that it was somewhere in Syria.
SayyidnG Niih @\ was informed by Allah that when water began
boiling forth from the ,$ (oven) that would be the sign of the coming of
the Deluge (MazharT). The story of SayyidnZ NGh 1- , the Deluge and
his Ark has been reported in some earlier Surahs (See Volume 4, p. 626 t o
643).

-
Verses 31 41
 Then after them We created another generation, [311 and
sent among them a messenger from themselves (to
convey the message): 'Worship Allah; you have no god
whatsoever than Him. So do you not fear Allah?" [321 So
said those chiefs of his nation who disbelieved and
belied facing the Hereafter and whom We made affluent
in the worldly life, 'This (man) is nothing but a human
being. He eats from what you eat from, and drinks from
what you drink. [331 And if you obey a human like you,
you will be absolute losers. [341 Does he promise you
that, when you die and are turned into dust and bones,
you are to be brought forth? [351 Far too improbable is
what you are being promised. [361 There is nothing but
our worldly life. We die and we live and we are not to
be raised again. [371 He is nothing but a man who has
forged a lie against Allah and we are not going to
believe in him!' [381
He said, ''My Lord, help me, for they have belied me!' [391
He (Allah) said, 'qn a little while they have to become
remorseful!' [401 So the Cry seized them according to the
true (promise), and We turned them in to scum. So,woe
to the wrongdoing people. [411

In the earlier verses the story of SayyidnZ Niih @I was told who was
sent to his people to guide them along the path of righteousness and the
following verses contain a brief account of some other prophets without
mentioning their names and the people for whose guidance they were
sent. From certain references and allusions the commentators have
concluded that the verses refer to SayyidnZ E d or Sayyidna Saih
@\ who were sent for the guidance of the tribes of 'Ad and Thamiid
respectively. In the present story both these tribes are reported to have
perished as a result of G (Cry) from an unseen source, whereas in
other verses it has been specifically mentioned that it was the tribe of
Siirah Al-Mu'miniin : 23 : 42 - 50 317
ThamEd which perished from 'G2 (Cry) and this had led some scholars to
.,'
the view that the words 3pT L j (another generation) refers to Thamlid.
An alternative explanation is that the word 'G2 (Cry) has been used in
the general sense of punishment from Allah in which case i t would
include the tribe of 'Ad also.

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 t h a t many Muslims also act i n 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.

Verses 42 - 50

&i $41
ii'
*. *-
' , ,
L 4iy) >+\ LY
, ,
b I , @,'?,
,
,
r*
,J,,,iii'

LUI +

c$J 1%
,'
+
','/
,
, ,iii
L&
,"
& L+l;
0>,"' J,'?

o3&

,J,,, iii #, ra', ,,,, ,, 0 ' , ,, ,> ' / J , ,' S , ,

$3;J!1-gi-j\, 4'1b!,cl/ %j 4 t ?+ lcgW

Then, after them, We created another generation. [421 No

community can go ahead of its appointed time, nor can
they stay behind. [431 Thereafter, We sent Our
- -

messengers successively. Whenever a community was

approached by its messenger they belied him. Then We
made some of them follow others (in destruction) and
turned them into tales (of history). So, woe to a people
who do not believe. [44]
Thereafter, We sent Miisii and his brother Hiirin, with
Our signs and a clear proof [451 towards Fir'aun (the
Pharaoh) and his advisors. But they showed arrogance
and they were haughty people. [46] So they said, "shall
we believe in two humans who are like ourselves and
whose people are serving us as slaves?" [471 Thus they
belied both of them and were among the destroyed. [481
And, of course, We gave MisZ the Book, so that they
may take the right path. [49]
And We made the son of Maryam (Mary) and his mother
a sign and gave them shelter on a height, a place of rest
and running springs. [SO]

Commentary -
>'.
@; 213oli;;5 I, a
J! b . 4 , (and We gave them shelter on a height, a
r

place of rest and running springs). According to BayZn-ul-Qur'En, this

verse refers to the event that a tyrant was resolute to kill SayyidnZ ?sZ
and his mother rXJl l-+ 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 Sayyidnii 'Is% =\
attained maturity and
was e n t r u s t e d with prophethood. ( T h i s c o m m e n t a r y i s t a k e n f r o m
Khulasa-e-tafsir of Ma'ariful-Qur'iin).

Verses 51 - 56
 0 messengers, eat from the good things, and act
righteously. Of whatever you do, I am fully aware. [51]
And surely, this is your creed, a single creed, and I am
your Lord. So fear Me. [521 But they split up ways from
one another (dividing themselves) into factions, each
faction happy with what lies before it. 1531 So leave
them in their negligence for some time. [541
Do they think that by consistently providing them with
wealth and children, [551 We are accelerating the (real)
good things to them? The fact, however, is that they do
not understand (the reality). 1561

Commentary
'
QG \@I; 41
& I;L(&>I
$6
" Jd
(0 messengers, eat from the good
things and act, kghteously - 23:51.) The word a& means pure and good
things. Since things which are forbidden under the Islamic laws are
neither pure nor desirable for people who are .gifted with common sense, it
follows that the word a& refers only to the things which are permitted
under the Islamic ~ h a r i ' a hand which are not only good in appearance,
but also pure in their intrinsic nature. This verse also tells us that all the
prophets were enjoined by Allah to do two things - eat food which is clean
and permissible under Shariah, and to do good deeds, and considering
that these injunctions have been addressed to prophets who are
impeccable in any case, it is necessary that their followers should strive
hard to mould their lives according to these injunctions. This in fact is the
real meaning of this verse.
Scholars have expressed the view that the Juxtaposition of these two
commands points to the fact that the consumption of lawful food has a
very important bearing on human actions and when a person takes
lawful food only, a divine guidance takes his actions along the path of
righteousness. But if the food is unlawful, then serious obstacles will
prevent the accomplishment of good deeds in spite of his best intentions.
According to a hadith, people travel long wearing miles and are covered
with dust and they pray to Allah with hands upraised calling out "0 Lord,
0 Lord!" But since they eat forbidden things and their clothes are also
made from forbidden material, there is little hope of their prayers being
granted. (Qurtub;) Thus it is evident that a person hoping that his worship
will get him the pleasure of Allah or that his prayers will be granted by
Siirah Al-Mu'miniin : 23 : 57 - 62 320
Hjm must pay scrupulous attention to what he eats and must, at all times,
avoid eating unlawful things.
#'a'> "
i&lj rkJl i$ ;!
(And surely this is your creed, a single creed - 23:52).
The word d\is used to describe a group or the followers of a prophet.
Sometimes it is also used in the sense of "faith", "creed"or "way of life", as
in the verse '$i& C;UltGj (We found our fathers upon a creed - 43:22). In
the present verse the word ummah has been used in the latter sense.
, ,
a',. >.,* ,3 a **,
G>J
I$j + +I I+
(But they split up ways from one another (dividing
themsklves) into factions - 23:53). The word i 5 is the plural of ,;j meaning
a book, and the verse would mean that Allah had commanded all
prophets and their followers to adhere to the one and only faith revealed
by Him in all matters relating to the basic principles and beliefs. But the
followers of different prophets split up into groups and sects and each one
of them chose a different way of life and adopted a differeot book in
which the beliefs of each group and sect were recorded. Sometimes > jis
used for the plural of 03; (zubrah)meaning "fragment" or "group". This
meaning is more appropriate here and the meaning of the verse would be
t h a t these people were divided into sects even in t h e matter of
fundamental beliefs of their religion. It should be noted t h a t the
difference of opinion among the mujtahidin (competent Shari'ah
Scholars) in some minor issues is not included in this division which is
condemned in this verse, because these differences do not cause a division
of the religion, nor do the people maintaining these differences become
separate sects. Giving these interpretative and subsidiary differences a
sectarian colour is the height of ignorance and no religious scholar would
support it.
Verses 57 - 62
S i r a h Al-Mu'minin : 23 : 57 - 62 321
(Contrarily) those who are anxious out of awe of their
Lord, [57] and those who believe in the verses of their
Lord [58] and those who do not associate any partner to
their Lord, t591 And those who give whatever they give
with their hearts full of fear that to their Lord they are
-
to return [601 those people are accelerating towards
the (real) good things, and they are the foremost to
attain them. [611
We do not place a burden on anyone except to his
capability. And with Us is a book which speaks with
truth, and they shall not be wronged. [621

Commentary
, ,#>,'<#
&, @&, \;]I G ;$$ ;;dl; (And those who give whatever they give with
"*

their hearts full of fear - 23:60.) The word a$$ is derived from r 4 I meaning
"to give, to spend", and is used in commentaries in the sense of &&(alms
to the poor). Another reading of this verse reported from Sayyidah
'Aishah + &)is .i (They do whatever they do - 23:60) and this
covers all good deeds such as charity, prayers, fasting etc. As for the
generally accepted reading of the verse, although it mentions alms to the
poor only, yet it would include all good deeds also as is borne out by a
hadith. Sayyidah 'xishah 4;c hl dJasked the Holy Prophet $$ the
meaning of this verse whether those who do these deeds are the ones who
drink wine and steal things. The Holy Prophet replied, "0 daughter of
Siddiq & ! It is not as you say. These are the people who observe fasts,
say their prayers and give alms, yet they are apprehensive lest, due to
some mind lapse on their part, all their good deeds may not be accepted by
Allah. They hasten to do good deeds and are foremost, in accomplishing
them." (Ahrnad,Tirmidh;, Ibn MZjah, Mazhari)
Hasan al-Bas6 says that he knew people who did virtuous deeds, yet
were more fearful than people who committed evil deeds. (Quflubi)
s@ p; &jl
5 ;gJL:&J,[
Those people are accelerating towards the (real) good things,
and they are the foremost to attain them. - 23:61
The meaning of p~&h & Li;G is that just as ordinary human beings
run after worldly gains and try to ,leave other competitors behind, these
good and virtuous people strive to gain spiritual reward and try to excel
others in their efforts to fulfill their religious obligations.

Verses 63 - 77

But their hearts are in ignorance about this, and they

h a v e d e e d s , o t h e r t h a n t h a t , which t h e y a r e
continuously doing. [631 Until when We will seize their
affluent ones with punishment, they will suddenly start
crying. [641 "Do not cry today. You will not be helped by
Us. [651 My verses used to be recited to you, but you
used to t u r n back on your heels [661 in arrogance,
 making it a subject of tales at night, talking nonsense
(about it)!' [671 (1)
Then, is it that they did not ponder over the Word (of
Allah) or there has come to them something that did
not come to their forefathers? [681 Or did they not
recognize their messenger and therefore they denied
him? [69] Or do they say, 'He is possessed by madness?'
Instead, the fact is that he has come to them with
truth, but it is the truth that most of them dislike. [70]
And had the t r u t h followed their desires, all the
heavens and the earth and all those therein would have
fallen in total disorder. However, We have brought to
them their advice, but it is their advice that they are
averse to. [711
Or is it that you (0 Muhammad) demand a remunera-
tion from them? But the remuneration from your Lord
is best, and He is the best of all givers. [721 And surely
you are inviting them to a straight path, [731 and those
who do not believe in the Hereafter a r e surely the
deviators from the Path. [741
And if We have mercy on them and remove whatever
distress they have, they would still persist obstinately
in their rebellion, wandering blindly. [75] And We have
already seized them with punishment, but they did not
turn humble to their Lord, nor do they supplicate in
humility, [761 until when We will open against.them the
door of a severe punishment, they will be taken aback
in despair. [771

Commentary
'
i s 3 p+.$ j; (But their hearts are in ignorance) Lexically "' means
> ##>"
'
deep water where a person may drown or be overwhelmed. For this
reason the word is also used t o signify a covering or something t h a t
conceals an object. In this verse the word means the ignorance in which
the hearts of the infidels are submerged and hidden so that no light can

1).Another possible translation of this verse may be as follows: 'but you used to
turn back on your heels, being over-proud of it (the &rEn being looked
after by you), indulging in tales at night, talking nonsense." It is this
second translation on which the forthcoming explanation is based.
Siirah Al-Mu'miniin : 23 : 63 - 77 324

reach them.

And they have deeds, other then that - 23:63

It means that in addition to their rejection of the Oneness of Allah,
and their denial of the true faith, they engage themselves in other sinful
deeds.
+$(their affluent ones - 23:64).The word G$ is derived from ;jj'
meaning comfort and prosperity. This verse mentions t h e Divine
punishment which will descend upon the unbelievers whether rich or
poor. The rich people have been specially mentioned here because they
are the ones who make adequate arrangements to protect themselves
against disasters and misfortunes. But when retribution comes from
Allah, they find themselves totally helpless. According to SayyidnZ Ibn
'AbbZs & the punishment which is mentioned in this verse is an allusion
to the crushing defeat which the infidels of Makkah suffered at the hands
of the Muslims in the Battle of Badr. Some others say that the reference is
to the severe famine which afflicted the people of Makkah as a result of
the curse laid on them by the Holy Prophet B , when they were forced to
eat dead animals and cats and dogs.
Although the Holy Prophet B
and his companions, when faced
ill-treatment from t h e infidels, used to remain patient and never
complained yet when their suffering and torment became unbearable, the
Holy Prophet invoked divine punishment for the infidels in the following
words:

> &A (+
( 0 Lord! Let thy punishment descend hard on the tribe of
Mudar and make their land barren like the land of Ytisuf.
AjS: I> +,g ,, G (Being over-proud of it (the haram), indulging in
tales at night talking non-sense). According to many commentators the
word + (on it) in this verse has a reference to the haram (the sanctuary of
~ a k k a h )Although
. there is no specific mention of the haram in the verse,
yet the very close association of the Quraish of Makkah with it and their
great pride in this association renders a specific mention of the haram
unnecessary. The purpose of the verse, therefore, is to mention the causes
of their aversion against Allah's verses. The first factor was their pride in
their being the neighbors and care-takers of hartim. The other two factors
are mentioned in the next two words.
The word is derived from ,2 meaning "Moon lit night". It was a
favourite pastime with the Arabs to assemble on moon lit nights and tell
stories. Thus the word $ came to be used in the sense of stories and
anecdotes and ,& meant a raconteur. Although the word has been used
in the singular yet it is often used as a plural also as in this verse. This
word points out the second reason for the repudiation of divine
communications by the infidels of Makkah which is their preoccupation
with petty and frivolous matters such as story-telling and their lack of
interest in divine messages. And finally there was a third reason for this
state of affairs also namely that they used to indulge in foolish talk and
pass unseemly remarks about the Holy Prophet g.
.,'' ,' - is derived from $ with a dammah mark ( ' )
The word d j ~ (23:67)
on the letter o and means "to speak nonsense, to use foul language).
Ban on story-telling after 'Isha'prayers
Story telling was favourite pastime among the Arabs and the Persians
since ancient times. This habit was not only time wasting but was also the
cause of certain evils. With a view to discourage this practice, the Holy
Prophet $#$ enjoined upon the Muslims not to sleep before the 'Isha'
prayers. The philosophy behind this injunction was that all daily human
activity ended with the 'IshE' prayers which should arguably be a man's
last action and which might even atone for his lapses during the day. On
the other hand if, after the 'IshZyprayers, he sits down to while away his
time listening to silly and frivolous tales which in itself is a foolish act, he
renders himself guilty of encouraging falsehood, back-biting and other
sins. Another consequence of this evil habit is that such a person will go to
bed late, will rise late and miss his early morning prayers. Sayyidnii
'Umar & used to admonish people whom he found listening to stories
after 'Isha' prayers and advised them to go early to bed so that with
Allah's grace they might be enabled to say midnight prayers. (Qurtubi)
The verses 68, 69 and 70 mention five reasons which might possibly
have prevented the unbelievers from accepting the faith brought by the
Siirah Al-Mu'miniin : 23 : 63 - 77 326

Holy Prophet B,and also give a rebuttal of each of these causes. Thus on
the one hand all the arguments advanced by the infidels for not accepting
the true faith have been demolished, and on the other hand there are,
compelling grounds and irrefutable evidence which should convince any
right minded person of his error and persuade him to accept the message
brought by the Holy Prophet #$. Their persistence in their unbelief is,
therefore, the result of their unreasoning hatred towards and blind
prejudice against the Holy Prophet #$ to which a reference has been
.>
made in the latter part of the verse S>$ &,
# .'
,)>'a'.
&
.
, I!. ;T; j?' (Instead,
the fact is that he has come to them kith truth, but it is the truth that
most of them dislike - 23:70). In other words, there being no valid and
rational ground for repudiating the mission of the Holy Prophet #& their
opposition may be explained by their dislike of t r u t h and their
unwillingness to pay heed to its message. This,no doubt,is due to their
love for undisputed power and their reluctance to share it with anyone
else.

Or did they not recognize their messenger? - 23:69.

One reason for their denial of the true faith could have been if the
message was brought to them by an outsider who was a stranger to them
and with whose character and antecedents they were unfamiliar. But this
argument could not be invoked in the case of the Holy Prophet #$ who
belonged to the noble family of Quraish, was born in Makkah, grew up
among them, and his whole life was like an open book before them: Before
prophethood was bestowed upon him, he was known among the
unbelievers of Makkah as (trustworthy) and 3?G (truthful) and
nobody had ever raised an accusing finger on his character and general
behavior. Thus they could not take the plea that their repudiation of the
Holy Prophet $!$ and of the message brought to him was due to their
ignorance about him or about his family connections.

And We have already seized them with punishment, but they

did not turn humble to their Lord, nor do they supplicate in
humility. (23:76)
In the preceding verse it has been stated that when the unbelievers
are subjected to chastisement for their sins, they plead to Allah and the
Holy Prophet & for mercy and when Allah who is Merciful relieves their
SiirahAl-Mu'miniin : 23 : 78 - 92 327

suffering, they return to their evil practices and wicked deeds. This verse
relates a similar instance when the unbelievers were punished for their
misdeeds. However when they were delivered from their sufferings as a
result of the intercession by the Holy Prophet $k on their behalf, they did
not humble themselves before Allah but persisted in idolatry and unbelief.
Visitation of famine upon Makkah and its deliverance on the
prayers of the Holy Prophet %
It has been mentioned earlier that the Holy Prophet #$ ! had prayed to
Allah to punish the people of Makkah with famine and as a result they
were reduced to great straits and were forced to eat dead animals. At last,
Abii SufyEn presented himself before the Holy Prophet at Madhah
and said, "I appeal you in the name of Allah, did you not say that you
had been sent by Him as mercy for the whole world?" The Holy Prophet
% replied, "Yes I did, and what I said is true also." Then Abii SufyZn
said, "You killed the leaders of your clan with sword at the battle of Badr
and now you are killing those who still survive with starvation. Pray to
Allah, I beseech you, to remove this curse from over our heads." The Holy
Prophet % then prayed to Allah to forgive the people of Makkah and
deliver them from the agony of hunger, and his prayer was granted
forthwith. The verse: $2,,
,,,a
d ",la4,
,".
"

*iij (23:76) was revealed on

this occasion and refers to this incident. (Ma~hari)

Verses 78 - 92
I , ' 5 0 , ' b 0, ' $ ,0 0 0 / 0 0 0

(~*-Ge;jl~+ &,$+Wj&I;:'d\
I ,

And He is the One who created for you the ears and the
eyes and the hearts. Little you are grateful. [781 And He
is the One who created you on the earth and it is He
unto whom you will be gathered together. [791 And He is
the One who gives life and brings death and it is He to
whom belongs the alternation of night and day. So, do
you not understand? [801
But they said like what the earlier people had said. [811
They said, '1s it that, when we will die and become dust
and bones--is it that we will be raised again? [821 This is
what we and our fathers had been promised with
before. It is nothing but the tales of the ancients." [831
Say, 'Whose is the earth and all those therein if you
have knowledge?" [841 They will say, "Allah's." Would you
still pay no heed? [851
Say, 'Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord
of the Great Throne?" [861 They will say, "(All this
belongs) to Allah1'. Say, 'Would you still not fear Allah?"
[871 Say, "Who is the One in whose hand lies the
kingdom of every thing and who gives protection and no
protection can be given against him, if you have
knowledge?" [881 They will say, "(All this belongs) to
Allah." Say, "Then from where a r e you being
bewitched?" [891
The fact is that We have brought to them The Truth,
and they are absolute liars. [go] Allah did not take to a
son, nor was there any god with Him. Had there been
so, every god would have taken away what he created
and each one of them would have been aggressive
 against the other. Pure is Allah from what they
describe. [911 He is the Knower of the hidden and the
manifest. So, He is far higher than their ascribing of
partners to Him. t921

Commentary
ki;.;L:
,- Y; >j (And who gives protection and no protection can be
given against him - 23238) The meaning of the verse is that Allah alone
can deliver a person from pain and suffering as He wills, but there is
none who can save a person from divine punishment. This is true of this
world because nobody can stop Allah from rewarding virtuous people nor
can anyone protect someone whom He chooses to punish. And the same is
true of the Hereafter also. (Qurtubi)

Verses 93 - 100

(0 prophet) say (in prayer), "0 my Lord, if You are to

show me (in my life) that (punishment) which they'(the
infidels) are threatened with, 1931 then, my Lord, do not
place me among the wrongdoing people." [941 And of
course, We do have the power to show you what We
threatened them with. [951
Repel evil with that which is best. We are well aware of
what they describe. I961 And say, "0my Lord, I seek your
refuge from the strokes of the satans, t971 and I seek
Your refuge from that they come to me!' [981
(The infidels go on doing their misdeeds) until when
 death comes to one of them, he will say, "My Lord send
me back, [991 so that I may act righteously in that which
I have left behind." Never! It is just a word he has to
utter. And in front of them there is a barrier till the day
when they will'be resurrected. [I001
Commentary

(0prophet) say (in prayer), "0my Lord, if You are to show me

(in my life) that (punishment) which they (the infidels) are
threatened with, then, my Lord, do not place me among the
wrongdoing people." (23: 93,94)
There are many verses of the Qur'Zn which contain warnings of
punishment to the unbelievers. While the award of punishment is a
certainty on the Day of Judgment, it is possible that it may be awarded in
this world also - and even during the life time of the Holy Prophet $&.
And when Allah's wrath descends upon a people, it is not confined to
sinners alone, but some times it afflicts virtuous people too, who may not
be punished in the Hereafter and may even be compensated by extra
fiewards for the undeserved punishment which they suffered in this
m
& 341
I.,

world. The Qur9Znsays 13 >Y I$!(And beware of a

punishment which shall not fall on the wrongdoers only - 8:25). In these
verses, the Holy Prophet $& has been told by Allah to pray to Him that if
His wrath were to descend upon the infidels in his life time, then He %
should be removed from their company. This prayer was suggested to the
Holy Prophet in spite of the fact that he was impeccable and infallible,
the intention being that He $& should at all times remember Allah and
beseech His mercy so as to increase his own reward in the Hereafter

And of course, We do have the power to show you what We

threatened them with. (23:95)
Some commentators say that even though Allah has promised, on
account of His regard for the Holy Prophet $# , that He will not punish
the entire community while he lives among them dlJ+.
=-. , d0.t
0A ,0
l SL? L j
(And Allah is not to send punishment upon them while you are in their
midst - 8:33) yet the punishment of some selected persons in special
circumstance does not negate the promise. The punishment of the infidels
of Makkah through famine and through their defeat at the hands of the
Muslims at the Battle of Badr had taken place in the lifetime of the Holy
Prophet $$$,which is emphasized in this verse that "We have the power to
show you what We threatened them with".

Repel evil with that which is best - 23:96

Allah instructs the Holy Prophet #& to counter evil with good,
oppression with justice and cruelty with mercy. These virtues of conduct
have been taught by Allah to the Holy Prophet #& and are generally
observed in settling affairs among t h e Muslims. L a t e r on t h e s e
instructions were repealed in so far as the infidels and the unbelievers
were concerned when Allah permitted Muslims to embark on + (Jihad).
Nevertheless even during Jihad the Muslims were told to adopt a humane
approach towards the enemy. For example they were forbidden to kill
women and children or the priests who did not engage in battle against
the Muslims. Similarly, mutilation of the dead bodies of enemies was
strictly forbidden. I t is for this reason t h a t the Holy Prophet is
instructed in t h e next verse to seek protection from S a t a n ' s evil
suggestions even in the battle fields where he may arouse emotions to act
against ethics.

And say, '0 my Lord, I seek your refuge from the strokes of the
satans, and I seek Your refuge from that they come to me.'
(23:97, 98)

The word j.3 (the infinitive of HamazEt translated above as 'strokes')

means "to push, to press" and sometimes is also used to mean "to make a
call from behind". This is a very comprehensive prayer often invoked for
protection from the guile and mischief of Satan and the Holy Prophet #&
has urged upon the Muslims to recite it frequently in order to avoid
sudden bursts of rage which are brought about by the promptings of
Satan and which cause people to lose self-control. This prayer is also very
effective in repelling other assaults of Satans and Jinns. Sayyidna Khalid
& suffered from iniomnia and the Holy Prophet #& suggested that he
should recite the following prayer before going to bed :
 I seek refuge with Allah's Perfect Words from Allah's wrath and
His punishment, and from the evils of His slaves, and from the
strokes of the satans and from that they come to me.
SayyidnZ Khdid & did as advised and was soon cured of insomnia.
,m
a1 (from that they come to me - 23:98) According to a hadith in
>D' ,#

S Q : of
~ Muslim the Holy Prophet is reported to have said that Satan
meddles in all human affairs and tempts people to do evil deeds, and that
this prayer is the best protection against his attempts. (Qurtubi)

qi (My Lord, send me back - 23:99) When death approaches an

infidel and he senses the punishment that awaits him on the Day of
Judgment, he wishes for a return to this world, so that by performing
good deeds he may escape the punishment which he has richly deserved.
Ibn J a r 3 has related a story on the authority of Ibn Juraij that the
Holy Prophet once said, "At the time of death when a good Muslim
perceives the angels of mercy and all the luxuries of Paradise spread out
before him, and the angels ask whether he wishes to be sent back to the
world, his reply invariably is in the negative. He refuses to return to a
place which is full of woes and suffering and misery, and only desires to
be taken to Allah's presence. But when the same question is put to an
infidel, his answer is . ' *45 i.e. he wishes to be sent back to the world."

Never! It is just a word he has to utter. And in front of them

there is a barrier till the day when they will be resurrected.
(23:lOO)

The word tjs

(Barzakh) means "barrier" and implies anything which
intervenes between two conditions or two objects. For this reason it also
means the intervening period between death and the Day of Judgment.
The meaning of this verse is that the wish of the infidel who has died to
be returned to this world is fruitless, because he has reached the Barzakh
from which no return is possible and a second life cannot be given until
the Day of Resurrection, when all the dead will rise and be brought back
to life.
 Verses 101-115
a 9
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Thereafter, when the Siir (the trumpet) is blown, there

are no ties of kinship between them, nor will they
question one another. [loll so, the one whose scales (of
good deeds) turn out to be heavy, then such people are
the successful ones, [lo21 and the one whose scales turn
out to be light, then such people are the ones who
harmed their own selves; in Jahannam (Hell) they are
to remain for ever. [lo31 Fire will scorch their faces and
they will be disfigured therein. [I041
(It will be said to such people), 'Were My verses not
used to be recited to you and you used to belie them?''
[lo51 They will say, "Our Lord, our wretchedness
 prevailed over us, and we were a people wandering
astray. [I061 0 our Lord, get us out from here; if we do
this again, then of course, we will be transgressors!'
[lo71 He (Allah) will say, "Stay in it, humiliated, and do
not speak to Me" 11081 There was indeed a group of My
servants who used to say, "Our Lord, we adhere to the
(true) faith, so forgive us and have mercy upon us, and
you are the best of all the merciful." [I091 But you made
fun of them, so much so that they caused you to forget
My remembrance, and you used to laugh at them. [I101 I
have given them today, for their observing patience, the
recompense t h a t they a r e the only ones who a r e
victorious.' [ I l l ]
He (Allah) will say, Wow long did you stay on the earth
by number of years?" [I121 They will say, 'We stayed for
a day or for a part of a day." So, ask the ones who
count. [I131 He will say, IYou did not stay but for a little.
Would that you have understood (this at that time)!
[I141 So did you think that We created you for nothing
and that you will not be brought back to Us?" ill51

Commentary
,J',..
+Ll%
(c~;L-:
"-"
J&l &@I ljjj
d . ..
J

Thereafter, when the Siir (the trumpet) is blown, there are no

ties of kinship between them, - 23:lOl.
On the Day of Judgment the JY(trumpet) will be sounded twice. The
result of the first sound will be that everything - the earth, the skies and
every living thing in between will perish and when the second sound is
given, every dead thing will come back to life. This is clearly mentioned in
;I,+-
the ~ u r ' i nin the verse
,,>JJ5'J
, J
lrQp oy&i
# , . # D (Then it shall be blown
& + + J

again, and lo! They shall stand beholding - 39:68). There is difference of
opinion whether in the present verse the reference is to the first call or to
the second call. According to Ibn Jubair SayyidnE Ibn 'AbbEs & thought
that it refers to the first call. On the other hand SayyidnE 'AbdullZh Ibn
MasGd & says that reference here is to second call and, according to
' A -, as Sayyidnii 'AbbZs & also supports this view and which
haa also been adopted in Tafs> ~ a ~ h a rSayyidnZ
;. 'AbdullEh Ibn Mas'iid
@ says that on the Day of Judgment every man and woman will be
assembled in the gathering place (s) where a herald appointed by
Allah will identify each person by his name and his father's name and
invite any one from amongst those present who has a claim against him
to come forward and receive it. This proclamation will please everyone - a
father having a claim against his son, a wife having a claim against her
husband, a sister having a claim against her brother (and vice versa) -
and they will all come forward to receive their dues. The present verse
' , '-7"
describes this situation: +vCI Xi (There are no ties of kinship between
them - 23:lol). The same situation has been described in the verse
., ,',el3 ii;;
gj
2.
&i > :yi (Upon the day when a man shall flee from his
brother, his mother, his father, his consort, his sons, - 80:34).
Difference between the condition of believers and infidels in
mahshar (gatheringplace on the Day of Judgement)
The condition described above will apply to the unbelievers only who
in their selfishness will abandon their dear and near relatives. As for the
believers, Allah has said $2; . h ..w (We shall join their seed with them.
- 52:21) which means that the children of good Muslims, if they themselves
are believers also, will be united with their parents. According to a hadhh
the Holy Prophet said, "On the Day of Judgment when everybody will
be dry with thirst, Muslim children who had died as minors will come out
carrying water from Paradise, and when people will ask them for it, they
will reply that water is for their parents only whom they are searching".
The gist of this discussion is that whereas in the case of infidels no one
will be of any help to each other nor will anyone recognize the dear ones
in mahshar, the case of Muslim will be exactly the opposite. The believers
will help each other and will also intercede for other Muslims.
There is also a hadith which Ibn 'Asair has related on the authority
of Sayyidnii 'Umar & in which the Holy Prophet said, "On the Day of
Judgment all relationships arising out of a common ancestry or from
marriage ties will be severed except in my own case." Scholars have
interpreted this verse to mean that all the Muslims of the Ummah of the
Holy Prophet $& are part of his family, because he is the father of the
Ummah and his wives are the mothers.
L$ ;L$Y;(nor will they question one another - 23:101). However their
' ,,
is another verse ;;i/L.$ ;C;+J-tb (And advance one upon another,
I
,> *
,
#
:'

asking each other question - 37:27). Discussing this latter verse SayyidnZ
Ibn 'AbbZs & says that in mahshar there will be different stations, and
the conditions in each station will be different. There will be a time when
nobody will speak to anybody, but in another station when the terror
which earlier overwhelmed the gathering abates, people will converse
with one another. (Mazhari)

So, the one whose scales (of good deeds) turn out to be heavy,
then such people are the successful ones, I1021 and the one
whose scales turn out to be light, then such people are the ones
who harmed their own selves; in Jahannam (Hell)they are to
remain for ever. (23: 102, 103)
In this verse there is a comparison between perfect Muslims and the
infidels and their deeds and the end which awaits them. There is further
evidence in the Qur'Zn that in the case of perfect Muslims the pan in
which evil deeds are placed for balancing will be totally empty, whereas in
the case of unbelievers the pan in which the good deeds are placed will be
*,, ,'D >, " '
empty. At another place the QurFn says 6jj @Iyr i*J ,&Xi (We shall not
assign to them any weight - 18:105) meaning t h a t on the Day of
Judgement, the infidels or their deeds will carry no weight. This is so far
as the perfect Muslims and the infidels are concerned. As for the Muslims
who have committed sins and whose good deeds and evil deeds will be
placed in the two pans of the scale for weighing, there is no specific
mention about them in the Qur'Zn which is, in general, silent about the
punishment and reward of erring Muslims. Perhaps the reason for this is
that during the period when the Qur'Zn was being revealed, all the
Companions were upright men and generally free from major sins, but if
somebody committed a sin incidentally, he repented and was forgiven by
Allah. (Mazhari)
There is a verse of the Qur'Zin which deals with people who have a
mixed bag of good and evil deeds (G$l; QL;. I&) (They had mixed
a good deed with another that was &l - 9:102). Sayyidnii 'AbbZs & says
about such people that if their good deeds exceed their bad deeds, even by
a single deed they will go to Paradise and if their evil deeds exqed their
good by a single deed, they would go to Hell. But a believer Muslim will
be sent to Hell for the purpose of purification only just as gold and iron
and other metals are subjected to heating process to remove their
impurities and as soon as they are purged of their sins, they will be
admitted to Paradise. Also according to SayyidnZ 'AbbZs & on the Day of
Judgment the weighing scale will be so precise and finely tuned that it
will be tipped by a grain of rye and a man whose good and bad deeds are
of equal weight in the scale will join ++% $Gf(People of A'raf) and
spend a while between heaven and hell waiting for a decision, but
ultimately he too would go to Paradise (Ibn Abi HZtim, Maqhari). The above
story of SayyidnZ 'AbbZs deals only with believers who have
committed sins, and makes no mention of unbelievers.
How will the deeds be weighed?
There are different versions about the method for the weighing of
deeds, and all of them are derived from hadith. One version is that the
believers and the infidels will be weighed bodily in the scale of justice and
the infidel will not be able to tilt the scale however obese and corpulent he
may be (BukhZri and Muslim, quoting Abii Hurairah). Another version says that
the scrolls on which their deeds are recorded will be weighed. Tirmidhi,
Ibn MZjah, Ibn HayyZn have taken this version from SayyidnZ 'AbdullEh
Ibn 'Umar &. And according to a third version a man's deeds which
were weightless and intangible in this world, will be made solid on the
Day of Judgment and will be placed on the scales and weighed. Tabrani
has related this version from the Holy Prophet && on the authority of
SayyidnZ Ibn 'AbbZs &.The words and the text of all these hadTths are
given in full in Tafsir Mazhari which may be consulted if required. Abdur
RazzZq has quoted a hadith in his book under the chapter on +I
r r

+
I , .

(the merits of knowledge) on the authority of Ibrahim Nakha'i which

supports the just preceded version. This version has it that on the Day of
Judgment a person's deeds will be brought for weighing and when placed
in the pan, they will fail to tilt it. Then something resembling clouds will
be brought and put in the pan of good deeds which will then weigh down.
The man will then be asked what was it that lent weight to the pan of his
good deeds, but he will express his ignorance. Then he will be informed
that the object in question was his learning which he used to impart to
other people. Dhahabi has included a hadith in $1 j6;which he heard
from SayyidnZ 'ImrZn Ibn H u ~ a i n&b that the Holy Prophet && said, "On
the Day of Judgment the blood of the martyrs will be weighed against the
ink of scholars (with which they wrote books on the science of religion)
and the latter will be heavier than the former." (Mazhari)After giving the
above mentioned versions about the weighing of deeds, Tafsir M a ~ h a r i
says that it is not wholly inconceivable that man himself and his deeds
may be weighed physically or that he and his record of deeds may be
weighed together. Thus there is no inconsistency in these three versions.
r r
3&
J
L&
I
qj
(And they will be disfigured therein - 23:104). The word
$K is used for a person whose lips do not meet and leave his teeth fully
exposed, which looks very ugly. It is said that the upper lip of a person
consigned to Hell will be drawn up and his lower lip will be drawn down
so that his teeth will remain visible at all times.
,, * . J .
o& Y j (Do not speak to Me - 23:108). According to Hasan al-Bae6
these will be the last words of the people who are cast in hell and in reply
Allah will say, "Do not speak to Me." After this they will not be able to
speak like human beings, but will make animal sounds to each other.
Baihaqi and others'have quoted Muhammad Ibn Ka'b as saying that the
Qur'Zn mentions five requests made by the people condemned to hell. Out
of the five, replies were furnished to four, but in reply to the fifth Allah
commanded them not to speak to Him. Thus these are the last words to be
uttered by them after which they will not be able to speak. (Mazhari)

-
Verses 116 118

So, High above all is Allah, the King, the True. There is
no god but He, the Lord of the Noble Throne. [I161And
whoever invokes another god with Allah, while he has
no proof for it, his reckoning lies with his Lord. Surely,
the infidels will not achieve success. [I171 And say (0
prophet) 'My Lord, forgive and have mercy and you are
the best of all the merciful.' [I181
Commentary
The last few verses of this Siirah Al-Mu'miniin from verse 115 to verse
118 have special merit. Baghawi and Tha'labi have related from Sayyidna
Ibn Mas'Ild & that he came across a person who was very ill. He recited
the above verses into the sick man's ears and he was cured immediately.
The Holy Prophet $& asked him what he had whispered in the sick man's
ears to which SayyidnZ 'AbdullZh Ibn Mas'iid & replied that he had
recited these verses (115 to 118) in his ears. Thereupon the Holy Prophet
$# said, "I swear by Him Who has power over my life that if a person
with genuine faith were to recite these verses on a mountain, t h e
mountain itself may move from its place". (Qwubiand Mazhari)
' "\'$I
4;(My Lord, forgive and have mercy - 23:118). Here the
r"J
object of the forgiveness and having mercy has not been mentioned. What
is there to be forgiven and to whom is mercy to be shown? And this seems
to suggest a general prayer for forgiveness which would include
deliverance from harm and suffering, and a general prayer for mercy
which would include the grant of every wish. Since protection from bodily
harm and acquisition of legitimate gains is the object of all human
activity, this prayer covers both these aspects. (Mazhari) And the reason
why the Holy Prophet was commanded to recite this prayer of
forgiveness and mercy, even tough he is impeccable, is to impress upon
his followers the special merit d this prayer. (Queubi)
,, J ,J > ,".
Siirah Al-Mu'miniin began with the verse irfipJ1 +I 5 (Success is
really attained by the believers - 23:l) and ends with ~ j @ 1 & 5 (Surely,
the infidels will not achieve success - 23:117) which shows that success will
come to believers only and that the unbelievers will have no share of it.
Al~amdulilliih
The Commentary on
SGrah Al-Mu'minim
Ends here.