English - Chapter 23 - Al-Muminun

Believers will certainly flourish

Those who humble themselves in their prayers

Who avoid harmful talk

Who are active in deeds of charity

Who abstain from sex

Except with their mates, or those whom their right hands possess, for in their case they are free from blame

But those whose desires exceed these limits are transgressors

But those who faithfully observe their trusts and their promises

And who strictly remember their prayers

These will be the heirs

Who will inherit paradise. They will dwell therein forever

And indeed We created humanity from a quintessence of clay

Then We placed them as a zygote in a place of rest, firmly fixed

Then We made the zygote into an embryo, then of that embryo We made a fetus, then we made the fetus into bones and clothed the bones with flesh, then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed is God, the best of creators

After that, you will eventually die

Then on the Day of Accountability, you will be raised up

And We have made above you seven paths, and We are never unmindful of Our creation

And We send down water from the sky by a certain measure, and We cause it to soak in the earth, and We certainly are able to make it disappear

With it We grow for you gardens of date palms and vines. In them you have abundant fruit, and from them you eat and enjoy

Also is a tree springing out of Mount Sinai which produces oil and relish for those who use it for food

And in cattle too, you have an instructive similitude. From within their bodies We produce milk for you to drink. There are also in them numerous other benefits for you, and of their meat you eat

And on them as well as on ships you are carried

Further, We sent a long line of prophets to instruct you. We sent Noah to his people. He said, “O my people, worship God, you have no other god but Him. Will you not fear Him?”

The leaders of the unbelievers among his people said, “He is no more than a human like you. His wish is to assert his will over you. If God had wished to send messengers, He could have sent down angels, never did we hear of such a thing as he says, from even among our earliest ancestors

“He is but a man possessed. Wait and have patience with him for a time.”

Noah said, “O my Lord, help me, for they accuse me of lies.”

So We inspired him with this message, “Construct the Ark within Our sight and under Our guidance. Then when Our command comes, and the fountains of the earth gush forth, take on-board pairs of every type, male and female, and your family, except those of them against whom the word has already gone forward, and do not address Me in favor of the wrongdoers, for they will be drowned

And when you have embarked on the Ark, you and those with you say, “Praise God, He Who has saved us from the people who do wrong.”

And say, “O my Lord, enable me to disembark with your blessing, for You are the best to enable us to disembark.”

Indeed in this are signs, and with this do We test people

Then We produced after them another generation

And We sent to them a messenger from among themselves saying, “Worship God, you have no other god but Him. Will you not fear Him?”

And the leaders of his people who disbelieved and denied the meeting in the hereafter, and he on whom We had bestowed the good things in the life of the present said, “He is no more than human like you. He eats of what you eat, and drinks of what you drink

“If you follow a human being like yourselves behold, it is certain you will be lost

“Does he promise that when you die and become dust and bones, you will be brought out

“Far, very far is that which you are promised

“There is nothing but our life in the present. We die and we live, but we will never be raised up again

“He is but one who invents a lie against God, but we are not ones to believe in him.”

God said, “In but a little while, they are sure to be sorry.”

Then the blast overtook them with justice, and We made them as remains of dead leaves. So away with the people who do wrong

Then We produced after them other generations

No people can hasten their term, nor can they delay it

Then We sent our messengers in succession. Every time there came to a people their messenger they accused him of falsehood. So We made them follow each other in punishment. We made them as a tale that is told. So away with a people who will not believe

Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our signs and with clear authority

And to Pharaoh and his nomarchs. But they behaved arrogantly. They were a people conceited

They said, “Shall we believe in two people like ourselves while their people are subject to us?”

So they accused them of falsehood, and they became of those that were caused to perish

And We gave Moses the Book, in order that they might receive guidance

And We made the son of Mary and his mother as a sign. We gave them both shelter on a high ground of tranquility, and springs

O you messengers, enjoy things good and refined, and work righteousness, for I am well acquainted with all that you do

And indeed this community of yours is a single community, and I am your Lord. Therefore fear Me and no other

But the people cut off the events of unity between them into sects. Each group rejoices in that which is with it

But leave them in their confused ignorance for now

Do they think that because We have granted them abundance of wealth and sons

That We would funnel them all the good. No, they do not understand

Indeed those who live in awe for fear of their Lord

Those who believe in the signs of their Lord

Those who do not join in worship, partners with their Lord

And those who give their charity with their hearts full of awe, because they will return to their Lord

It is these who hasten in every good work, and these are foremost in them

On no soul do We place a burden greater than she can bear. Before Us is a record that clearly shows the truth. They will never be wronged

But their hearts are in confused ignorance of this, and there are besides that, deeds of theirs that they will continue to do

Until We seize them in punishment. Those of them that received the good things of the present behold, they will cry in supplication

It will be said, “Cry not in supplication this day, for you will certainly not be helped by Us

“My signs used to be rehearsed to you, but you used to turn back on your heels

“In arrogance. Speaking wrongfully about it by night.”

Do they not ponder over the Word, or has anything new come to them that did not come to their ancestors

Or do they not recognize their messenger, so they reject him

Or do they say, “He is possessed?” No, he has brought them the truth, but most of them hate the truth

If the truth had been in accord with their desires, truly the heavens and the earth, and all beings therein would have been in chaos. No, We have sent them advice, but they turn away from the advice

Or is it that you ask them for some reward? But the reward of your Lord is best. He is the best of those who give sustenance

But indeed you call them to the straight way

And indeed those who do not believe in the hereafter are deviating from that way

If We had mercy on them and removed the distress which is on them, they would obstinately persist in their transgression, wandering in distraction back and forth

We inflicted punishment on them, but they did not humble themselves to their Lord, nor do they submissively supplicate to Him

Until We open on them a gate leading to a severe punishment. Then they will be plunged in despair

It is He Who has created for you the faculties of hearing, sight, feeling, and understanding. Little thanks is it you give

And He has multiplied you through the earth, and to Him will you be gathered back

It is He Who gives life and death, and to Him is due the alternation of night and day. Will you not then understand

Instead, they say things similar to what the people in the past said

They say, “What, when we die and become dust and bones, could we really be raised up again

“Such things have been promised to us and to our ancestors before. They are nothing but tales of the ancient.”

Say, “To whom belongs the earth and all beings therein? Speak, if you know.”

They will say, “To God.” Say, “Then will you not remember?”

Say, “Who is the Lord of the seven heavens, and the Lord of the throne of glory supreme?”

They will say, “They belong to God.” Say, “Will you not then be filled with awe?”

Say, “Who is it in whose hands is the governance of all things, who protects all, but is not protected by any? Speak, if you know.”

They will say, “It belongs to God.” Say, “Then how are you deluded?”

We have sent them the truth, but they insist on practicing falsehood

No son did God have, nor is there any god joined with Him. If there were many gods, behold, each god would have taken away what he had created, and some would have lorded over others. Glory be to God. He is free from the sort of things they attribute to Him

He knows what is hidden and what is open. Exalted is He above the partners they attribute to Him

Say, “O my Lord, show me in my lifetime, that which they are warned against

“But, O my Lord do not put me among the people who do wrong.”

And We are certainly able to show you that which they are warned against

Repel evil with that which is best. We are well acquainted with the things they say

And say, “O my Lord, I seek refuge with You from the suggestions of the devils

“And I seek refuge with You, O my Lord, lest they should come near me.”

They will be in falsehood, but when death comes to one of them he says, “O my Lord, send me back to life

“In order that I may do right by the things I neglected.” By no means, it is only words he says. Before them is a partition until the day they are raised up

Then when the trumpet is blown, there will be no more relationships between them that day, nor will they ask about each other

Then those whose balance of good deeds is heavy, they will attain salvation

But those whose balance is light, they will have lost their souls, in hell will they live

The fire will burn their faces, and they will grin therein, with their lips displaced

“Were not My signs rehearsed to you, and did you not treat them as false?”

They will say, “Our Lord, our misfortune overwhelmed us, and we became a people astray

“Our Lord, bring us out of this. If ever we return to evil, then will we be wrongdoers indeed.”

He will say, “Remain in it disgraced, and speak not to Me

“Some of My servants used to pray ‘Our Lord, we believe, forgive us and have mercy upon us, for You are the best of those who show mercy.”

“But you treated them with ridicule, so much so, that your ridicule of them made you forget to remember Me, all because you were laughing at them

“I have rewarded them this day for their patience and constancy. They are indeed the ones who have achieved bliss.”

He will say, “How long did you stay on earth? Has it been years?”

They will say, “We stayed a day or part of a day, ask those who keep account.”

He will say, “You stayed not even close to that, if you only knew

“Did you then think that We had created you without purpose, and that you would not be brought back to Us for account?”

Therefore exalted is God, the King, and the Reality. There is no god but Him, the Lord of the throne of honor

Anyone who invokes besides God, any other god, he has no authority for that, and his reckoning will be exclusively with his Lord, and indeed the unbelievers will fail to succeed

So say, “O my Lord, grant forgiveness and mercy, for You are the best of those who show mercy.”