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The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'ân, by M.M. Pickthall, at sacred-texts.com

23. al-Mu'minun: The Believers

1 Successful indeed are the believers

2 Who are humble in their prayers,

3 And who shun vain conversation,

4 And who are payers of the poor-due;

5 And who guard their modesty -

6 Save from their wives or the (slaves) that their right hands possess, for then they are not blameworthy,

7 But whoso craveth beyond that, such are transgressors -

8 And who are shepherds of their pledge and their covenant,

9 And who pay heed to their prayers.

10 These are the heirs

11 Who will inherit paradise. There they will abide.

12 Verily We created man from a product of wet earth;

13 Then placed him as a drop (of seed) in a safe lodging;

14 Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators!

15 Then lo! after that ye surely die.

16 Then lo! on the Day of Resurrection ye are raised (again).

17 And We have created above you seven paths, and We are never unmindful of creation.

18 And we send down from the sky water in measure, and We give it lodging in the earth, and lo! We are Able to withdraw it.

19 Then We produce for you therewith gardens of date-palms and grapes, wherein is much fruit for you and whereof ye eat;

20 And a tree that springeth forth from Mount Sinai that groweth oil and relish for the eaters.

21 And lo! in the cattle there is verily a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, and many uses have ye in them, and of them do ye eat;

22 And on them and on the ship ye are carried.

23 And We verily sent Noah unto his folk, and he said: O my people! Serve Allah. Ye have no other God save Him. Will ye not ward off (evil) ?

24 But the chieftains of his folk, who disbelieved, said: This is only a mortal like you who would make himself superior to you. Had Allah willed, He surely could have sent down angels. We heard not of this in the case of our fathers of old.

25 He is only a man in whom is a madness, so watch him for a while.

26 He said: My Lord! Help me because they deny me.

27 Then We inspired in him, saying: Make the ship under Our eyes and Our inspiration. Then, when Our command cometh and the oven gusheth water, introduce therein of every (kind) two spouses, and thy household save him thereof against whom the Word hath already gone forth. And plead not with Me on behalf of those who have done wrong. Lo! they will be drowned.

28 And when thou art on board the ship, thou and whoso is with thee, then say: Praise be to Allah Who hath saved us from the wrongdoing folk!

29 And say: My Lord! Cause me to land at a blessed landing-place, for Thou art Best of all who bring to land.

30 Lo! herein verily are portents, for lo! We are ever putting (mankind) to the test.

31 Then, after them, We brought forth another generation;

32 And we sent among them a messenger of their own, saying: Serve Allah, Ye have no other God save Him. Will ye not ward off (evil) ?

33 And the chieftains of his folk, who disbelieved and denied the meeting of the Hereafter, and whom We had made soft in the life of the world, said: This is only a mortal like you, who eateth of that whereof ye eat and drinketh of that ye drink.

34 If ye were to obey a mortal like yourselves, then, lo! ye surely would be losers.

35 Doth he promise you that you, when ye are dead and have become dust and bones, will (again) be brought forth ?

36 Begone, begone, with that which ye are promised!

37 There is naught but our life of the world; we die and we live, and we shall not be raised (again).

38 He is only a man who hath invented a lie about Allah. We are not going to put faith in him.

39 He said: My Lord! Help me because they deny me.

40 He said: In a little while they surely will become repentant.

41 So the (Awful) Cry overtook them rightfully, and We made them like as wreckage (that a torrent hurleth). A far removal for wrongdoing folk!

42 Then after them We brought forth other generations.

43 No nation can outstrip its term, nor yet postpone it.

44 Then We sent our messengers one after another. Whenever its messenger came unto a nation they denied him; so We caused them to follow one another (to disaster) and We made them bywords. A far removal for folk who believe not!

45 Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our tokens and a clear warrant

46 Unto Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they scorned (them) and they were despotic folk.

47 And they said: Shall we put faith in two mortals like ourselves, and whose folk are servile unto us ?

48 So they denied them, and became of those who were destroyed.

49 And We verily gave Moses the Scripture, that haply they might go aright.

50 And We made the son of Mary and his mother a portent, and We gave them refuge on a height, a place of flocks and watersprings.

51 O ye messengers! Eat of the good things, and do right. Lo! I am Aware of what ye do.

52 And lo! this your religion is one religion and I am your Lord, so keep your duty unto Me.

53 But they (mankind) have broken their religion among them into sects, each group rejoicing in its tenets.

54 So leave them in their error till a time.

55 Think they that in the wealth and sons wherewith We provide them

56 We hasten unto them with good things ? Nay, but they perceive not.

57 Lo! those who go in awe for fear of their Lord.

58 And those who believe in the revelations of their Lord,

59 And those who ascribe not partners unto their Lord,

60 And those who give that which they give with hearts afraid because they are about to return unto their Lord,

61 These race for the good things, and they shall win them in the race.

62 And we task not any soul beyond its scope, and with Us is a Record which speaketh the truth, and they will not be wronged.

63 Nay, but their hearts are in ignorance of this (Qur'an), and they have other works, besides, which they are doing;

64 Till when We grasp their luxurious ones with the punishment, behold! they supplicate.

65 Supplicate not this day! Assuredly ye will not be helped by Us.

66 My revelations were recited unto you, but ye used to turn back on your heels,

67 In scorn thereof. Nightly did ye rave together.

68 Have they not pondered the Word, or hath that come unto them which came not unto their fathers of old ?

69 Or know they not their messenger, and so reject him ?

70 Or say they: There is a madness in him ? Nay, but he bringeth them the Truth; and most of them are haters of the Truth.

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

72 Or dost thou ask of them (O Muhammad) any tribute ? But the bounty of thy Lord is better, for He is Best of all who make provision.

73 And lo! thou summonest them indeed unto a straight path.

74 And lo! those who believe not in the Hereafter are indeed astray from the path.

75 Though We had mercy on them and relieved them of the harm afflicting them, they still would wander blindly on in their contumacy.

76 Already have We grasped them with punishment, but they humble not themselves unto their Lord, nor do they pray,

77 Until, when We open for them the gate of extreme punishment, behold! they are aghast thereat.

78 He it is Who hath created for you ears and eyes and hearts. Small thanks give ye!

79 And He it is Who hath sown you broadcast in the earth, and unto Him ye will be gathered.

80 And He it is Who giveth life and causeth death, and His is the difference of night and day. Have ye then no sense ?

81 Nay, but they say the like of that which said the men of old;

82 They say: When we are dead and have become (mere) dust and bones, shall we then, forsooth, be raised again ?

83 We were already promised this, we and our forefathers. Lo! this is naught but fables of the men of old.

84 Say: Unto Whom (belongeth) the earth and whosoever is therein, if ye have knowledge ?

85 They will say: Unto Allah. Say: Will ye not then remember ?

86 Say: Who is Lord of the seven heavens, and Lord of the Tremendous Throne ?

87 They will say: Unto Allah (all that belongeth). Say: Will ye not then keep duty (unto Him) ?

88 Say: In Whose hand is the dominion over all things and He protecteth, while against Him there is no protection, if ye have knowledge ?

89 They will say: Unto Allah (all that belongeth). Say: How then are ye bewitched ?

90 Nay, but We have brought them the Truth, and lo! they are liars.

91 Allah hath not chosen any son, nor is there any god along with Him; else would each god have assuredly championed that which he created, and some of them would assuredly have overcome others. Glorified be Allah above all that they allege.

92 Knower of the Invisible and the Visible! and Exalted be He over all that they ascribe as partners (unto Him)!

93 Say: My Lord! If Thou shouldst show me that which they are promised.

94 My Lord! then set me not among the wrongdoing folk.

95 And verily We are Able to show thee that which We have promised them.

96 Repel evil with that which is better. We are Best Aware of that which they allege.

97 And say: My Lord! I seek refuge in Thee from suggestions of the evil ones,

98 And I seek refuge in Thee, my Lord, lest they be present with me,

99 Until, when death cometh unto one of them, he saith: My Lord! Send me back,

100 That I may do right in that which I have left behind! But nay! It is but a word that he speaketh; and behind them is a barrier until the day when they are raised.

101 And when the trumpet is blown there will be no kinship among them that day, nor will they ask of one another.

102 Then those whose scales are heavy, they are the successful.

103 And those whose scales are light are those who lose their souls, in hell abiding.

104 The fire burneth their faces, and they are glum therein.

105 (It will be said): Were not My revelations recited unto you, and then ye used to deny them ?

106 They will say: Our Lord! Our evil fortune conquered us, and we were erring folk.

107 Our Lord! Oh, bring us forth from hence! If we return (to evil) then indeed we shall be wrong-doers.

108 He saith: Begone therein, and speak not unto Me.

109 Lo! there was a party of My slaves who said: Our Lord! We believe, therefor forgive us and have mercy on us for Thou art Best of all who show mercy;

110 But ye chose them for a laughing-stock until they caused you to forget remembrance of Me, while ye laughed at them.

111 Lo! I have rewarded them this day forasmuch as they were steadfast in that they, even they, are the triumphant.

112 He will say: How long tarried ye in the earth, counting by years ?

113 They will say: We tarried by a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep count!

114 He will say: Ye tarried but a little if ye only knew.

115 Deemed ye then that We had created you for naught, and that ye would not be returned unto Us ?

116 Now Allah be Exalted, the True King! There is no God save Him, the Lord of the Throne of Grace.

117 He who crieth unto any other god along with Allah hath no proof thereof. His reckoning is only with his Lord. Lo! disbelievers will not be successful.

118 And (O Muhammad) say: My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for Thou art Best of all who show mercy.

Next: 24. an-Nur: The Light