سورة Al-Mu'minoon ( The Believers )

Successful indeed are the believers;

those who are humble in their prayer;

those who turn away from all that is frivolous;

those who pay the zakat;

those who safeguard their chastity

except with their wives, and what their right hands possess -- for then they are free from blame,

but those who seek to go beyond that are transgressors --

those who are faithful to their trusts and promises;

and those who attend to their prayers;

these are the heirs of Paradise

they shall abide in it forever.

We created man from an essence of clay,

then We placed him as a drop of fluid in a safe place,

then We developed that drop into a clinging form, and We developed that form into a lump of flesh, and We developed that lump into bones, and clothed the bones with flesh. Then We brought him into being as a new creation, glory be to God, the best of creators,

after this you shall surely die.

Then you will be raised up again on the Resurrection Day.

We have created seven paths above you; We have never been unmindful of Our creation.

We sent down water from the sky in due measure and lodged it in the earth, but if We please, We have the power to take it away,

We have produced palm-groves and vineyards for you, in which there are abundant fruits for you; and you eat these,

also a tree growing on Mount Sinai which produces oil and a condiment for those who eat it.

You have a lesson in livestock. We provide you with drink from what is in their bellies, and you have many other benefits from them; some of them you eat,

and you ride on them as you do in ships.

We sent Noah to his people, and he said, \"My people, worship God; you have no other deity except Him. Will you not fear Him?\"

The leaders of his people who denied the truth, said, \"He is only a human being like yourselves who wants to make himself superior to you. If God had wished, He would have sent down angels. We never heard about this from our forefathers.

He is only a madman, so, as far as he is concerned wait for a while.\"

Noah said, \"My Lord, help me! for they have rejected me,\"

then We revealed Our will to him: \"Build the Ark under Our watchful eye according to Our instructions. When Our command comes, and waters gush up out of the earth, take on board pairs of every species and members of your household, except for any of them on whom sentence has already been passed -- do not plead with Me for those who have done wrong: they shall be drowned.

When you and all your followers have settled in the Ark, say, \"Praise be to God who has delivered us from a wicked people,\"

and say, 'My Lord, let me land with Your blessing in a blessed landing place. You alone can provide the best landings.'\"

Surely there are clear signs in that. In this way We put people to the test.

Then We raised another generation after them,

and sent a messenger to them from among themselves: \"Worship God alone. You have no deity other than Him. Will you not then fear God?\"

But the leaders of his people who denied the truth and denied the Meeting in the Hereafter, because We had granted them ease and plenty in their worldly life, said, \"This is only a human being like yourselves, he eats what you eat, and drinks what you drink,

if you obey a human being just like yourselves, then you will surely be lost.

Does he promise you that when you die and have become dust and bones, that you will be brought forth again?

What you are promised is indeed far-fetched.

There exists only our present life: we die and we live [but once], and shall never be raised up again.

He is only a man who has invented a lie about God, and we are not going to believe him!\"

The messenger said, \"My Lord, help me, for they have rejected me.\"

God said, \"Before long they will be filled with regret.\"

The blast justly struck them and We reduced them to rubble. Away with such wicked people!

Then We raised up other generations after them,

no community can advance or postpone its appointed time,

then We sent Our messengers in succession. Every time their messenger came to a people, they rejected him. So We destroyed them one after the other, and let them become mere tales. So away with the people who will not believe!

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

to Pharaoh and his courtiers, but they behaved insolently, for they were an arrogant people.

They said, \"Are we to believe in two human beings like ourselves, while their people are subject to us?\"

So they rejected them both, and became those who were destroyed.

We gave Moses the Book so that they might be guided.

We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign and gave them shelter on a peaceful hillside watered by a fresh spring.

Messengers, eat what is wholesome and do good deeds: I am well aware of what you do.

Your religion is but one religion -- and I am your only Lord, therefore, fear Me.

Yet they divided themselves into factions, each rejoicing in what they had.

So leave them in their bewilderment for a while.

Do they imagine that the wealth and children We have provided

have no other purpose except to help them in acquiring material benefits? No indeed. But they do not understand.

Those who tremble with fear of their Lord;

and believe in His messages

and do not ascribe partners to Him;

and those who give to others what has been bestowed upon them with their hearts trembling at the thought that they must return to their Lord;

it is they who vie with one another in doing good works and shall be the foremost in doing so.

We charge no soul with more than it can bear. We have a record which clearly shows the truth and they will not be wronged.

But their hearts are heedless of this. Moreover, there are other deeds besides this which they do.

But then when We seize the affluent among them, they will cry out for help.

Do not cry out for help this day, for surely you shall not be helped by Us.

My revelations were recited to you, but you turned your backs

in arrogance, as if you were abandoning a story-teller.

Have they not pondered over the word of God? Has something come to them that did not come to their forefathers?

Or do they not recognize their Messenger, and so deny him?

Do they say he is possessed? Rather he has brought them the truth, but most of them are averse to the truth.

If truth had followed their whims and desires, heavens and earth and all that lives in them would have been brought to ruin. Rather We have brought them their Reminder. Yet they keep avoiding their Reminder.

Or are you asking them for any reward? But the reward of your Lord is the best, for He is the Best of Providers,

and, most surely, you are calling them to a straight path.

But those who do not believe in the Hereafter have indeed deviated from that path.

Even if We showed them mercy and relieved them of their afflictions, they would still persist in their transgression, wandering blindly.

We seized them with the punishment, but they did not surrender to their Lord, nor will they humble themselves

until We open before them a gate of harsh punishment and then they will be dumbfounded.

It is He who gave you ears, eyes and hearts, yet how seldom you are grateful!

He it is who has multiplied you on the earth and to Him you shall all be gathered:

He is the One who gives life and causes death and He controls the alternation of night and day. Will you not then understand?

But they say the same as the ancients said,

\"When we have died and become dust and bones, will we be raised up again?

We and our forefathers were promised this before. This is nothing but fables of the ancients.\"

Say, \"To whom do the earth and all therein belong? Tell me, if you have any knowledge?\"

They will say, \"To God.\" Say, \"So will you not pay heed?

Say, \"Who is the Lord of the seven heavens, and of the Glorious Throne?\"

They will say, \"They belong to God.\" Say, \"So do you not fear Him?\"

Say, \"In whose hands lies sovereignty over all things, protecting all, while none can seek protection against Him? Tell me, if you have any knowledge.\"

They will say, \"All this belongs to God.\" Say to them, \"How are you then deluded?\"

We have revealed to them the truth. But they are certainly liars.

God has not taken to Himself a son, nor is there any other deity besides Him; otherwise, each god would have walked away with what he had created. They would surely have tried to overcome one another. Glory be to God, above all that they ascribe to Him.

Knower of the unseen and the visible; He is exalted above all that which they associate with Him.

Pray, \"Lord, if you would show me that [the punishment] of which they have been warned,

then do not place me, Lord, with the wrongdoers.\"

We certainly have the power to show you what they have been warned about.

Repel evil with what is best, We are well aware of the things they say,

and say, \"My Lord, I seek refuge with You from the prompting of the devils.

I seek refuge with You, Lord, lest they should come near me.\"

When death comes to any of them, he says, \"My Lord, send me back

so that I may do good works in the world I have left behind.\" Never! It is indeed but a meaningless word that he utters. A barrier shall stand behind such people till the Day they are raised up again.

When the trumpet is blown, on that Day there will be no ties of relationship between them; neither will they ask about one another:

then those whose scales weigh heavy with good works will be successful.

But those whose scales weigh light will have ruined their souls; in Hell will they abide.

The Fire will scorch their faces and they will abide therein with their faces distorted.

Were not My messages recited to you and did you not reject them?

They will answer, \"Lord, misfortune overcame us and we became an erring people.

Lord, deliver us from Hell. Then, if we revert again, we shall definitely be wrongdoers.\"

God will say, \"Stay there and do not speak to Me.

Among My servants, there were those who said, \"Lord, We believe, so forgive us and have mercy on us. You are the best one to show mercy.\"

But you made a laughing stock of them to the point where it made you forget My remembrance; and you went on laughing at them.

I have rewarded them this Day for their steadfastness, and it is they who have triumphed.\"

He will ask, \"How many years did you stay on earth?\"

They will say, \"We stayed a day or part of a day. Ask those who have kept count.\"

He will say, \"You only stayed for a little while, if only you knew.

\"Do you imagine that We created you without any purpose and that you would not be brought back to Us?\"

Then, exalted be God, the true King, there is no deity except Him, the Lord of the Glorious Throne.

He, who invokes another deity along with God, a deity of whose divinity he has no proof, will be brought to account by his Lord. Certainly, those who deny the truth shall never prosper.

Say, \"Lord, forgive us and have mercy. You are the best of those who show mercy.\"