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Surah 23. Al-Muminun

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23:96
ٱدْفَعْ بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ ٱلسَّيِّئَةَ ۚ نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَصِفُونَ IdfaAA bi a llatee hiya a h sanu a l ssayyiata na h nu aAAlamu bim a ya s ifoon a
[But whatever they may say or do,] repel the evil [which they commit] with something that is better:57 We are fully aware of what they attribute [to Us].
  - Mohammad Asad

See surah {13}, note [44]. In the present context, the evil referred to consists - as the next clause shows - in blasphemous attempts at "defining" God (cf. verse {91}); but the ethical principle implied in the above injunction is the same as that expressed in the last clause of 13:22 as well as in 41:34 - namely, that evil must not be countered with another evil but, rather, repelled by an act of goodness.

Repel evil with good - We are fully aware of their slanders
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Respond to evil with what is best. We know well what they claim.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Their claims that there are many gods, and that the Prophet is a liar, a poet, etc.

Repel evil with that which is better. We are best Aware of that which they allege.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Repel evil with that which is best: We are well-acquainted with the things they say. 2934
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Whether people speak evil of you, in your presence or behind your back, or they do evil to you in either of those ways, all is known to Allah. It is not for you to punish. Your best course is not to do evil in your tum, but to do what will best repel the evil. Two evils do not make a good. Cf. xli. 34, n. 4504.

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23:97
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَٰتِ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينِ Waqul rabbi aAAoo th u bika min hamaz a ti a l shshay at een i
And say: "O my Sustainer! I seek refuge with Thee from the promptings of all evil impulses;58
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "of the satans" or "satanic forces": see note [10] on 2:14 .

- and say, "O my Rabb! I seek refuge in You from the prompting of the shaitans,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And say, 'My Lord! I seek refuge in You from the temptations of the devils.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And say: My Lord! I seek refuge in Thee from suggestions of the evil ones,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And say: "O my Lord! I seek refuge with Thee from the suggestions of the Evil Ones; 2935
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But in any case, shun evil for yourself, and you cannot do this without seeking the help and protection of Allah. Not only must you shun all promptings of evil, but you must shun its proximity. It may be that in retaliating on evil, or even in your curiosity to discover what evil is, you may fall into evil yourself. You should avoid going near it or anything which brings it near to you. And in this matter you should seek Allah's help.

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23:98
وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحْضُرُونِ WaaAAoo th u bika rabbi an ya hd uroon i
and I seek refuge with Thee, O my Sustainer, lest they come near unto me!"
  - Mohammad Asad
and O Rabb! I seek refuge in You even from their coming near me."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, that they 'even' come near me.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And I seek refuge in Thee, my Lord, lest they be present with me,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"And I seek refuge with Thee O my Lord! lest they should come near me."
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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23:99
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَهُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ٱرْجِعُونِ H att a i tha j a a a h adahumu almawtu q a la rabbi irjiAAoon i
[AS FOR THOSE who will not believe in the life to come, they go on lying to themselves59 ] until, when death approaches any of them, he prays: "O my Sustainer! Let me return, let me return60 [to life],
  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. verses {74} and {90} above, with which the present passage connects.

Most of the commentators regard the plural form of address in the verb irji'uni ("let me return") as an expression of reverence. Since, however, the Qur'an offers no other instance of God's being addressed in the plural (in contrast with the frequent use of the plural in His speaking of Himself), Baydawi suggests - on the strength of examples from pre-Islamic poetry - that this plural form of address is equivalent to an emphatic repetition of the singular form irji'ni: hence the repetition of this phrase in my rendering.

These people will never refrain from wrongdoing until when death comes to anyone of them, he will say: "O Rabb! Send me back,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
When death approaches any of them, they cry, 'My Lord! Let me go back,
  - Mustafa Khattab
Until, when death cometh unto one of them, he saith: My Lord! Send me back,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
(In Falsehood will they be) until when death comes to one of them he says: "O my Lord! send me back (to life) 2936 2937
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This verse I think connects on with xxiii. 90 above. Though Allah proclaims His Truth everywhere, the wicked cling to Falsehood until they face the reality of Death.

The verb for "send me back" is in the plural in Arabic, which is construed either (1) as an emphatic form, as if the singular were repeated, or (2) as a plural of respect, though such a plural is not ordinarily used in addressing Allah, or (3) as a plural addressed to the angels, after the address to Allah in "O my Lord!"

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23:100
لَعَلِّىٓ أَعْمَلُ صَـٰلِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ ۚ كَلَّآ ۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَآئِلُهَا ۖ وَمِن وَرَآئِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ LaAAallee aAAmalu sa li h an feem a taraktu kall a innah a kalimatun huwa q a iluh a wamin war a ihim barzakhun il a yawmi yubAAathoon a
so that I might act righteously in whatever I have failed [aforetime]!"61 Nay, it is indeed but a [meaningless] word that he utters: for behind those [who leave the world] there is a barrier [of death] until the Day when all will be raised from the dead!
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "in respect of that which (fi-ma) I have left", comprising both the omission of good and the commission of bad deeds.

so that I may do good deeds in the world that I have left behind." Never! This is just a statement which carries no value, it will be too late because there will be a barrier between them and the world they have just left till the Day they are raised to life again.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
so I may do good in what I left behind.' Never! It is only a 'useless' appeal they make. And there is a barrier behind them until the Day they are resurrected.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Meaning, once they are dead, they will never return to the world.

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.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"In order that I may work righteousness in the things I neglected." "By no means! it is but a word he says before them is a Partition till the Day they are raised up. 2938 2939 2940
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The unrighteous will ask for another chance. But it will be too late then. The time for repentance will then have passed.

Their request will mean nothing. It will be treated merely as an empty word of excuse. They had plenty of chances in this life. Not only did they reject them, but they did not even believe in Allah or ask for His assistance.

Barzakh: a partition, a bar or barrier; the place or state in which people will be after death and before Judgment. Cf. xxv. 53 and Iv. 20. Behind them is the barrier of death, and in front of them is the Barzakh, partition, a quiescent state until the judgment comes.

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23:101
فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَلَآ أَنسَابَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلَا يَتَسَآءَلُونَ Fai tha nufikha fee a l ss oori fal a ans a ba baynahum yawmai th in wal a yatas a aloon a
Then, when the trumpet [of resurrection] is blown, no ties of kinship will on that Day prevail among them, and neither will they ask about one another.
  - Mohammad Asad
On the Day when the Trumpet will be blown, they will neither have worldly relations between them any more, nor will they ask about each other.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then, when the Trumpet will be blown,1 there will be no kinship between them on that Day, nor will they 'even care to' ask about one another.2
  - Mustafa Khattab

 On the Day of Judgment, the Trumpet will be blown by an angel—causing all to die. When it is blown a second time, everyone will be raised from the dead for judgment (see 39:68).

 Everyone will be busy with their own situation.

And when the trumpet is blown there will be no kinship among them that day, nor will they ask of one another.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then when the Trumpet is blown there will be no more relationships between them that day nor will one ask after another! 2941
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The old relationships of the world will then be dissolved. Each soul will stand on its merits.

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23:102
فَمَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ Faman thaqulat maw a zeenuhu faol a ika humu almufli h oon a
And they whose weight [of righteousness] is heavy in the balance - it is they, they who will have attained to a happy state,
  - Mohammad Asad
Then only those whose weight of good deeds is heavy, will attain salvation.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
As for those whose scale is heavy 'with good deeds', it is they who will be successful.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Then those whose scales are heavy, they are the successful.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy they will attain salvation: 2942
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Good and evil deeds will be weighed against each other. If the good deeds prevail, the soul will attain falah, i.e., prosperity, well-being, bliss, or salvation; if the contrary, there will be the misery and anguish of Hell.

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23:103
وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ فِى جَهَنَّمَ خَـٰلِدُونَ Waman khaffat maw a zeenuhu faol a ika alla th eena khasiroo anfusahum fee jahannama kh a lidoon a
whereas they whose weight is light in the balance - it is they who will have squandered their own selves, [destined] to abide in hell:
  - Mohammad Asad
As for those whose weight of good deeds is light, they will be the ones who have lost their souls to live in hell forever.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
But those whose scale is light, they will have doomed themselves, staying in Hell forever.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And those whose scales are light are those who lose their souls, in hell abiding.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
But those whose balance is light will be those who have lost their souls; in Hell will they abide. 2943
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The loss or perdition will not mean that they will die and feel no more: xiv. 17. The punishment will mean nothing, if there was no sensibility, but total annihilation.

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23:104
تَلْفَحُ وُجُوهَهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَهُمْ فِيهَا كَـٰلِحُونَ Talfa h u wujoohahumu a l nn a ru wahum feeh a k a li h oon a
the fire will scorch their faces, and they will abide therein with their lips distorted in pain.
  - Mohammad Asad
The Fire will burn their faces and they will grin therein with their lips displaced.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The Fire will burn their faces, leaving them deformed.
  - Mustafa Khattab
The fire burneth their faces, and they are glum therein.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The Fire will burn their faces and they will therein grin with their lips displaced. 2944
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

That is to say, their faces will be disfigured with anguish, and their lips will quiver and fall out of place, exposing their teeth.

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23:105
أَلَمْ تَكُنْ ءَايَـٰتِى تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنتُم بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ Alam takun a y a tee tutl a AAalaykum fakuntum bih a tuka thth iboon a
[And God will say:] "Were not My messages conveyed unto you,and were [not] wont give the the lie?"
  - Mohammad Asad
We shall say to them: "Were My revelations not recited to you, and did you not deny them?"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'It will be said,' 'Were My revelations not recited to you, but you used to deny them?'
  - Mustafa Khattab
(It will be said): Were not My revelations recited unto you, and then ye used to deny them?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Were not My Signs rehearsed to you and ye did but treat them as falsehoods?"
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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23:106
قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْنَا شِقْوَتُنَا وَكُنَّا قَوْمًا ضَآلِّينَ Q a loo rabban a ghalabat AAalayn a shiqwatun a wakunn a qawman da lleen a
They will exclaim: "O our Sustainer! Our bad luck has overwhelmed us, and so we went as ray!62
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "we became people who go astray". This allegorical "dialogue" is meant to bring out the futile excuse characteristic of so many sinners who attribute their failings to an abstract "bad luck" (which is the meaning of shiqwah in this context); and thus, indirectly, it stresses the element of free will - and, therefore, of responsibility - in man’s actions and behaviour.

They will say: "O our Rabb! Our misfortune overwhelmed us and we became erring folk.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They will cry, 'Our Lord! Our ill-fate took hold of us, so we became a misguided people.
  - Mustafa Khattab
They will say: Our Lord! Our evil fortune conquered us, and we were erring folk.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They will say: "Our Lord! our misfortune overwhelmed us and we became a people astray! 2945
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'The evil in us conquered us; it was our misfortune that we surrendered to evil, and went astray.' They forget that it was by their own deliberate choice that they surrendered to evil, and they are reminded in verses 109-110 of the ridicule with which they covered godly men in their life on earth.

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23:107
رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْهَا فَإِنْ عُدْنَا فَإِنَّا ظَـٰلِمُونَ Rabban a akhrijn a minh a fain AAudn a fainn a th a limoon a
O our Sustainer! Cause us to come out of this [suffering]-and then, if ever We revert [to sinning], may we truly be [deemed] evildoers!"
  - Mohammad Asad
Our Rabb! Get us out of here; if we ever return to sin, then we shall indeed be wrongdoers."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Our Lord! Take us out of this 'Fire'. Then if we ever return 'to denial', we will truly be wrongdoers.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
Our Lord! Oh, bring us forth from hence! If we return (to evil) then indeed we shall be wrongdoers.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"Our Lord! bring us out of this: if ever we return (to evil) then shall we be wrongdoers indeed!"
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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23:108
قَالَ ٱخْسَـُٔوا۟ فِيهَا وَلَا تُكَلِّمُونِ Q a la ikhsaoo feeh a wal a tukallimoon i
[But] He will say: "Away with you into this [ignominy]!63 And speak no more unto Me!
  - Mohammad Asad

My interpolation of the word "ignominy" is based on the fact that this concept is inherent in the verb khasa'a (lit., "he drove [someone or something] scornfully away"), and is, therefore, forcefully expressed in the imperative ikhsa'u.

In answer to this Allah will say: "Stay here in shame and do not plead with Me!
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Allah will respond, 'Be despised in there! Do not 'ever' plead with Me 'again'!
  - Mustafa Khattab
He saith: Begone therein, and speak not unto Me.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
He will say: "Be ye driven into it (with ignominy)! and speak ye not to Me! 2946
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

After their flouting of Allah's Signs and their mockery of godly men on earth, they have forfeited their right to plead for mercy before Allah's Throne.

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23:109
إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِى يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ Innahu k a na fareequn min AAib a dee yaqooloona rabban a a mann a fa i ghfir lan a wa i r h amn a waanta khayru a l rr ah imeen a
"Behold, there were among My servants such as would pray, 'O our Sustainer! We have come to believe [in Thee]; forgive, then, our sins and bestow Thy mercy on us: for Thou art the truest bestower of mercy!'64
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "the best of those [or "of all"] who show mercy". The same expression is found in the concluding verse of this surah.

For you are the same people, who used to make fun of some of My worshippers who prayed: 'Our Rabb, We believe in You; please forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the Best of those who show mercy!'
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Indeed, there was a group of My servants who used to pray, 'Our Lord! We have believed, so forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the best of those who show mercy,'
  - Mustafa Khattab
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;
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"A part of My servants there was who used to pray `Our Lord! we believe; then do Thou forgive us and have mercy upon us: for Thou art the best of those Who show mercy!'
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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23:110
فَٱتَّخَذْتُمُوهُمْ سِخْرِيًّا حَتَّىٰٓ أَنسَوْكُمْ ذِكْرِى وَكُنتُم مِّنْهُمْ تَضْحَكُونَ Fa i ttakha th tumoohum sikhriyyan h att a ansawkum th ikree wakuntum minhum ta dh akoon a
- but you made them a target of your derision to the point where it made you forget65 all remembrance of Me; and you went on and on laughing at them.
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "until they made you forget":i.e.,"your scoffing at them became the cause of your forgetting".

But you ridiculed them so much, that you even forgot My very existence, and went on laughing at them.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
but you were 'so busy' making fun of them that it made you forget My remembrance. And you used to laugh at them.
  - Mustafa Khattab
But ye chose them from a laughingstock until they caused you to forget remembrance of Me, while ye laughed at them.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"But ye treated them with ridicule so much so that (ridicule of) them made you forget My Message while ye were laughing at them! 2947
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Literally, 'they made you forget My Message'. The ungodly were so occupied in the backbiting and ridicule of the godly that the godly themselves became the unconscious cause of the ungodly forgetting the warnings declared by Allah against those who do not treat His Signs seriously. Thus evil often brings about its own ruin through the instrumentality of those whom it would make its victims.

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