Surah 23. Al-Muminun

Successful indeed are the believers:

  - Mustafa Khattab

The Believers must (eventually) win through ²⁸⁶⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Aflaha: win through, prosper, succeed, achieve their aims or obtain salvation from sorrow and all evil. This verse connects on with verses 10 and 11 below. The success or victory may come in this world, but is certain and lasting in the world to come.

those who humble themselves in prayer;

  - Mustafa Khattab

Those who humble themselves in their prayers; ²⁸⁶⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Humility in prayer as regards (1) their estimate of their own worth in Allah's presence, (2) as regards their estimate of their own powers or strength unless they are helped by Allah, and (3) as regards the petitions they offer to Allah.

those who avoid idle talk;

  - Mustafa Khattab

Who avoid vain talk;

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

those who pay alms-tax;¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Zakâh means purification and growth. Paying alms-tax and charity are forms of purifying one’s wealth.

Who are active in deeds of charity;

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

those who guard their chastity¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 lit., private parts.

Who abstain from sex ²⁸⁶⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Muslim must guard himself against every kind of sex abuse or sex perversion. The new psychology associated with the name of Freud traces many of our hidden motives to sex, and it is common knowledge that our refinement or degradation may be measured by the hidden workings of our sex instincts. But even the natural and lawful exercise of sex is restricted to the marriage bond, under which the rights of both parties are duly regulated and maintained.

except with their wives or those 'bondwomen' in their possession,¹ for then they are free from blame,

  - Mustafa Khattab

 See footnote for 4:3.

Except with those joined to them in the marriage bond or (the captives) whom their right hands possess for (in their case) they are free from blame ²⁸⁶⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This is further explained and amplified in iv. 25.

but whoever seeks beyond that are the transgressors;

  - Mustafa Khattab

But those whose desires exceed those limits are transgressors

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'the believers are also' those who are true to their trusts and covenants;

  - Mustafa Khattab

Those who faithfully observe their trust and their covenants; ²⁸⁶⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Trusts may be express or implied. Express trusts are those where property is entrusted or duties are assigned by some one to some other whom he trusts, to carry out either immediately or in specified contingencies, such as death. Implied trusts arise out of power, or position, or opportunity; e.g., a king holds his kingdom on trust from Allah for his subjects. The subject of covenants, express and implied, has been discussed in n. 682 to v.1. Covenants create obligations, and express and implied trusts and covenants taken together cover the whole field of obligations.

and those who are 'properly' observant of their prayers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And who (strictly) guard their prayers ²⁸⁷⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In verse 2 we were directed to the spirit of humility and earnestness in our prayers. Here we are told how necessary the habit of regular prayer is to our spiritual well-being and development, as it brings us closer to Allah, and thus sums up the light of the seven jewels of our Faith, viz.,: (1) humility, (2) avoidance of vanity, (3) charity, (4) sex purity, (5) fidelity to trusts, and (6) to covenants, and (7) an earnest desire to get closer to Allah.

These are the ones who will be awarded

  - Mustafa Khattab

Those will be the heirs ²⁸⁷¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xxi. 105, where it is said that the righteous will inherit the earth. In the first verse of this Sura, the final success or victory is referred to. Truth will prevail even on this earth, but it may not be for any individual men of righteousness to see it: it may be in the time of their heirs and successors. But in the life to come, there is no doubt that every man will see the fruit of his life here, and the righteous will inherit heaven, in the sense that they will attain it after their death here.

Paradise as their own.¹ They will be there forever.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Al-Firdaws, the highest place in Paradise.

Who will inherit Paradise: they will dwell therein (forever).

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And indeed, We created humankind¹ from an extract of clay,

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Adam (ﷺ).

Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay); ²⁸⁷²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In this beautiful passage, Allah's creative work, as far as man is concerned, is recapitulated, in order to show man's real position in this life, and the certainty of the future: to which he was referred for his reward in verses 10-11 above. For the various stages of creation, see n. 120 to ii. 117. Here we are not concerned with the earliest stage, the creation of primeval matter out of nothing. It is also a process of creation when inorganic matter becomes living matter. Thus inorganic constituents of the earth are absorbed into fiving matter by way of food and living matter reproduces itself by means of sperm. This is deposited in the ovum and fertilises it and rests for a time in security in the mother's womb. The first change in the fertilised ovum is the conversion into a sort of clot of thickly congealed blood; the zygote cells grow by segmentation; then the mass gradually assumes shape in its growth as a foetus. From the lump develop bones and flesh and organs and a nervous system. So far man's growth is like that of an animal, but a further process takes place which makes the infant animal into the infant man. This is the breathing from Allah's spirit into him (xv. 29). It may be a continuous process parallel to that of physical growth. The child is born; it grows; it decays and dies; but after death another chapter opens for the individual, and it is to remind us of this most momentous chapter that the previous stages are recapitulated.

then placed each 'human' as a sperm-drop¹ in a secure place,

  - Mustafa Khattab

 See footnote for 22:5.

Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest firmly fixed; ²⁸⁷³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The growth in the foetal stage is silent and unseen. The foetus is protected in the mother's womb like a king in a castle; it is firmly fixed, and gets the protection of the mother's body, on which it depends for its own growth until birth.

then We developed the drop into a clinging clot 'of blood', then developed the clot into a lump 'of flesh', then developed the lump into bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, then We brought it into being as a new creation.¹ So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 This happens when the spirit is breathed into the embryo.

Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then We developed out of it another creature: so blessed be Allah the Best to create! ²⁸⁷⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

From a mere animal, we now consider man as man. Is it not a Sign of wonder in itself that from dry dust (turab, xxii. 5) or inorganic matter should be made protoplasm (moist clay or organic matter); from it should grow a new animal life; and out of it should grow human life, with all its capacities and responsibilities? Man carries within himself Signs of Allah's wisdom and power, and he can see them every day in the universe around him.

After that you will surely die,

  - Mustafa Khattab

After that at length ye will die. ²⁸⁷⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Our physical death in this mortal life seems to make a break. But if it were the end of all, our life becomes meaningless. Our own instinct tells us that it cannot be so, and Allah assures us that there will be a resurrection for judgment.