Surah 23. Al-Muminun

Time and again³⁷ were My messages conveyed unto you, but [every time] you would turn about on your heels

  - Mohammad Asad

This is the meaning implied in the auxiliary verb kanat. preceded by the particle qad.

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[and,] impelled by your arrogance, you would talk senselessly far into the night."³⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "as one who keeps awake at night" (samiran). In combination with the phrase kuntum...tahjurun, this expression indicates the pursuit of endless, fruitless discussions divorced from all reality, or a mere play with words leading nowhere. (See also 31:6 and the corresponding note [4].)

in arrogance, talking nonsense about The Qur'an like one telling fables by night.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

In scorn thereof. Nightly did ye rave together.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Have they, then, never tried to understand this word [of God]? Or has there [now] come to them something that never came to their forefathers of old?³⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

Implying that the message of the Qur'an is but a continuation of all the divine messages ever revealed to man.

Do they not ponder over the Word of Allah or has anything new come to them which did not come to their forefathers?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Or is it, perchance, that they have not recognized their Apostle, and so they disavow him?

  - Mohammad Asad

Or is it because they do not recognize their Rasool, who is a member of their own community, that they deny him?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Or do they say, "There is madness in him"? Nay, he has brought them the truth - and the truth do most of them detest!⁴⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., they hate to admit the truth: the reason being - as the sequence shows - that the world-view propounded by the Qur'an is not in accord with their own likes and dislikes or preconceived notions.

Or are they really convinced that he is a madman? Nay! In fact he has brought them the Truth and most of them dislike the Truth.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But if the truth⁴¹ were in accord with their own likes and dislikes, the heavens and the earth would surely have fallen into ruin, and all that lives in them [would long ago have perished]!⁴² Nay, [in this divine writ] We have conveyed unto them all that they ought to bear in mind:⁴³ and from this their reminder they [heedlessly] turn away!

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the reality of all creation.

I.e., if the universe - and, especially, human life - had been as devoid of meaning and purpose as they imagine, nothing could have endured, and everything would have long since perished in chaos.

For this rendering of the term dhikr, see note [13] on 21:10 .

- Had the Truth followed their appetites, the heavens, the earth and everything therein would have been disrupted. Nay! We have given them their reminder, but they are heedless to their reminder.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Or cost thou [O Muhammad] ask of them any worldly recompense? But [they ought to know that] a recompense from thy Sustainer is best, since He is the best of nroviders!⁴⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

The terms kharj and kharaj which occur in the above verse are more or less synonymous, both of them denoting "recompense". According to Zamakhshari, however, there is a slight difference between these two expressions, kharj being more restricted in its meaning than kharaj: hence, the first has been rendered as "worldly recompense" and the second as "recompense" without any restrictive definition, implying that a recompense from God is unlimited, relating both.

Or is it that you are asking them for some recompense? But the recompense of your Rabb is the best, for He is the best provider of sustenance.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And, verily, thou callest them onto a straight way-

  - Mohammad Asad

As a matter of fact, you (O Muhammad) are calling them to the Straight Way;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And lo! thou summonest them indeed unto a right path.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

but, behold, those who will not believe in the life to come are bound to deviate from that way.

  - Mohammad Asad

and surely those who do not believe in the hereafter will ever stray from the Straight Way.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And even were We to show them mercy and remove whatever distress might befall them [in this life],⁴⁵ they would still persist in their overweening arrogance, blindly stumbling to and fro.

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "as it inevitably befalls all human beings": an oblique allusion to the fact that human life is never free from distress.

If We show them mercy and relieve them of their affliction, they would obstinately persist in their rebellion, blindly wandering to and fro;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And, indeed, We tested them⁴⁶ through suffering, but they did not abase themselves before their Sustainer; and they will never humble themselves

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "We took them to task".

for even now, when We have inflicted punishment on them, they have neither submitted to their Rabb nor humbled themselves towards Him.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

until We open before them a gate of [truly] severe suffering [in the life to come]: and then, lo! they will be broken in spirit⁴⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "they will despair of all hope".

Until when We open upon them a gate of severe punishment, you will see that they are plunged in utter despair.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[O MEN! Pay heed to God's messages,] for it is He who has endowed you with hearing, and sight, and minds: [yet] how seldom are you grateful!

  - Mohammad Asad

It is Allah Who has given you ears, eyes and hearts - yet seldom you show gratitude

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And He it is who has caused you to multiply on earth; and unto Him you shall be gathered.

  - Mohammad Asad

- it is He Who has placed you in the earth and before Him you shall all be assembled on the Day of Judgement.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And He it is who grants life and deals death; and to Him is due the alternation of night and day. Will you not, then, use your reason?

  - Mohammad Asad

It is He Who gives life and cause you to die, and in His control is the alternation of the night and the day: then why don't you understand?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Marmaduke Pickthall