23. Sūrat al-Muʾminūn (1/3)

٢٣۔ سُورَةُ المُؤمنون ص ١

Qurʾān > Chapter 23
القرآن > كتاب ٢٣

The Believers (Meccan)

quran:23:1 – In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

Certainly will the believers have succeeded:  

Indeed (qad is for confirmation) prosperous, victorious, are the believers,
القرآن:٢٣:١ – بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ  

{قد} للتحقيق {أفلح} فاز {المؤمنون}.
quran:23:2 –

They who are during their prayer humbly submissive  

those who in their prayers are humble,
القرآن:٢٣:٢ –

الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ  

{الذين هم في صلاتهم خاشعون} متواضعون.
quran:23:3 –

And they who turn away from ill speech  

and who shun vain talk, and other ˹nonsense˺,
القرآن:٢٣:٣ –

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ  

{والذين هم عن اللَّغو} من الكلام وغيره {معُرضون}.
quran:23:4 –

And they who are observant of zakah  

and who fulfil payment of alms,
القرآن:٢٣:٤ –

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَاةِ فَاعِلُونَ  

{والذين هم للزكاة فاعلون} مؤدون.
quran:23:5 –

And they who guard their private parts  

and who guard their private parts, against what is unlawful,
القرآن:٢٣:٥ –

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ  

{والذين هم لفروجهم حافظون} عن الحرام.
quran:23:6 –

Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed -  

except from their spouses, that is, to their spouses, and what ˹slaves˺ their right hands possess, that is, concubines, for then they are not blameworthy, in having sexual intercourse with them.
القرآن:٢٣:٦ –

إِلَّا عَلَىٰ أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ  

{إلا على أزواجهم} أي زوجاتهم {أو ما ملكت أيمانهم} أي السراري {فإنهم غير ملومين} في إتيانه.
quran:23:7 –

But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors -  

But whoever seeks ˹anything˺ beyond that, ˹intercourse with˺ wives and concubines, such as masturbation: those, they are transgressors, who have overstepped ˹the bounds˺ into what is not lawful for them.
القرآن:٢٣:٧ –

فَمَنِ ابْتَغَىٰ وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ  

{فمن ابتغى وراء ذلك} من الزوجات والسراري كالاستمناء باليد في إتيانهنَّ {فأولئك هم العادون} المتجاوزون إلى ما لا يحل لهم.
quran:23:8 –

And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive  

And who are keepers of their trusts (may be read as plural, amānātihim, ‘their trusts’, or singular, amānatihim, ‘their trust’) and covenants, ˹made˺ between them, or between them and God, such as ˹the observance of˺ prayer and so on.
القرآن:٢٣:٨ –

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ  

{والذين هم لأمانتهم} جمعاً ومفرداً {وعهدهم} فيما بينهم أو فيما بينهم وبين الله من صلاة وغيرها {راعون} حافظون.
quran:23:9 –

And they who carefully maintain their prayers -  

And who are watchful of their prayers (may be read as plural, salawātihim, ‘their prayers’, or singular, salātihim, ‘their prayer’) observing them at their appointed times.
القرآن:٢٣:٩ –

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ  

{والذين هم على صلواتهم} جمعاً ومفرداً {يحافظون} يقيمونها في أوقاتها.
quran:23:10 –

Those are the inheritors  

Those, they are the inheritors, and none other than them,
القرآن:٢٣:١٠ –

أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْوَارِثُونَ  

{أولئك هم الوارثون} لا غيرهم.
quran:23:11 –

Who will inherit al-Firdaus. They will abide therein eternally.  

who shall inherit Paradise (al-firdaws), the name of a garden, the highest of the gardens of Heaven — wherein they will abide; herein is an allusion to the Return ˹in the Hereafter˺ and so it is fitting that the Beginning ˹of creation˺ should be mentioned next:
القرآن:٢٣:١١ –

الَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ الْفِرْدَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ  

{الذين يرثون الفردوس} هو جنة أعلى الجنان {هم فيها خالدون} في ذلك إشارة إلى المعاد ويناسبه ذكر المبتدأ بعده.
quran:23:12 –

And certainly did We create man from an extract of clay.  

And, by God, We certainly created man, Adam, from an extraction (min sulālatin, derives from ˹the verbal expression˺ salaltu’l-shay’a mina’l-shay’, ‘I drew one thing out of another’, meaning, ‘I extracted it therefrom’) his ˹Adam’s˺ substance being, of clay (min tīnin is semantically connected to sulālatin, ‘an extraction’).
القرآن:٢٣:١٢ –

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ سُلَالَةٍ مِنْ طِينٍ  

{و} الله {لقد خلقنا الإنسان} آدم {من سُلالةِ} هي من سللت الشيء من الشيء أي استخرجته منه وهو خلاصته {من طين} متعلق بسلالة.
quran:23:13 –

Then We placed him as a sperm-drop in a firm lodging.  

Then We made him, namely, man, the progeny of Adam, a drop, a sperm-drop, in a secure lodging, which is the womb.
القرآن:٢٣:١٣ –

ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُطْفَةً فِي قَرَارٍ مَكِينٍ  

{ثم جعلناه} أي الإنسان نسل آدم {نطفةّ} منياً {في قرار مكين} هو الرحم.
quran:23:14 –

Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump ˹of flesh˺, and We made ˹from˺ the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.  

Then We transformed the drop ˹of semen˺ into a clot, congealed blood. Then We transformed the clot into a ˹little˺ lump of flesh (mudgha), a piece of flesh, about the size of what one would be able to chew (mā yumdagh). Then We transformed the lump of flesh into bones. Then We clothed the bones with flesh (a variant reading in both instances ˹instead of the plurals ‘izāman and al-‘izāma, ‘the bones’˺ is ˹singular˺ ‘azman ˹and ‘al-‘azma˺, ‘the bone’; and in all three instances above khalaqnā, means ‘We made it become’ ˹as opposed to ‘We created’˺). Then We produced him as ˹yet˺ another creature, by breathing into him ˹Our˺ Spirit. So blessed be God, the best of creators!, that is, ˹the best of˺ determiners (the specificier noun for ahsana, ‘the best’, has been omitted because it is obvious: khalqan, ‘in terms of creation’).
القرآن:٢٣:١٤ –

ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظَامًا فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا ثُمَّ أَنْشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا آخَرَ ۚ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ  

{ثم خلقنا النطفة عَلَقَةٌ} دماً جامداً {فخلقنا العلقة مضغة} لحمة قدر ما يمضغ {فخلقنا المضغة عظاماً فكسونا العظام لحماً} وفي قراءة عظماً في الموضعين، وخلقنا في المواضع الثلاث بمعنى صيرنا {ثم أنشأناه خلقاً أخر} بنفخ الروح فيه {فتبارك الله أحسن الخالقين} أي المقدرين ومميز أحسن محذوف للعلم به: أي خلقاُ.
quran:23:15 –

Then indeed, after that you are to die.  

Then indeed after that you die.
القرآن:٢٣:١٥ –

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ  

{ثم إنكم بعد ذلك لميتون}.
quran:23:16 –

Then indeed you, on the Day of Resurrection, will be resurrected.  

Then on the Day of Resurrection you shall surely be raised, for reckoning and requital.
القرآن:٢٣:١٦ –

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تُبْعَثُونَ  

{ثم إنكم يوم القيامة تبعثون} للحساب والجزاء.
quran:23:17 –

And We have created above you seven layered heavens, and never have We been of ˹Our˺ creation unaware.  

And verily We created above you seven paths, that is, ˹seven˺ heavens (tarā’iq is the plural of tarīqa ˹so called˺ because they are the paths used by the angels) and of creation, that lies beneath these ˹paths˺, We are never unmindful, lest these should fall upon them and destroy them. Nay, but We hold them back, as ˹stated˺ in the verse: And He holds back the heaven lest it should fall upon the earth ˹Q. 22:65˺.
القرآن:٢٣:١٧ –

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعَ طَرَائِقَ وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ الْخَلْقِ غَافِلِينَ  

{ولقد خلقنا فوقكم سبع طرائق} أي سماوات: جمع طريقة لأنها طرق الملائكة {وما كنا عن الخلق} التي تحتها {غافلين} أن تسقط عليهم فتهلكهم بل نمسكها كآية (ويمسك السماء أن تقع على الأَرض).
quran:23:18 –

And We have sent down rain from the sky in a measured amount and settled it in the earth. And indeed, We are Able to take it away.  

And We sent down water out of the heaven in measure, that suffices them, and We lodged it within the earth; and We are indeed able to take it away, so that they die of thirst together with their livestock.
القرآن:٢٣:١٨ –

وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً بِقَدَرٍ فَأَسْكَنَّاهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۖ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ ذَهَابٍ بِهِ لَقَادِرُونَ  

{وأنزلنا من السماء ماءً بقدر} من كفايتهم {فأسكنَّاه في الأرض وإنَّا على ذهاب به لقادرون} فيموتون مع دوابهم عطشاً.
quran:23:19 –

And We brought forth for you thereby gardens of palm trees and grapevines in which for you are abundant fruits and from which you eat.  

Then We produced for you therewith gardens of date palms and vines — these being the most common fruits of the Arabs — wherein is abundant fruit for you, and whereof you eat, in summer and winter.
القرآن:٢٣:١٩ –

فَأَنْشَأْنَا لَكُمْ بِهِ جَنَّاتٍ مِنْ نَخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَابٍ لَكُمْ فِيهَا فَوَاكِهُ كَثِيرَةٌ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ  

{فأنشأنا لكم به جنات من نخيل وأعناب} هما أكثر فواكه العرب {لكم فيها فواكه كثيرة ومنها تأكلون} صيفاً وشتاء.
quran:23:20 –

And ˹We brought forth˺ a tree issuing from Mount Sinai which produces oil and food for those who eat.  

And, We produced, a tree that grows on Mount of Sinai (read Sīnā’ or Saynā’, indeclinable as it is a proper noun with the feminine ending denoting a location) that produces (read either as tunbitu from the fourth form ˹anbata˺, or as tanbutu from the trilateral form ˹nabata˺) oil (bi’l-duhni: in the case of the former ˹reading of tunbitu˺ the bā’ ˹bi-˺ here would be extra, whereas in the case of the second ˹reading of tanbutu˺, it would be ˹a preposition needed˺ for the transitive) — and this ˹tree˺ is the olive tree, and seasoning for those who eat (wa-sibghin li’l-ākilīna, a supplement to bi’l-duhni, ‘oil’, ˹that is to say˺ it is ˹like˺ a dye that colours a morsel dipped in it) — and this ˹seasoning˺ is the ˹olive˺ oil.
القرآن:٢٣:٢٠ –

وَشَجَرَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ تَنْبُتُ بِالدُّهْنِ وَصِبْغٍ لِلْآكِلِينَ  

{و} أنشأنا {شجرةٌ تخرج من طور سيناء} جبل بكسر السين وفتحها ومنع الصرف للعلمية والتأنيث للبقعة {تُنبت} من الرباعي والثلاثي {بالدهن} الباء زائدة على الأول ومعدية على الثاني وهي شجرة الزيتون {وصبغ للآكلين} عطف على الدهن أي إدام يصبغ اللقمة بغمسها فيه وهو الزيت.
quran:23:21 –

And indeed, for you in livestock is a lesson. We give you drink from that which is in their bellies, and for you in them are numerous benefits, and from them you eat.  

And surely in the cattle, that is, ˹in˺ camels, cows and sheep, there is for you a lesson, an admonition for you to heed. We give you to drink (read nasqīkum or nusqīkum) of what is in their bellies, ˹of˺ milk, and you have many uses in them, such as ˹the extraction of˺ wool, fur and hairs and other ˹uses˺, and you eat of them.
القرآن:٢٣:٢١ –

وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِي الْأَنْعَامِ لَعِبْرَةً ۖ نُسْقِيكُمْ مِمَّا فِي بُطُونِهَا وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَنَافِعُ كَثِيرَةٌ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ  

{وإن لكم في الأنعام} الإبل والبقر والغنم {لعبرةٌ} عظة تعتبرون بها {نَسقيكم} بفتح النون وضمها {مما في بطونها} اللبن {ولكم فيها منافع كثيرة} من الأصواف والأوبار والأشعار وغير ذلك {ومنها تأكلون}.
quran:23:22 –

And upon them and on ships you are carried.  

And on them, the camels, and on ships you are carried.
القرآن:٢٣:٢٢ –

وَعَلَيْهَا وَعَلَى الْفُلْكِ تُحْمَلُونَ  

{وعليها} الإبل {وعلى الفلك} السفن {تحملون}.
quran:23:23 –

And We had certainly sent Noah to his people, and he said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him; then will you not fear Him?"  

And verily We sent Noah to his people, and he said, ‘O my people, worship God, obey God and affirm His Oneness. You have no ˹other˺ god besides Him (ghayruhu is the subject of mā, ‘no’; the preceding ˹min ilāhin, ‘god’˺ is the predicate, the min being extra). Will you not then fear?’ His punishment in worshipping ˹gods˺ other than Him?
القرآن:٢٣:٢٣ –

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ فَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ ۖ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ  

{ولقد أرسلنا نوحاً إلى قومه فقال يا قوم اعبدوا الله} أطيعوا الله ووحدوه {مالكم من إله غيره} وهو اسم ما، وما قبله الخبر، ومن زائدة {أفلا تتقون} تخافون عقوبته بعبادتكم غيره.
quran:23:24 –

But the eminent among those who disbelieved from his people said, "This is not but a man like yourselves who wishes to take precedence over you; and if Allah had willed ˹to send a messenger˺, He would have sent down angels. We have not heard of this among our forefathers.  

But the council of his people, who disbelieved, said, to their followers, ‘This is just a human being like you who desires to gain superiority, to have the honour, over you, by acquiring followers, you being ˹his˺ followers. And had God willed, that none other than Him be worshipped, He would have sent down angels, with that ˹Message˺, and not ˹assigned˺ a human being ˹for it˺. We never heard of such, an affirmation of God’s Oneness as that which Noah summons ˹us˺, among our forefathers, ˹among˺ past communities.
القرآن:٢٣:٢٤ –

فَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَفَضَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَأَنْزَلَ مَلَائِكَةً مَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَٰذَا فِي آبَائِنَا الْأَوَّلِينَ  

{فقال الملأ الذين كفروا من قومه} لأتباعهم {ما هذا إلا بشرٌ مثلكم يريد أن يتفضَّل} يتشرف {عليكم} بأن يكون متبوعاً وأنتم أتباعه {ولو شاء الله} أن لا يعبد غيره {لأنزل ملائكة} بذلك لا بشراً {ما سمعنا بهذا} الذي دعا إليه نوح من التوحيد {في آبائنا الأولين} الأمم الماضية.
quran:23:25 –

He is not but a man possessed with madness, so wait concerning him for a time."  

He, Noah, is just a man possessed by madness, a case of dementia. So bear with him for a while’, until he dies.
القرآن:٢٣:٢٥ –

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ بِهِ جِنَّةٌ فَتَرَبَّصُوا بِهِ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍ  

{إن هو} ما نوح {إلا رجل به جِنَّةٌ} حالة جنون {فتربَّصوا به} انتظروا {حتى حين} إلى زمن موته.
quran:23:26 –

˹Noah˺ said, "My Lord, support me because they have denied me."  

He, Noah, said, ‘My Lord, help me, against them, because they deny me’, because of their denial of me, by destroying them. God, exalted be He, says, responding to his supplication:
القرآن:٢٣:٢٦ –

قَالَ رَبِّ انْصُرْنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ  

{قال} نوح {ربَّ انصرني} عليهم {بما كذَّبونِ} بسبب تكذيبهم إياي بأن تهلكهم قال تعالى مجيباً دعاءه.
quran:23:27 –

So We inspired to him, "Construct the ship under Our observation, and Our inspiration, and when Our command comes and the oven overflows, put into the ship from each ˹creature˺ two mates and your family, except those for whom the decree ˹of destruction˺ has proceeded. And do not address Me concerning those who have wronged; indeed, they are to be drowned.  

So We revealed to him ˹saying˺, ‘Build the Ark, the ship, under Our watch, under Our observation and protection, and ˹by˺ Our revelation, Our command. Then, when Our command comes, that they be destroyed, and the oven, of the baker, gushes, with water — and this was Noah’s sign — bring into it, admit into the ship, of every kind ˹of animal˺ two mates, a male and a female, that is, ˹two˺ of every species thereof (ithnayn is an object; min, ‘of’, is semantically connected to usluk, ‘bring into ˹it˺’). According to the story God, exalted be He, gathered all the beasts of prey and the birds and other ˹animals˺ for Noah. As he ˹Noah˺ pushed forth his hands into each species, his right hand would fall upon a male and the left upon a female, whereafter he would take them on board the ship (a variant reading ˹for min kuli, ‘of every’˺ is min kullin, ‘of every ˹kind˺’, in which case zawjayni, ‘˹two˺ mates’, becomes a direct object, with ithnayn, ‘two’, ˹being repeated˺ for emphasis thereof); together with your family — his wife ˹?˺ and children — except for those against whom the Word has already gone forth, that they be destroyed, namely, his wife and his son Canaan (Kan‘ān), unlike Shem (Sām), Ham (Hām) and Japheth (Yāfith) whom, together with their three wives, he carried on board. In sūrat Hūd ˹the following is mentioned where Noah is told who he should carry in the ship˺: ‘… and those who believe.’ And none believed with him except a few ˹Q. 11:40˺. It is said that these were six men and their wives. Moreover it is said that all those who were on the ship numbered seventy eight, half of them were men and half were women. And do not plead with Me concerning those who have done wrong, those who have disbelieved, that I should refrain from destroying them. They shall indeed be drowned.
القرآن:٢٣:٢٧ –

فَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِ أَنِ اصْنَعِ الْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا وَوَحْيِنَا فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ ۙ فَاسْلُكْ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَنْ سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ الْقَوْلُ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تُخَاطِبْنِي فِي الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ۖ إِنَّهُمْ مُغْرَقُونَ  

{فأوحينا إليه أن اصنع الفلك} السفينة {بأعيننا} برأي منا وحفظنا {ووحينا} أمرنا {فإذا جاء أمرنا} بإهلاكهم {وفار التنور} للخباز بالماء وكان ذلك علامة لنوح {فاسلك فيها} أي أدخِلْ في السفينة {من كلِ زوجين} ذكر وأنثى، أي من كل أنواعهما {اثنين} ذكراً وأنثى وهو مفعول ومن متعلقة باسلك، ففي القصة أن الله تعالى حشر لنوح السباع والطير وغيرهما، فجعل يضرب بيديه في كل نوع فتقع يده اليمنى على الذكر واليسرى على الأنثى فيحملهما في السفينة، وفي قراءة كلِ بالتنوين فزوجين مفعول واثنين تأكيد له {وأهلك} زوجته وأولاده {إلا من سبق عليه القول منهم} بالإهلاك وهو زوجته وولده كنعان بخلاف سام وحام ويافث فحملهم وزوجاتهم ثلاثة، وفي سورة هود (ومن آمن وما آمن معه إلا قليل) قيل كانوا ستة رجال ونساؤهم وقبل جميع من كان في السفينة ثمانية وسبعون نصفهم رجال ونصفهم نساء {ولا تخاطبني في الذين ظلموا} كفروا بترك إهلاكهم {إنهم مغرقون}.
quran:23:28 –

And when you have boarded the ship, you and those with you, then say, 'Praise to Allah who has saved us from the wrongdoing people.'  

And when you have settled, ˹when˺ you are balanced, in the Ark together with those with you, say, “Praise be to God Who has delivered us from the wrongdoing folk”, ˹from˺ the disbelievers and the destruction that came upon them.
القرآن:٢٣:٢٨ –

فَإِذَا اسْتَوَيْتَ أَنْتَ وَمَنْ مَعَكَ عَلَى الْفُلْكِ فَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي نَجَّانَا مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ  

{فإذا استويت} اعتدلت {أنت ومن معك على الفلك فقل الحمد لله الذي نجانا من القوم الظالمين} الكافرين وإهلاكهم.
quran:23:29 –

And say, 'My Lord, let me land at a blessed landing place, and You are the best to accommodate ˹us˺.' "  

And say, upon disembarking from the ship: “My Lord, cause me to land with a landing (read munzalan as the verbal noun as well as the noun of place ˹for ‘landing’˺; or manzilan as ˹meaning˺ the site of the landing) blessed, being that landing or place, for You are the best of all who bring to land” ’, that which has been mentioned.
القرآن:٢٣:٢٩ –

وَقُلْ رَبِّ أَنْزِلْنِي مُنْزَلًا مُبَارَكًا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْمُنْزِلِينَ  

{وقل} عند نزولك {رب أنزلني مُنزَلاً} بضم الميم وفتح الزاي مصدراً واسم مكان وبفتح الميم وكسر الزاي مكان النزول {مُباركاً} ذلك الإنزال أو المكان {وأنت خير المنزلين} ما ذكر.
quran:23:30 –

Indeed in that are signs, and indeed, We are ever testing ˹Our servants˺.  

Surely in that, mentioned matter of Noah, the ship and the destruction of the disbelievers, there are signs, indicators of God’s power, exalted be He, and indeed (wa-in, in has been softened in place of the hardened form, its subject being the pronoun of the matter) We were putting to the test, ˹indeed We were˺ trying the people of Noah by sending him ˹as God’s messenger˺ to them and ˹by˺ his admonitions ˹to them˺.
القرآن:٢٣:٣٠ –

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ وَإِنْ كُنَّا لَمُبْتَلِينَ  

{إن في ذلك} المذكور من أمر نوح والسفينة وإهلاك الكفار {لآيات} دلالات على قدرة الله تعالى {وإن} مخففة من الثقيلة واسمها ضمير الشأن {كنا لمبتلين} قوم نوح بإرساله إليهم ووعظه.
quran:23:31 –

Then We produced after them a generation of others.  

Then, after them, We brought forth another generation, ˹another˺ people, namely, and these were ˹the people of˺ ‘Ād.
القرآن:٢٣:٣١ –

ثُمَّ أَنْشَأْنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا آخَرِينَ  

{ثم أنشأنا من بعدهم قَرناً} قوماً {آخرين} هم عاد.
quran:23:32 –

And We sent among them a messenger from themselves, ˹saying˺, "Worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him; then will you not fear Him?"  

And We sent among them a messenger of their own, namely, Hūd, saying, ‘Worship God! You have no other god besides Him. Will you not then be wary?’, of His punishment and become believers?
القرآن:٢٣:٣٢ –

فَأَرْسَلْنَا فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِنْهُمْ أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ ۖ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ  

{فأرسلنا فيهم رسولاً منهم} هوداً {أن} بأن {اعبدوا الله ما لكم من إله غيره أفلا تتقون} عقابه فتؤمنون.
quran:23:33 –

And the eminent among his people who disbelieved and denied the meeting of the Hereafter while We had given them luxury in the worldly life said, "This is not but a man like yourselves. He eats of that from which you eat and drinks of what you drink.  

The council of his people, who disbelieved and denied the encounter of the Hereafter, ˹they denied˺ that they will end up thereat, and whom We had given affluence, whom We had provided with comforts, in the life of this world, said: ‘This is only a human being like you: he eats what you eat and drinks what you drink.
القرآن:٢٣:٣٣ –

وَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِلِقَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ وَأَتْرَفْنَاهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يَأْكُلُ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ مِنْهُ وَيَشْرَبُ مِمَّا تَشْرَبُونَ  

{وقال الملأ من قومه الذين كفروا وكذبوا بلقاء الآخرة} بالمصير إليها {وأترفناهم} نعمناهم {في الحياة الدنيا ما هذا إلا بشر مثلكم يأكل مما تأكلون منه ويشرب مما تشربون}.
quran:23:34 –

And if you should obey a man like yourselves, indeed, you would then be losers.  

And, by God, if you obey a human being like yourselves (this ˹clause˺ contains both an oath and a conditional; the response belongs to the former ˹the oath˺, which ˹at the same time˺ suffices in place of a response for the latter ˹the conditional˺) you will surely then, that is, should you obey them, be losers, you will have been duped.
القرآن:٢٣:٣٤ –

وَلَئِنْ أَطَعْتُمْ بَشَرًا مِثْلَكُمْ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا لَخَاسِرُونَ  

{و} الله {لئن أطعتم بشراً مثلكم} فيه قسم وشرط الثاني والجواب لأولهما وهو مغن عن جواب الثاني {أنكم إذاً} أي إذا أطعتموه {لخاسرون} أي مغبون.
quran:23:35 –

Does he promise you that when you have died and become dust and bones that you will be brought forth ˹once more˺?  

Does he promise you that when you have died and become dust and bones, you shall be brought forth? (mukhrajūna, this is the predicate of the first annakum, ‘that … you’; the second annakum ˹simply˺ reiterates it because of the long separation ˹between the subject and its predicate˺).
القرآن:٢٣:٣٥ –

أَيَعِدُكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ إِذَا مِتُّمْ وَكُنْتُمْ تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَنَّكُمْ مُخْرَجُونَ  

{أيعدكم أنكم إذا متُّم وكنتم تراباً وعظاماً أنكم مخرجون} هو خبر أنكم الأولى وأنكم الثانية تأكيد لها لما طال الفصل.
quran:23:36 –

How far, how far, is that which you are promised.  

Far-fetched, far-fetched (hayhāt is a noun of action in the past tense, functioning as a verbal noun, meaning ba‘uda ba‘uda, ‘far from it, far from it!’) is what you are promised!, in the way of being brought forth from the graves (li-mā: the lām is extra, for explication).
القرآن:٢٣:٣٦ –

هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ لِمَا تُوعَدُونَ  

{هَيْهات هَيْهات} اسم فعل ماض بمعنى مصدر: أي بعد {لما توعدون} من الإخراج من القبور واللام زائدة للبيان.
quran:23:37 –

Life is not but our worldly life - we die and live, but we will not be resurrected.  

There is nothing, that is, there is no life, but our life in this world: we die, and we live, ˹again only˺ through the lives of our offspring, and we shall not be raised ˹again˺.
القرآن:٢٣:٣٧ –

إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ  

{إن هي} أي ما الحياة {إلا حياتنا الدنيا نموت ونحيا} بحياة أبنائنا {وما نحن بمبعوثين}.
quran:23:38 –

He is not but a man who has invented a lie about Allah, and we will not believe him."  

He is, the Messenger is, just a man who has invented a lie against God, and we will not believe in him’, we will ˹not˺ accept the truth of resurrection after death.
القرآن:٢٣:٣٨ –

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا وَمَا نَحْنُ لَهُ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ  

{إن هو} ما الرسول {إلا رجل افترى على الله كذباً وما نحن له بمؤمنين} مصدقين بالبعث بعد الموت.
quran:23:39 –

He said, "My Lord, support me because they have denied me."  

He said, ‘My Lord, help me because they have denied me’.
القرآن:٢٣:٣٩ –

قَالَ رَبِّ انْصُرْنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ  

{قال رب انصرني بما كذبون}.
quran:23:40 –

˹Allah˺ said, "After a little, they will surely become regretful."  

He said, ‘In a little while, of time (‘ammā: the mā is extra), they will become remorseful’, about their disbelief and their denial.
القرآن:٢٣:٤٠ –

قَالَ عَمَّا قَلِيلٍ لَيُصْبِحُنَّ نَادِمِينَ  

{قال عما قليل} من الزمان وما زائدة {ليصبحن} ليصيرن {نادمين} على كفرهم وتكذيبهم.
quran:23:41 –

So the shriek seized them in truth, and We made them as ˹plant˺ stubble. Then away with the wrongdoing people.  

So the Cry, the Cry of chastisement and destruction, seized them rightfully, and they died, and We made them as husks (ghuthā’ is desiccated vegetation, in other words, We transformed them into similarly desiccated ˹worthless˺ things). So a far removal, from mercy, for the evildoing folk, the denying ˹folk˺.
القرآن:٢٣:٤١ –

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ بِالْحَقِّ فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ غُثَاءً ۚ فَبُعْدًا لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ  

{فأخذتهم الصيحة} صيحة العذاب والهلاك كائنة {بالحق} فماتوا {فجعلناهم غثاءً} هو نبت يبس أي صيرناهم مثله في اليبس {فبعداً} من الرحمة {للقوم الظالمين} المكذبين.
quran:23:42 –

Then We produced after them other generations.  

Then, after them, We brought forth other generations, ˹other˺ peoples.
القرآن:٢٣:٤٢ –

ثُمَّ أَنْشَأْنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ قُرُونًا آخَرِينَ  

{ثم أنشأنا من بعدهم قروناً} أقواماً {آخرين}.
quran:23:43 –

No nation will precede its time ˹of termination˺, nor will they remain ˹thereafter˺.  

No community can precede its term, by dying before it, nor be deferred, beyond it (the person ˹in the second verb yasta’khirūna, ‘be deferred’˺ is masculine, having been feminine ˹in the first verb tasbiqu, ‘precede’˺ because this ˹masculine plural˺ takes into account the ˹plural masculine˺ content ˹of the term ‘community’˺).
القرآن:٢٣:٤٣ –

مَا تَسْبِقُ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلَهَا وَمَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ  

{ما تسبق من أمة أجلها} بأن تموت قبله {وما يستأخرون} عنه ذكر الضمير بعد تأنيثه رعاية للمعنى.
quran:23:44 –

Then We sent Our messengers in succession. Every time there came to a nation its messenger, they denied him, so We made them follow one another ˹to destruction˺, and We made them narrations. So away with a people who do not believe.  

Then sent We Our messengers successively (read tatran or tatrā: one following the other, with a long interval between every two). Whenever there came to a community (jā’a ummatan: read pronouncing both hamzas, or without pronouncing the second one between it and the wāw ˹vowel˺) its messenger they denied him; so We made them follow one another, to destruction, and We turned them into folktales. So away with a people who do not believe!
القرآن:٢٣:٤٤ –

ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا تَتْرَىٰ ۖ كُلَّ مَا جَاءَ أُمَّةً رَسُولُهَا كَذَّبُوهُ ۚ فَأَتْبَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ بَعْضًا وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَحَادِيثَ ۚ فَبُعْدًا لِقَوْمٍ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ  

{ثم أرسلنا رسلنا تتراً} بالتنوين وعدمه متتابعين بين كل اثنين زمان طويل {كلما جاء أمة} بتحقيق الهمزتين وتسهيل الثانية بينها وبين الواو {رسولها كذبوه فأتبعنا بعضهم بعضاً} في الهلاك {وجعلناهم أحاديث فعبداً لقوم لا يؤمنون}.
quran:23:45 –

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

Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our signs and a manifest warrant, a clear proof, namely, the hand, the staff and other signs,
القرآن:٢٣:٤٥ –

ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ وَأَخَاهُ هَارُونَ بِآيَاتِنَا وَسُلْطَانٍ مُبِينٍ  

{ثم أرسلنا موسى وأخاه هارون بآياتنا وسلطان مبين} حجة وهي اليد والعصا وغيرهما من الآيات.
quran:23:46 –

To Pharaoh and his establishment, but they were arrogant and were a haughty people.  

to Pharaoh and his council; but they disdained, to believing in them and in God, and they were a tyrannical folk, subjugating the Children of Israel through oppression.
القرآن:٢٣:٤٦ –

إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا عَالِينَ  

{إلى فرعون وملئه فاستكبروا} عن الإيمان بها وبالله {وكانوا قوماً عالين} قاهرين بني إسرائيل بالظلم.
quran:23:47 –

They said, "Should we believe two men like ourselves while their people are for us in servitude?"  

And they said, ‘Shall we believe two humans like ourselves, while their people are servile to us?’, obedient and submissive.
القرآن:٢٣:٤٧ –

فَقَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ لِبَشَرَيْنِ مِثْلِنَا وَقَوْمُهُمَا لَنَا عَابِدُونَ  

{فقالوا أنؤمن لبشرين مثلنا وقومهما لنا عابدون} مطيعون خاضعون.
quran:23:48 –

So they denied them and were of those destroyed.  

So they denied them ˹both˺ and became of those who were destroyed.
القرآن:٢٣:٤٨ –

فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا فَكَانُوا مِنَ الْمُهْلَكِينَ  

{فكذبوهما فكانوا من المهلكين}.
quran:23:49 –

And We certainly gave Moses the Scripture that perhaps they would be guided.  

And verily We gave Moses the Scripture, the Torah, that perhaps they, his people, the Children of Israel, might be guided, thereby from error — he ˹Moses˺ was given it ˹the Scripture˺ after the destruction of Pharaoh and his folk all at once.
القرآن:٢٣:٤٩ –

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ  

{ولقد آتينا موسى الكتاب} التوراة {لعلهم} قومه بني إسرائيل {يهتدون} به من الضلالة، وأوتيها بعد هلاك فرعون وقومه جملة واحدة.
quran:23:50 –

And We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign and sheltered them within a high ground having level ˹areas˺ and flowing water.  

And We made the son of Mary, Jesus, and his mother a sign — He did not say ‘two signs’ because the same sign is in both of them: his being born without ˹his mother’s having˺ a male spouse. And We gave them refuge on a height (rabwa), a highland — in this case ˹either˺ the Holy House ˹of Jerusalem˺, Damascus or Palestine, all of which are ˹alternative˺ opinions — level (dhāt qarār), an flat ˹high-˺ land on which its inhabitants are able to settle (yastaqirru), and watered by springs, running water, over ground, which the eyes can see.
القرآن:٢٣:٥٠ –

وَجَعَلْنَا ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ آيَةً وَآوَيْنَاهُمَا إِلَىٰ رَبْوَةٍ ذَاتِ قَرَارٍ وَمَعِينٍ  

{وجعلنا ابن مريم} عيسى {وأمه آية} لم يقل آيتين لأن الآية فيهما واحدة: ولادته من غير فحل {وآوينهما إلى ربوة} مكان مرتفع وهو بيت المقدس أو دمشق أو فلسطين، أقوال {ذات قرار} أي مستوية يستقر عليها ساكنوها {ومعين} وماء جار ظاهر تراه العيون.