23. [al-Muminun, Mecca 74]

23:62

وَلَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا...

23:62 [Ali]. On no soul do We place a burden greater than it can bear:

C2913. Cf. 2:286 and n. 339 .

...وَلَدَيْنَا كِتَابٌ يَنطِقُ بِالْحَقِّ...

before Us is a record which clearly shows the truth:

C2914. The record speaks clearly, and shows exactly what each soul has done and thought, and what is due to it in justice.

The worst will receive full justice. The best will receive far more than their due: 28:84.

...وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ ﴿٦٢﴾

they will never be wronged.

23:63

[Ali]

بَلْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فِي غَمْرَةٍ مِّنْ هَذَا...

63. But their hearts are in confused ignorance of this;

C2915. This is said of the Unbelievers who rejected Faith and rejoiced in the vanities of this world. In spite of the proclamation of Truth, they are doubtful of the future Life and Judgment.

...وَلَهُمْ أَعْمَالٌ مِن دُونِ ذَلِكَ هُمْ لَهَا عَامِلُونَ ﴿٦٣﴾

and there are, besides that, deeds of theirs, which they will (continue) to do --

C2916. In addition to their rejection of Faith, they have against them positive deeds of wrong-doing, from which, on account of their contempt of the Light from Allah, they will not desist until they are sharply pulled up for punishment: and then repentance will be too late!

23:64

حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذْنَا مُتْرَفِيهِم بِالْعَذَابِ إِذَا هُمْ يَجْأَرُونَ ﴿٦٤﴾

64. Until, when We seize in Punishment those of them who received the good things of this world, behold, they will groan in supplication!

[[Asad’s notes - 34 This passage obviously connects with the last sentence of verse 56 - "Nay, but they do not perceive [their error] ! " - and, hence, refers to the people spoken of in verse 54 as being "lost in their Ignorance" (fi ghamratihim).

35 Namely, actions and dogmatic assertions which utterly contradict the teachings of the very apostles whom they claim to follow, like ascribing divine qualities to beings other than God, worshipping saints, or rejecting divine revelations which do not accord with their own likes and dislikes or with their customary mode of thinking.

36 See surah 17, note 22. The particular reference, in this context, to people "who [at present] are lost in the pursuit of pleasures" contains an allusion to verse 55 above (see my explanation in note 32, especially the last sentence). The "taking to task though suffering" spoken of here may refer to the Day of Judgment or - as in 17:16 to the inevitable social ruin which, in the long run,wrong beliefs and actions bring with themselves in this world. ]]

23:65

[But they will be told:] "Cry not in supplication today: for, behold, you shall not be succoured by Us!

(23:66) Time and again 37 were My messages conveyed unto you, but [every time] you would turn about on your heels

(23:67) [and,] impelled by your arrogance, you would talk

senselessly far into the night." 38

23:68

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

(23:69) Or is it, perchance, that they have not recognized their Apostle, and so they disavow him? (23:70) 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

[[Asad’s notes -

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

38 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 orresponding note 4.)

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

40 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. ]]

23:71 But if the truth 41 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] ! " 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!

23:72 Or dost 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 providers! 44 37 This is the meaning implied in the auxiliary verb kanat preceded by the particle qad.

[[Asad’s notes - 38 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.)

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

40 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.

41 I.e., the reality of all creation.

42 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.

43 For this rendering of the term dhikr; see note 13 on21:10.

44 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 to this world and the hereafter. ]]

23:73

And, verily, thou callest them onto a straight way - (23:74) but, behold, those who will not believe in the life to come are bound to deviate from that way.

(23:75) 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.

23:76 And, indeed, We tested them" through suffering, but they did not abase themselves before their Sustainer; and they will never humble themselves (23:77) until We open before them a gate of (truly] severe suffering [in the life to come]: and then, lo! they will be broken in

spirit. 47

[[Asad’s notes - 45 Sc, "as it inevitably befalls all human beings" : an oblique allusion to the fact that human life is never free from distress.

46 Lit., "We took them to task".

47 Or: "they will despair of all hope".

48 Lit., "and all who are on it". ]]

Ali’s translation: 23:63 - 77

بَلْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فِي غَمْرَةٍ مِّنْ هَذَا...

63. But their hearts are in confused ignorance of this;

C2915. This is said of the Unbelievers who rejected Faith and rejoiced in the vanities of this world. In spite of the proclamation of Truth, they are doubtful of the future Life and Judgment.

...وَلَهُمْ أَعْمَالٌ مِن دُونِ ذَلِكَ هُمْ لَهَا عَامِلُونَ ﴿٦٣﴾

and there are, besides that, deeds of theirs, which they will (continue) to do --

C2916. In addition to their rejection of Faith, they have against them positive deeds of wrong-doing, from which, on account of their contempt of the Light from Allah, they will not desist until they are sharply pulled up for punishment: and then repentance will be too late!

حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذْنَا مُتْرَفِيهِم بِالْعَذَابِ إِذَا هُمْ يَجْأَرُونَ ﴿٦٤﴾

64. Until, when We seize in Punishment those of them who received the good things of this world, behold, they will groan in supplication!

لَا تَجْأَرُوا الْيَوْمَ إِنَّكُم مِّنَّا لَا تُنصَرُونَ ﴿٦٥﴾

65. It will be said:

"Groan not in supplication this day; for ye shall certainly not be helped by Us.

قَدْ كَانَتْ آيَاتِي تُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنتُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِكُمْ تَنكِصُونَ ﴿٦٦﴾

66. "My Signs used to be rehearsed to you, but ye used to turn back on your heels --

مُسْتَكْبِرِينَ بِهِ سَامِرًا تَهْجُرُونَ ﴿٦٧﴾

67. "In arrogance: talking nonsense about the (Qur'án), like one telling fables by night."

C2917. Samir: one who remains awake by night, one who passes the night in talk or in the recital of stories of romances, a favourite amusement of the Days of Ignorance.

أَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُوا الْقَوْلَ أَمْ جَاءهُم مَّا لَمْ يَأْتِ آبَاءهُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿٦٨﴾

68. Do they not ponder over the Word (of Allah), or has anything (new) come to them that did not come to their fathers of old?

C2918. If they ponder over the matter, they will find that Allah's Message to humanity is as old as Adam. It is good for all ages. It never grows old, and it is never new.

أَمْ لَمْ يَعْرِفُوا رَسُولَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَهُ مُنكِرُونَ ﴿٦٩﴾

69. Or do they not recognize their Messenger, that they deny him?

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ بِهِ جِنَّةٌ...

70. Or do they say, "He is possessed"?

...بَلْ جَاءهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَارِهُونَ ﴿٧٠﴾

Nay, he has brought them the Truth, but most of them hate the Truth.

وَلَوِ اتَّبَعَ الْحَقُّ أَهْوَاءهُمْ لَفَسَدَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ...

71. If the Truth had been in accord with their desires, truly the heavens and the earth, and all beings therein would have been in confusion and corruption!

C2919. Allah is All-Wise and All-Good, and His architecture of the universe is on a perfect Plan. If these poor, low, selfish, ignorant creatures were to plan it according to their hearts' desires, it would be a dreadful world, full of confusion and corruption.

...بَلْ أَتَيْنَاهُم بِذِكْرِهِمْ فَهُمْ عَن ذِكْرِهِم مُّعْرِضُونَ ﴿٧١﴾

Nay, We have sent them their admonition, but they turn away from their admonition.

أَمْ تَسْأَلُهُمْ خَرْجًا ...

72. Or is it that thou askest them for some recompense?

C2920. This is the last of the questions, beginning with 23:68 above, showing the absurdity of the position taken up by the Unbelievers.

1. The Message of Allah is as old as humanity: why do they fight shy of it?

2. They have known their Prophet to be true and righteous: why do they deny him?

3. Is it madness to bring the bitter Truth before them?

4. Does the Prophet ask any worldly reward from them? If not, why do they reject his unselfish efforts for their own good?

... فَخَرَاجُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ...

But the recompense of thy Lord is best:

...وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ ﴿٧٢﴾

He is the Best of those who give sustenance.

وَإِنَّكَ لَتَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿٧٣﴾

73. But verily thou callest them to the Straight Way;

وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ عَنِ الصِّرَاطِ لَنَاكِبُونَ ﴿٧٤﴾

74. And verily those who believe not in the Hereafter are deviating from that Way.

وَلَوْ رَحِمْنَاهُمْ وَكَشَفْنَا مَا بِهِم مِّن ضُرٍّ...

75. If We had mercy on them and removed the distress which is on them,

C2921. The reference is to a very severe famine felt in Makkah, which was attributed by the Unbelievers to the presence of the holy Prophet among them and his preaching against their gods.

As this is a Makkan Surah, the famine referred to must be that described by Ibn Kathir as having occurred in the 8th year of the Mission, say about four years before the Hijrah.

There was also a post-Hijrah famine, which is referred to by, Bukhari, but that was a later event.

...لَّلَجُّوا فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ﴿٧٥﴾

they would obstinately persist in their transgression, wandering in distraction to and fro.

وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَاهُم بِالْعَذَابِ ...

76. We inflicted Punishment on them,

C2922. Some Commentators understand the battle of Badr to be meant here; if so, this particular verse would be of the Madinah period.

But it is better to understand it as referring to the same "distress" as in the preceding verse, or to punishments in general, which obstinate sinners refuse to take as warnings given to them to mend their ways and turn in repentance to Allah.

... فَمَا اسْتَكَانُوا لِرَبِّهِمْ وَمَا يَتَضَرَّعُونَ ﴿٧٦﴾

but they humbled not themselves to their Lord, nor do they submissively entreat (Him)! --

حَتَّى إِذَا فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَابًا ذَا عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ إِذَا هُمْ فِيهِ مُبْلِسُونَ ﴿٧٧﴾

77. Until We open on them a gate leading to a severe Punishment: then

Lo! they will be plunged in despair therein!

C2923. Cf. 6:44.

If the little trials in the present life will not open their eyes, will great trials do so?

Unfortunately they only cause in the wicked a feeling of despair.

In the final Punishment after the Judgment, it will be too late for them to repent, and despair will be their only lot.