Sura Muminun [Mecca 74]


The Quranic text and Ali’s version of 23:78 – 87]


وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنشَأَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ...Shape1

23:78. It is He Who has created for you (the faculties of) hearing, sight, feeling and understanding:

C2924. As elsewhere, "heart" is to be understood as the seat both of feeling and intelligence.

'All the means by which knowledge can be gathered, judgment formed, and goodness cultivated, are provided for you by Allah. If you were grateful, you would use those in His service, which is expressed in your service to your fellow men. But instead you ignore these gifts, question Allah's Providence, and blaspheme against Him!'

...قَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٧٨﴾

little thanks it is ye give!

وَهُوَ الَّذِي ذَرَأَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ ﴿٧٩﴾Shape2

79. And He has multiplied you through the earth, and to Him shall ye be gathered back.

وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَلَهُ اخْتِلَافُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ...Shape3

80. It is He Who gives life and death, and to Him (is due) the alternation of Night and Day:

C2925. The alternation of Night and Day stands here as a symbol for all the beneficent processes of Nature provided by Allah for the comfort and growth of man's outer and inner life.

...أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٨٠﴾

will ye not then understand?

بَلْ قَالُوا مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ الْأَوَّلُونَ ﴿٨١﴾Shape4

81. On the contrary they say things similar to what the ancients said.

C2926. And they are the more culpable, as they have received a later and completer revelation. Why should they now stand on the primitive ideas of their ancestors?

قَالُوا أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَئِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ ﴿٨٢﴾Shape5

82. They say:

"What! when we die and become dust and bones, could we really be raised up again?

لَقَدْ وُعِدْنَا نَحْنُ وَآبَاؤُنَا هَذَا مِن قَبْلُ...Shape6

83. "Such things have been promised to us and to our fathers before!

...إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿٨٣﴾

They are nothing but tales of the ancients!"

قُل لِّمَنِ الْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهَا إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٨٤﴾Shape7

84. Say: "To whom belong the earth and all beings therein?

(Say) if ye know!"

سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ...Shape8

85. They will say, "To Allah!"

...قُلْ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٨٥﴾

Say: "Yet will ye not receive admonition?"

C2927. If their argument is that such things about a future life cannot be known or proved, they are referred to the things which are actually before them. The tangible things of the earth;

- can they postulate their order or government except by a Power or Force or Energy outside them?

- They will admit that there is such a Power or Force or Energy. We call it Allah.

- Go a step further.

We see a sublime Universe in the heavens above, stretching far, far beyond our ken. They will admit its existence and its grandeur.

We ask them to entertain a feeling of reverence for the Power behind it, and to understand their own littleness and their dependence upon that Power.

قُلْ مَن رَّبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ ﴿٨٦﴾Shape9

86. Say: "Who is the Lord of the seven heavens, and the Lord of the Throne (of Glory) Supreme?"

C2928. Cf. 9:129.

سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ...Shape10

87. They will say, "(They belong) to Allah."

...قُلْ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ ﴿٨٧﴾

Say: "Will ye not then be filled with awe?"

C2929. See n. 2927 above.

'If this great and glorious Universe inspires you with awe, surely the Power behind is more worthy of your awe, especially if you compare your dependence and its dependence upon Him.'

قُلْ مَن بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ...Shape11

88. Say: "Who is it in whose hands is the governance of all things --

...وَهُوَ يُجِيرُ وَلَا يُجَارُ عَلَيْهِ ...

who protects (all), but is not protected (of any)?

...إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٨٨﴾

(Say) if ye know."




Asad’s version


23:78 [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!

(23:79) And He it is who has caused you to multiply on earth; and unto Him you shall be gathered.

23:80 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?

(23:81) But nay, they speak as the people of olden times did speak:

(23:82) they say: "What! After we have died and become mere dust and bones, shall we, forsooth, be raised from the dead?

(23:83) Indeed, this [very thing] we have been promised - we and our forefathers - long ago! This is nothing but fables of ancient times!"

23:84 Say: "Unto whom belongs the earth and all that lives thereon? 48 [Tell me this] if you happen to know [the answer]!"

(23:85) [And] they will reply: "Unto God." Say: "Will you not, then, bethink yourselves [of Him]?"

23:86 Say: "Who is it that sustains the seven heavens and is enthroned in His awesome almightiness?" 4 '

(23:87) [And] they will reply: "[All this power belongs] to God." Say: "Will you not, then, remain conscious of Him?"


23:88 Say: "In whose hand rests the mighty dominion over all things, and who is it that protects, the while there is no protection against Him? [Tell me this] if you happen to know [the answer]!"


(23:89) [And] they will reply: "[All this power belongs) to God." Say: "How, then, can you be so deluded?" 50


23:90 Nay, We have conveyed unto them the truth: and yet, behold, they are intent on lying [to themselves)! 51



[[ 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".


49 Lit,, "who is the Sustainer (rabb) of the seven heavens" - see note 20 on 2:29 - "and the Sustainer of the awesome throne of almightiness": cf 9:129 as well as note 43 on 7:54. ]]