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Al-Mu’minun (The Believers)
Name
The surah takes its name, Al-Mu'minun, from the first verse.
Period of Revelation.
Both its style and theme indicate that it was revealed during the middle
stage of Prophethood at Makkah. Reading between the lines, one feels that
a bitter conflict had begun between the, Holy Prophet and the disbelievers
of Makkah, though the persecution by them had not yet become tyrannical.
It appears that the surah was sent down during the climax of the "Famine"
in Makkah (vv. 75-76), which according to authentic traditions occurred
during the middle stage of Prophethood. Moreover, according to a tradition
related by 'Urwah bin Zubair, Hadarat Umar who had embraced Islam by that
time, said, "This Surah was revealed in my presence and I myself observed
the state of the Holy Prophet during its revelation. When the revelation
ended , the Holy Prophet remarked, 'On this occasion ten such verses have
been sent down to me that the one who measures up to them, will most surely
go to Paradise'. Then he recited the initial verses of the surah." (Ahmad,
Tirmizi, Nasai, Hakim).
Theme Topics
The central theme of the surah is to invite the people to accept and follow
the Message of the Holy Prophet and the whole Surah revolves round this
theme.
Summary
The fact that the people who have accepted the Message of the Holy Prophet
have started acquiring such and such noble qualities of character is a
practical proof of the truth of the Message. 1 - 11
In this passage, attention has been drawn to the creation of man and the
universe to impress that the whole universe including man's own self,
is a clear proof of the truth of the Holy Prophet's Message, which invites
the people to accept Tauhid and life in the Hereafter. 12 - 22
Then the stories of the former Prophets and their communities have been
cited as historical evidences of the truth of the Message. They prove
the following things :
- The objections and the doubts that the antagonists are raising against
the Message of Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) are not new. These
were raised against the former Prophets also whom they themselves acknowledged
as Messengers of Allah. Therefore they should learn a lesson from their
history and judge for themselves whether the Prophets were in the right
or their objectors.
- The Message of Tauhid and the Hereafter that Muhammad (Allah's peace
be upon him) is conveying is the same as was brought by the former Prophets;
therefore they should accept it.
- They should take a warning from the consequences met by those communities
who rejected the Message of their Prophets.
- All the Prophets brought one and the same religion from Allah and
they all belonged to one and the same community. All other religions
were invented by the people themselves and none of them is from Allah.
23 - 54
After relating the stories of the Prophets, a fundamental principle has
been enunciated: Success and prosperity in the worldly life is not a criterion
of success in the sight of Allah. If some persons (or a person) are enjoying
prosperity, wealth, power and the like in this world, it does not mean
that they are favourites of Allah. Likewise, the poverty and adversity
of other people is not a proof that Allah is displeased with them. The
real criterion is Faith (or lack of it). This declaration was needed because
the antagonists of the Holy Prophet were the great chiefs of Makkah, who
(and their followers) were deluded by their own prosperity that God and
their deities were well pleased with them. On the other hand, they argued,
the fact that Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) and his followers were
indigent and in a state of helplessness, was a clear proof that Allah
was not pleased with them, and they were under the curse of their deities.
55 - 67
In this passage different arguments have been used to convince them that
Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) was a true Prophet of Allah. Then
they have been told that the Famine (vv. 75 - 76) was merely a warning
and therefore "it is better for you to mend your ways; otherwise you will
be visited by a terrible scourge." 68 - 77
Again they have been invited to observe the Signs in the universe and
in their own selves because these are clear proofs of the truth of the
Message of the Holy Prophet. 78 - 95
The Holy Prophet has been told not to adopt any wrong way in retaliation
to counteract the evil ways of the enemies, and to guard against the incitement
of Satan. 96 - 97
In this concluding passage, the enemies of the truth have been warned
that they shall have to render an account in the Hereafter and bear the
consequences of their persecution of the Believers; therefore they should
mend their ways. 98 - 118
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