Surah Al-Muminoon (23): Read Online and Download - English Translation

The Story of `Ad or Thamud

Allah tells us that after the people of Nuh, He created another nation. It was said that this was `Ad, because they were the successors of the people of Nuh. Or it was said that they were Thamud, because Allah says:

(So, the Sayhah overtook them in truth.) Allah sent to them a Messenger from among themselves, and he called them to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate, but they belied him, opposed him and refused to follow him because he was a human being like them, and they refused to follow a human Messenger. They did not believe in the meeting with Allah on the Day of Resurrection and they denied the idea of physical resurrection. They said:

(Does he promise you that when you have died and have become dust and bones, you shall come out alive (resurrected) Far, very far is that which you are promised!) meaning, very unlikely.

(He is only a man who has invented a lie against Allah,) meaning, `in the Message he has brought to you, and his warnings and promise of resurrection.'

(and we are not going to believe in him. He said: "O my Lord! Help me because they deny me.") meaning, the Messenger prayed against his people and asked his Lord to help him against them. His Lord answered his prayer:

((Allah) said: "In a little while, they are sure to be regretful.") meaning, `for their opposition towards you and their stubborn rejection of the Message you brought to them.'

(So, The Sayhah overtook them in truth,) meaning, they deserved that from Allah because of their disbelief and wrongdoing. The apparent meaning is that the Sayhah was combined with the furious cold wind,

(Destroying everything by the command of its Lord! So they became such that nothing could be seen except their dwellings!) 46:25

(and We made them as rubbish of dead plants.) means, they are dead and destroyed, like the scum and rubbish left by a flood, i.e., something insignificant and useless that is of no benefit to anyone.

(So, away with the people who are wrongdoers.) As Allah's statement:

(We wronged them not, but they were the wrongdoers.) 43:76 means, who are wrongdoers because of their disbelief and stubborn opposition to the Messenger of Allah, so let those who hear this beware of disbelieving in their Messengers.

Mention of Other Nations Allah says:

(Then, after them, We created other generations.) meaning, nations and peoples.

(No nation can advance their term, nor can they delay it.) means, they are taken at the appropriate time, as decreed by Allah in His Book that is preserved with Him, before they were created, nation after nation, century after century, generation after generation, successors after predecessors.

(Then We sent Our Messengers in succession.) Ibn `Abbas said, "(This means) following one another in succession." This is like the Ayah:

(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah, and avoid Taghut (all false deities)." Then of them were some whom Allah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified) 16:36.

(Every time there came to a nation their Messenger, they denied him;) meaning the greater majority of them. This is like the Ayah:

(Alas for mankind! There never came a Messenger to them but they used to mock at him.) 36:30

(so We made them follow one another,) means, `We destroyed them,' as Allah says:

(And how many generations have We destroyed after Nuh!) 17:17

(and We made them as Ahadith) meaning, stories and lessons for mankind, as Allah says elsewhere:

(so, We made them as tales (in the land), and We dispersed them all totally) 34:19.