23:1  Indeed, the believers are liberated!

23:2  They (the believers) are in the experience of duly observing Allah in their prayer (salat);

23:3  They turn away from empty discourse and engagements;

23:4  They do whatever is necessary to cleanse and purify (zakat);

23:5  They protect their sexual organs from relationships out of wedlock,

23:6  Except from their spouses or what their right hands possess... For they are not condemned.

23:7  So, whoever wants more than this (with alternative sexual desires) they are the very transgressors.

23:8  Those (believers) are faithful to what they have been entrusted with and true to their word.

23:9  They observe their prayers (salat; their introspection toward – observation of Allah is constant).

23:10  They are the inheritors!

23:11  And they, who have inherited Paradise, will live therein forever.

23:12  Indeed, We have created man from a line (sperm; a genetic formation) of wet clay (a mixture of clay, water and minerals).

23:13  Then We placed him as a drop in a safe place.

23:14  Then We developed that drop into an embryo (a genetic form) and then into a lump of flesh, and then We developed them into bones, and then finally clothed the bones with flesh... Then We composed him with a new creation (by forming the spirit)... Exalted is Allah, the most beautiful of Creators!

23:15  After this, surely you will die (and move on to a life without a biological body).

23:16  Indeed, during Doomsday (after your death) you will be resurrected (with a new body in a new dimension of life).

23:17  Indeed, We have created seven paths above you (the life paths of the seven states of consciousness – all creatures in the universe are subject to living one of these states)... We are not unaware of their creation.

23:18  We disclosed water from the sky in due measure and lodged it in the earth (gave life to earth – the body - with it)... Indeed, We have the power to take it away.

23:19  With it We formed for you palm groves and vineyards (Paradises – the beauteous experiences of the dimension of consciousness) in which there are many fruits (gnosis, realizations) and you eat these.

23:20  Also (with that water) a tree growing on Mount Sinai (the place where Moses met with his Rabb) that produces oil and a condiment (olives) for those who eat it. (While a fig is symbolic of unity within multiplicity, an olive is a direct symbol of unity in Sufism.)

23:21  And surely there are lessons in livestock (sacrificial animals; the animalistic forces within the body) for you... We feed you from that which is in their bellies... There are many benefits in them for you and you eat them too.

23:22  And you ride on them (animals) and ships.

23:23  Indeed, We disclosed Noah to his people and he said to them, “O my people! Serve Allah (become aware of your servitude to Allah)! You cannot have a god besides HU! Do you still not fear and protect yourselves?”

23:24  The leaders among his people who denied the knowledge of the reality said, “He is only a mortal being like yourselves... He wants to make himself superior to you... Had Allah willed (instead of sending a mortal) He would have sent angels... We have not heard a thing like this from our forefathers.”

23:25  “He is a man possessed (by the jinni)... So, observe him for a while.”

23:26  (Noah) said, “My Rabb! Help me against their denial.”

23:27  Whereupon We revealed to (Noah), “Build the ship as Our eyes (under our supervision; a reference to the unity of existence – non-duality) and Our revelation... When (the water) starts (to rise) and the oven boils (obviously this doesn’t refer to a steam boiler!) take on board a pair of every couple and your family, except those for whom the decree has been already made. Do not address me in favor of the wrongdoers! They shall most certainly drown!

23:28  “When you and those with you board the ship say, ‘Hamd (the evaluation of the corporeal worlds as He wills) belongs to Allah, who saved us from the wrongdoers.’”

23:29  “And say, ‘My Rabb, settle me in a sacred location... You are the best of settlers.”

23:30  Indeed, there are signs in this... Surely We will try you (so that the person may see his own capacity).

23:31  Then, We created a new generation after them.

23:32  We disclosed a Rasul from among them, who said, “Serve Allah... You have no god besides Him... Do you still not fear (the results of your deeds) and protect yourselves?”

23:33  The conservative leaders among his people who denied the knowledge of the reality and the eternal life to come, and on whom We had bestowed the comforts and opportunities of the worldly life, said, “He is no more than a mortal like yourselves... He eats what you eat and drinks what you drink.”

23:34  “Indeed, if you follow a mortal like yourselves, you will definitely become of the losers.”

23:35  “Does he (the Rasul) promise you that when you die, and become dust and bones, that you will definitely be brought forth (to a new dimension)?”

23:36  “Alas, alas... Far-fetched is such a thing!”

23:37  “It (life) comprises only of the worldly life! Our death and life is here! Living with a new form after death cannot be!”

23:38  “He (the Rasul) is a liar, slandering against Allah! We do not believe him!”

23:39  (The Rasul) said, “My Rabb! Help me against their denial of me!”

23:40  He was answered, “In but a short while they are to be sorry.”

23:41  A frightening wave of blasting sound overtook them in Truth, and We turned them into dregs! The crowd of wrongdoers will be forced to face the consequence of their farness!

23:42  Then, after them, We formed new generations.

23:43  No community can hasten nor delay their term!

23:44  Then We disclosed Our Rasuls in succession... Every time their Rasul came to a people, they denied him... So We destroyed them in succession (made them live the consequence of their deeds) and turned them into exemplary stories... Let the unbelieving crowd live the consequences of their remoteness!

23:45  Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron to them as Our proofs and unchallengeable force.

23:46  To Pharaoh and his chiefs... But they showed only arrogance and they were an obstinate people.

23:47  In fact they said, “Shall we believe in two men like ourselves while their people are our servants?”

23:48  They denied the two, and thus became of the perished ones.

23:49  Indeed, We gave the knowledge of the reality to Moses so that they (the Children of Israel) can attain the reality.

23:50  We made the son of Mary and his mother a miracle... And We placed the two of them on a high ground with a fresh spring.

23:51  O Rasuls... Eat from the clean foods and engage in beneficial deeds... Indeed, I am Aleem over what you do (all of your deeds have a consequence).

23:52  And this is your people as a single community... And I am your Rabb, so protect yourselves (from what I can subject you to)!

23:53  (While religion – the system is one) they fragmented their affairs among each other with various interpretations... Each group is pleased with their own acceptance.

23:54  Leave them in their cocoon for a while!

23:55  Do they think that by giving them wealth and sons (the ornaments of the worldly life).

23:56  We are hustling about for their good! No, they are not aware!

23:57  They are those who (as a result of observing the reality) shiver in awe of their Rabb.

23:58  They believe in the signs of their Rabb within their being.

23:59  They are those who do not associate partners to their Rabb (they are conscious of the fact that what manifests through them are the Names of their Rabb – they have annihilated their ego-identities in the reality – Allah).

23:60  They are those who give what they give with the thought that they will return to their Rabb.

23:61  They hasten to do good... They excel in the race of doing good.

23:62  Never will We offer an individual form of consciousness that which is beyond their capacity... There is Knowledge of the Truth (showing what each individual deserves according to its creational purpose)... They will not be subject to injustice!

23:63  But their consciousness is cocooned from this... And besides this, there are the deeds they continue to do (driven by ego-based temptations and bodily vulnerabilities).

23:64  When finally We seize them with suffering in the confession out of their remorse, they will groan and beseech.

23:65  “Do not cry for help today! Indeed, you cannot receive any help from Us!”

23:66  “My signs used to be shown to you yet you used to turn back on your heels.”

23:67  “In arrogance towards it, you used to live deliriously in the night!”

23:68  Did they not duly ponder over that word? Or has something that has not previously come to their forefather come to them for the first time?

23:69  Or do they not recognize the Rasul and (hence) they deny him?

23:70  Or do they claim, “He is possessed”? On the contrary, he has come to them as the Truth! But the majority of them do not like the Truth!

23:71  If the Truth had been in accord with their desires, the heavens, the earth and everything in between them would have perished... No, We gave them their dhikr (knowledge to remind them of their essential reality)... But they turned away from their own dhikr (the knowledge pertaining to their own essence).

23:72  Or is it that you ask of them a fee? The endowment of your Rabb is better... He is the One who best nourishes with the sustenance of life.

23:73  Indeed, you call them to the straight way.

23:74  Those who do not believe in their eternal life to come deviate from that straight way.

23:75  If We show mercy to them and relieve them of their afflictions they will surely persist in their transgression (rebellion against their reality) wandering blindly.

23:76  We have indeed seized them with suffering... They did not surrender to their Rabb and supplicate!

23:77  Until We open upon them a gate of intense suffering, suddenly they will be left hopeless in that suffering.

23:78  It is HU who has formed for you hearing (perceptive force) sight (eyes) and hearts (the reflectors of the meanings of the Names to the consciousness – the heart neurons)... How little you thank!

23:79  It is HU who has created you on the earth (the body) and multiplied you... You will be gathered unto Him!

23:80  It is HU who gives life and causes death... The transformation of the night and day is for Him... Do you still not comprehend?

23:81  But they said what those before them said.

23:82  They said, “When we have died, and become dust and bones, will we really continue to live with a new form?”

23:83  “Indeed, we and our forefathers have been warned with this before. This is nothing but fables of the past.”

23:84  Say, “For who is the earth and everything within it? If you know it (then tell me).”

23:85  They will say, “For Allah!” Say, “Will you still not contemplate and evaluate?”

23:86  Say, “Who is the Rabb of the seven heavens and Mighty Throne?”

23:87  They will say, “For Allah!” Say, “So, will you not fear and protect yourselves?”

23:88  Say, “Who is the one in whose hand (knowledge and power) lies the sovereignty (the depths, the essence) and who protects (everything with His very existence) yet who is not in need of protection? Speak, if you have knowledge!”

23:89  They will say, “Allah!” Say, “So, how is it that you are deluded (by your world)?”

23:90  No, We came to them as the Truth... They are liars indeed.

23:91  Allah does not take sons! There is no god besides Him either! Otherwise, each god would have walked away with what He created and some would have been superior to others! Exalted (Subhan – beyond) is Allah what they attribute to Him.”

23:92  He knows the unknown and the manifest... He is exalted above their association (duality)!

23:93  Say, “My Rabb, if you are to show me that with which they have been threatened...”

23:94  “Then do not hold me among the wrongdoers, my Rabb!”

23:95  We certainly have the power to show you that with which we threaten them!

23:96  Repel evil (falsity) with what is best (the Truth, system consciousness)! We are well aware of what they say (about you).

23:97  And say, “My Rabb (the protective Names within my essence), I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the satans (that call to corporeality).”

23:98  “And I seek refuge in You (your protective Names within my essence), my Rabb, lest they be around me.”

23:99  When death comes to one of them, he says, “My Rabb, send me back (to the worldly life).”

23:100  “So that I might do righteousness in that which I left behind (i.e. a faithful life that I did not heed or give importance to; the potential that I did not utilize and activate).” No! (It is impossible to go back!) His words are invalid! (His request is unrecognized in the system) and behind them is a barrier (an isthmus; a difference of dimension) until the Day they are resurrected (they cannot go back; reincarnation, being re-born for another worldly life, is not possible!).

23:101  So when the Horn is blown (when the process of resurrection, i.e. a new beginning commences), no relationship (worldly interactions, family relations, titles or familiar faces) will there be among them that Day, nor will they ask about one another (in terms of earthly relations).

23:102  Those whose scales weigh heavy are the ones who will be saved.

23:103  And those whose scales weigh light, they are the ones who will be losers. They will abide in the place of burning eternally!

23:104  That fire will scorch their faces... Their faces will be strained with the suffering therein and their teeth will protrude out!

23:105  “Were My signs not shown to you? Did you not deny them?”

23:106  They said, “Our Rabb! Our desires overcame us and lead us to misery, we became a people misguided and lost.”

23:107  “Our Rabb... Take us out from here... If we go back (and repeat our mistakes) then surely we would be wrongdoers.”

23:108  He said, “Remain therein... And do not turn to Me!”

23:109  Indeed, among my servants there were some who used to say, “Our Rabb, we have believed... Forgive us and grant Your grace upon us... You are the best of those who are Rahim.”

23:110  But you made fun of them! In fact, this state of yours made you forget my dhikr (remembering my existence within your essence)! You used to laugh at them.”

23:111  I have rewarded them this day for their patience... They are the ones who have attained true liberation.”

23:112  He said, “How long have you remained on earth (the bodily life)?”

23:113  They will say, “We remained a day or part of a day; ask those who count.”

23:114  He said, “You remained there only a short while, if only you knew!”

23:115  “Did you think We created you without purpose and that you would not be brought back to Us?”

23:116  Exalted is Allah, the Maleek and the Truth! There is no god, only HU! He is the Rabb of the Bounteous Throne.

23:117  Whoever turns to another god besides Allah, of whose divinity he can never have any proof, he will face its consequence in the sight of his Rabb! Certainly those who deny the knowledge of the reality can never be liberated.

23:118  Say, “My Rabb, forgive and bestow Your grace! You are the best of those who are Rahim!”