23:1  Truly, success in this life and in the Hereafter does come to the believers

23:2  Who turn (to God) in all humility in their Prayer

23:3  And who keep aloof from all that is vain and idle

23:4  And who act conscientiously for the sake of purity (and regularly present the Zakat)

23:5  And who guard their private parts

23:6  Except from their spouses, that is those whom they justly and rightfully own in proper wedlock, in that case they are not to be blamed

23:7  But those who seek anything else (to satisfy their sexual desire) beyond this, it is they who are the transgressors

23:8  And who look after their trusts and their covenants

23:9  And who are strict in the observance of their Prayers

23:10  It is they who are the real heirs

23:11  Who will own Paradise where they shall abide for ever

23:12  We create a human being from an extract of clay

23:13  Then We reduce him to a drop of sperm (and place him) in a safe depository

23:14  Then We form the sperm into a clot; then We develop the clot into a lump of flesh; then We fashion bones out of this lump of flesh, then We clothe the bones with flesh, thereafter We evolve him into another being. Therefore blessed be Allah the Best of Creators

23:15  Then as you have passed (these seven stages of physical creation parallel to the above seven spiritual stages) you are heading towards death

23:16  Then (after death), you will certainly be raised up to life on the Day of Resurrection

23:17  And We have created above you seven ways, and We have never been neglectful of (the needs of) the creation

23:18  And We send down water out of the cloud according to (a certain) measure and We lodge it in the earth (as long as it is required), and remember, surely it is We who determine its taking away (through the process of evaporation and many more)

23:19  And then with it ( - the water) We grow for you gardens of date-palms and vines and you have plenty of fruit in these (gardens) and of these (fruit) you eat

23:20  And (with the water We produce) a tree which grows on Mount Sinai (- olive tree) which bears (in it) oil and (supplies) a condiment (also) for those who use it for food

23:21  And you have an evidence in (the creation of) the cattle (too), which should lead you from ignorance to knowledge, We give you to drink of that (milk) which is in their bellies. You derive many other benefits from them and you (also) get food from some of them

23:22  You are borne on them as well as on the ships

23:23  And We sent Noah to his people and he said, `O my people! worship Allah alone. You have no God other than He. Will you not then guard against evil and seek (His) protection?

23:24  But the chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said, `He is nothing but a human being like yourselves, (only) he seeks to assert (his) superiority over you. And if Allah had so willed He could have certainly sent down angels (with him). We have never heard of this (sort of a thing) happen in the times of our fathers of yore

23:25  `He is but a man gone mad, you had better bear with him for a while (and see the consequences).

23:26  (Noah) said (praying), `My Lord! help me for they treat me as a liar.

23:27  Then We sent Our revelation to him (directing him), `Make the Ark under Our eyes and (according to the dictates of) Our revelation. And when (the time of) Our judgment comes and the waters of the valley gush forth, then embark there in (the Ark) two of every species, a pair (of every thing that you may need), and your companions, except those of them against whom (Our) word (of condemnation for their misdeeds) has already gone forth. But do not plead with Me in favour of those who have acted unjustly for they are (doomed) to be drowned

23:28  `Then when you and your companions are seated perfectly well in the Ark say (praying), "All true and perfect praise belongs to Allah Who has delivered us from the wicked people."

23:29  `And say (while praying), "My Lord! enable me to make a blessed landing, for You are the Best of those who provide (people) with the fairest landing place".

23:30  Verily, this (account of Noah) is full of (many) signs. Surely, thus do We reveal the hidden truth (about the people and We did try the people of Noah)

23:31  Then We raised another generation after them

23:32  And We sent to them a Messenger from among themselves, (who said,) `Worship Allah. You have no god other than He. Will you not then guard against evil (deeds)?

23:33  And the chiefs of his people who disbelieved and cried lies to the meeting (with the Lord) in the Hereafter, and whom We had given ease and comfort in the present life, said, `He is but a human being like yourselves. He eats of (the food) which you eat and drinks of (the drinks) which you drink

23:34  `And, surely, if you obey a human being like yourselves you will then be the losers indeed

23:35  `Does he promise you that when you are dead and reduced to dust and bones you shall be brought forth (alive again from the graves

23:36  `How very far and away (from truth and understanding) is that which you are promised

23:37  `There is no life beyond our present life. (It is here) we die and (here) we live, and we shall not at all be raised up (to life again, so that there awaits us no Resurrection)

23:38  `He is only an ordinary man who has forged a lie in the name of Allah and we are not at all going to believe in him.

23:39  He said (praying), `My Lord! help me for they treat me as a liar.

23:40  (The Lord) said, `They shall be remorseful before long (when caught by some punishment).

23:41  Then the punishment overtook them justly and rightfully and We made them as scum (of the flood), so the people who do wrong are far removed (from the mercy of God)

23:42  Then We raised other generations after them

23:43  No community can go ahead of its appointed time (and thus manage to escape their doom) nor can they remain behind (it, or delay it)

23:44  Then We sent Our Messengers successively (one after the other). Whenever there came to a community its Messenger (of God), they treated him as a liar. So We made some of them follow others (to destruction) and We reduced them to mere legendary tales. Therefore the people who do not believe are far removed (from the mercy of their Lord)

23:45  Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our Messages and a clear authority

23:46  To Pharaoh and his courtiers but they waxed proud for they were a haughty (type of) people

23:47  And they said, `Shall we believe in two human beings like ourselves while their people (- the Israelites) are our bondsmen?

23:48  So they cried lies to both of them with the result they became of those who were destroyed

23:49  And (after this event) We gave Moses the Book (-the Torah) so that they (- his people) might receive guidance (through it)

23:50  And We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign, (and a model of virtue), and We gave them both refuge upon a worth-living lofty plateau abounding in (green and fruitful) valleys and springs of running water

23:51  O you Messengers! eat of the things which are clean, good and pure and (thus) do good works. Verily, I am Well-Aware of what you do

23:52  Surely, (know that) this community of yours is (infact) one community (and your religion one religion), and I am your Lord, so take Me as (your) shield

23:53  But the people, (rather than preserve their unity) split up their affair among themselves (forming themselves into factions) considering (each portion thus split up) as (the real) Scripture, every faction rejoicing in that which was with them

23:54  So leave them in their utter confusion (due to their ignorance) for a time

23:55  Do they think that because of what We go on adding to their (worldly) wealth and children

23:56  We are in a hurry to do them good? Nay, but they do not realise (the true state of things)

23:57  As for those who out of the Majesty of their Lord are full of awe and reverence to Him

23:58  And those who believe in the revelations of their Lord

23:59  And those who associate not partners with their Lord

23:60  And those who give whatever they can afford to give (as alms in the way of their Lord), while their hearts tremble (at the thought) that they are returning to their Lord (and whether their deeds will find His approval or not)

23:61  It is they who are quick and eager to do good works to outdo others and it is they who are (the) foremost for these (virtues, and shall win the race)

23:62  And We do not lay down responsibility upon any soul beyond its capacity and We have a book (of law) which speaks and acts justly and no injustice is done to anyone

23:63  Nay, their (- the disbelievers') minds are in utter confusion (due to ignorance) about this (Qur'an), and they are (engrossed) in deeds different from the (bindings of) revelations and they go on doing them

23:64  Yet as soon as We take those of them given to a life of luxury to task, behold! they start appealing for succour

23:65  (Whereupon it will be said to them,) `Do not appeal for succour this day, you shall receive no help from Us

23:66  `My Messages were recited to you but you used to turn back on your heels

23:67  `Treating them with disdain and arrogance, talking nonsense about this (Qur'an) by night (in your meetings), you gave (it) up.

23:68  Have they not then pondered over the (Divine) word? As a matter of fact there has come to them that which had not come to their fathers of old

23:69  Or do they deny their Messenger because they do not recognise him

23:70  Or do they say, `He is possessed?' Nay, but the fact is that he has brought them the truth while most of them are averse to the truth

23:71  And had the Eternal Truth (true God) followed their vain and low desires, the heavens and the earth and all those who are (living) in them would have surely gone to ruin. But We have brought them that which will raise them to eminence, yet they are turning aside from their own means of (raising them to) eminence

23:72  Or do you ask of them a tribute? (There is no such thing) as the tribute of your Lord is the best, for He is the Best of Providers

23:73  And most surely you are calling them to a straight and right path

23:74  But those who do not believe in the Here after, are indeed deviating from that path

23:75  And even if We had shown them mercy and relieved them of their distress they would still persist in their transgression, wandering on blindly

23:76  And We did seize them with punishment (in the past) but they did not humble themselves before their Lord, nor would they supplicate (to Him for mercy)

23:77  Behold! no sooner did We let loose on them a severe punishment than they are utterly despaired (of God's mercy) thereat

23:78  And (disbelievers!) it is He Who has given you ears, eyes and hearts (yet) little is the gratitude you express

23:79  And it is He Who has multiplied you in the earth and to Him you shall be gathered

23:80  It is He Who gives life and causes death and He alone controls the alternation of night and day. Will you not then make use of your understanding

23:81  But (rather than trying to understand) they repeated what the former people had said

23:82  They had said, `What! shall we be certainly raised up to life when we are dead and reduced to mere dust and bones

23:83  `Surely, we and our forefathers have already been given such promises before. These are nothing but only fables of the former people.

23:84  Ask, `(Tell me) if you know whom the earth and all the creatures therein belong to.

23:85  They will certainly say, `To Allah.' (Thereupon) say, `Will you still pay no heed?

23:86  Say, `Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the Great Throne (of power)?

23:87  They will surely say, `(They all belong) to Allah.' Say, `Will you not then guard against (refusal and evil deeds).

23:88  Ask, `(Tell me) if you know who is it in whose hands lies the dominating control of everything and who protects (all) while against whom no protection can be had?

23:89  They will indeed say, `All these (attributes) belong to Allah.' Say, `How and whither are you then being led away?

23:90  The thing is that We have brought them the truth (about the unity of God) but they are sticking to lies (by refusing it repeatedly)

23:91  Allah has taken to Himself no son, nor is there any other god along with Him. (Had there been any) each god would have left with what he had created, and some of them would surely have dominated over others. Holy is Allah, far above all they attribute (to Him)

23:92  He has knowledge of (both) the hidden and the manifest realities. He is Highly-Exalted above (all the things) they associate (with Him)

23:93  Say (in prayer), `My Lord! if you should show me (in my-life time) that (punishment) they are threatened with

23:94  `My Lord! then do not leave me among the wrong-doing people.

23:95  As a matter of fact, We have every power of showing you (in your life-time) that (punishment) We threaten them with

23:96  Repel (their) evil (by repaying it) with that which is the fairest. We know very well (the things) they allege (about you)

23:97  And say (in prayer), `My Lord! I seek refuge in You from the mischief-mongerings of the rebellious (people)

23:98  `Rather, I (also) seek refuge in You, my Lord! lest they should even come near me.

23:99  Behold! when death approaches one of them (- the rebellious ones) he says (making entreaties repeatedly), `Send me back, My Lord! send me back

23:100  `So that I may do righteous (deeds) which I failed to do (in the worldly life).' `Never, that can never be,' (is the answer he receives). It is but a word (of excuse) which he utters. And there is a barrier behind them which shall remain till the day when they shall be raised to life (again)

23:101  So when the trumpet is blown, ties of kinship will cease to exist between them (- the people to render assistance) that day, nor will they ask after one another

23:102  Then (on that day there shall be a true weighing so that) whose scales are heavy (and their deeds of righteousness preponderant and manifold) it is they who are the triumphant

23:103  But whose scales are light (and their deeds of righteousness of no account), it is they who have ruined their souls and who shall abide in Gehenna for long

23:104  The Fire shall scorch their faces (so they will lie there disfigured with burning) and they will wear a grin (of pain and anguish)

23:105  (It will be said to them), `Is it not true that My Messages were recited to you but you went on crying them lies?

23:106  They will say, `Our Lord! our misfortune got the better of us (when we gave ourselves up to evil doings) and we were actually an erring people

23:107  `Our Lord! deliver us from this (Hell), we shall indeed be unjust if we return (to our evil ways of disobedience).

23:108  (God) will say, `Begone with you, despised therein (the Hell), and do not speak to Me

23:109  `There was a section from among My servants who said, "Our Lord! we believe, so protect us (against our sins) and have mercy on us, for you are the Best of those who show mercy."

23:110  `But you treated them as a laughing-stock and (you continued to laugh at them) until they, (so to say,) made you give up (even) My remembrance while you ever went on laughing at them

23:111  `This day I have rewarded them for their patient endurance so that they are the ones who have attained their goals and achieved bliss.

23:112  (God) will (then) say, `What number of years have you tarried on the earth?

23:113  They will say, `We tarried only for a day or part of a day (we have no exact idea), but ask those who keep the count.

23:114  (God) will say, `You tarried but a little while, if only you knew (what loss you have incurred by missing doing good)

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

23:116  Whereas Highly Exalted is Allah, the Monarch, the Truly Existing One. There is no other, cannot be and will never be One worthy of worship but He, the Lord of the Glorious Throne

23:117  And he who calls upon another god along with Allah for (the god head of) which he has no proof, shall have to render an account to his Lord. Certainly, such disbelievers will never gain their object

23:118  And say (in your prayer), `My Lord! protect and have mercy, and you are the Best of those who show mercy.