قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
TRULY, to a happy state shall attain the believers: (1)
الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ
those who humble themselves in their prayer, (2)
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ
and who turn away from all that is frivolous, (3)
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَاةِ فَاعِلُونَ
and who are intent on inner purity; (4)
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ
and who are mindful of their chastity, (5)
إِلَّا عَلَىٰ أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ
[not giving way to their desires] with any but their spouses – that is, those whom they rightfully possess [through wedlock]: for then, behold, they are free of all blame, (6)
فَمَنِ ابْتَغَىٰ وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ
whereas such as seek to go beyond that [limit] are truly transgressors; (7)
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ
and who are faithful to their trusts and to their pledges, (8)
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ
and who guard their prayers [from all worldly intent]. (9)
أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْوَارِثُونَ
It is they, they who shall be the inheritors (10)
الَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ الْفِرْدَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
that will inherit the paradise; [and] therein shall they abide. (11)
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ سُلَالَةٍ مِنْ طِينٍ
NOW, INDEED, We create man out of the essence of clay, (12)
ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُطْفَةً فِي قَرَارٍ مَكِينٍ
and then We cause him to remain as a drop of sperm in [the womb's] firm keeping, (13)
ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظَامًا فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا ثُمَّ أَنْشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا آخَرَ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ
and then We create out of the drop of sperm a germ-cell, and then We create out of the germ-cell an embryonic lump, and then We create within the embryonic lump bones, and then We clothe the bones with flesh – and then We bring [all] this into being as a new creation: hallowed, therefore, is God, the best of artisans! (14)
ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ
And then, behold! after all this, you are destined to die; (15)
ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تُبْعَثُونَ
and then, behold! you shall be raised from the dead on Resurrection Day. (16)
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعَ طَرَائِقَ وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ الْخَلْقِ غَافِلِينَ
And, indeed, We have created above you seven [celestial] orbits; and never are We unmindful of [any aspect of Our] creation. (17)
وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً بِقَدَرٍ فَأَسْكَنَّاهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ ذَهَابٍ بِهِ لَقَادِرُونَ
And We send down water from the skies in accordance with a measure [set by Us], and then We cause it to lodge in the earth: but, behold, We are most certainly able to withdraw this [blessing]! (18)
فَأَنْشَأْنَا لَكُمْ بِهِ جَنَّاتٍ مِنْ نَخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَابٍ لَكُمْ فِيهَا فَوَاكِهُ كَثِيرَةٌ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ
And by means of this [water] We bring forth for you gardens of date-palms and vines, wherein you have fruit abundant and whereof you eat, (19)
وَشَجَرَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ تَنْبُتُ بِالدُّهْنِ وَصِبْغٍ لِلْآكِلِينَ
as well as a tree that issues from [the lands adjoining] Mount Sinai, yielding oil and relish for all to eat. (20)
وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِي الْأَنْعَامِ لَعِبْرَةً نُسْقِيكُمْ مِمَّا فِي بُطُونِهَا وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَنَافِعُ كَثِيرَةٌ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ
And, behold, in the cattle [too] there is indeed a lesson for you: We give you to drink of that [milk] which is within their bellies; and you derive many [other] uses from them: for you eat of their flesh, (21)
وَعَلَيْهَا وَعَلَى الْفُلْكِ تُحْمَلُونَ
and by them – as by the ships [over the sea] – you are borne [overland]. (22)
- And, indeed, We have created above you seven [celestial] orbits;7 and never are We unmindful of [any aspect of Our] creation.
- 7 Lit., "seven path", which may signify the orbits of the visible planets or - as the classical commentators assume - the "seven heavens" (i.e., cosmic systems) repeatedly spoken of in the Qur'an. In either case, the number "seven" is used metonymically, indicating multiplicity. See in this connection note 20 on 2:29.
- And We have made, above you, seven tracts;2876 and We are never unmindful of (our) Creation.2877
- 2876 Tara'iq. tracts, roads, orbits, or paths of motion in the visible heavens. These seven are regular and clearly marked to our eyes, in the immense space that we see around us. We must go to astronomy to form any plausible theories of these motions. But their simplest observation gives us a sublime view of beauty, order, and grandeur in the universe. The assurance given in the next clause, that Allah cares for us and all His Creation, calls our attention to Allah's goodness, which is further illustrated in the subsequent verses.
- 2877 Allah's care for His Creation is ceaseless. A few examples of His care for our physical well-being are given in verses 18-22, and for our spiritual well-being, in Sections 2 to 5.
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And We have made, above you, seven tracts; and We are never unmindful of (our) Creation.
— Abdullah Yusuf Ali -
And We have created above you seven paths, and We are never unmindful of creation.
— Marmaduke Pickthall -
And certainly We made above you seven heavens; and never are We heedless of creation.
— M. Habib Shakir -
And indeed We have created above you seven heavens (one over the other), and We are never unaware of the creation.
— Taqiuddin Hilali and M. Mohsin Khan -
And assuredly We created above you seven paths, and of the creation We have not been neglectful.
— Abdul-Majid Daryabadi -
We have created seven ways above you; of Our creation, We are never inattentive.
— Hasan Qaribullah and Ahmed Darwish -
And We created above you seven ways, and We are not heedless of the creation.
— Ayub Khan -
And We have created above you seven ways, and We are never neglectful of the creation.
— Sher Ali -
And, indeed, We have created above you seven [celestial] orbits; and never are We unmindful of [any aspect of Our] creation.
— Muhammad Asad -
And We created above you seven ways, and We were not heedless of creation.
— Arthur Arberry -
And We have made seven paths above you{{15}} We were not novice in the art of creation.{{16}}
— Abu'l Ala Maududi