Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 1

Yazid bin Babnus (may Allah have mercy on him) says that we asked Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): [ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ! كَيْفَ كَانَ خُلُقُ رَسُوْلِ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ؟ قَالَتْ كَانَ خُلُقُ رَسُوْلِ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ، ثُمَّ قَالَتْ تَقْرَأُ سُوْرَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ؟ اقْرَأْ : «قَدْ اَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ» حَتّٰی بَلَغَ الْعَشْرَ، فَقَالَتْ هٰكَذَا كَانَ خُلْقُ رَسُوْلِ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ] [مستدرک حاکم : 392/2، ح : ۳۴۸۱، قال الحاکم صحیح الإسناد ۔ مسلم، صلاۃ المسافرین، باب جامع صلاۃ اللیل و من نام عنہ أو مرض: ۷۴۶ ] "O Mother of the Believers! Tell us, what was the character of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)?" She replied: "The character of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the Quran." Then she said: "Do you recite Surah Al-Mu’minun? Recite: «قَدْ اَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ »" After reciting ten verses, she said: "The character of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was like this." Dhahabi upheld Hakim's decision and Shaykh Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) declared it Sahih in {’’صحيح الأدب المفرد (۲۳۴)‘‘}. The meaning of "character" is such a habit that becomes a person's innate and natural disposition and is performed automatically without any effort. The intention of Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) is that the entire Quran had become the habit of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and the qualities mentioned in the first ten verses of Surah Al-Mu’minun were so adorned in the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that they had become his nature.

(Ayah 1) ➊ {قَدْ اَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ: ’’ قَدْ ‘‘} is the opposite of {’’ لَمَّا ‘‘}. The meaning of {’’ لَمَّا ‘‘} is that the expected action has not yet occurred in the past, as He said: «{ كَلَّا لَمَّا يَقْضِ مَاۤ اَمَرَهٗ}» [ عبس : ۲۳ ] "No! He has not yet fulfilled what He commanded him." Whereas {’’ قَدْ ‘‘} brings the past closer to the present and gives the same emphasis in a verbal sentence as {’’إِنَّ‘‘} and "Lam of emphasis" give in a nominal sentence. Its meaning is that the expected action has certainly occurred in the recent past. That is, the believers with the qualities mentioned ahead have certainly attained success. The success to be achieved in the future is mentioned with {’’ قَدْ ‘‘} and the past tense {’’ اَفْلَحَ ‘‘} because of its certainty. (Biqai and Ibn Ashur)

The reason for emphasis with {’’ قَدْ ‘‘} is that in many previous verses, the believers were given hope of success, as at the end of the previous surah it is said: «{ وَ افْعَلُوا الْخَيْرَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُوْنَ }» [ الحج : ۷۷ ] "And do good, so that you may succeed." So the glad tidings of the fulfillment of this expectation are given with {’’ قَدْ اَفْلَحَ ‘‘ }. Perhaps the presence of the letter {’’ قَدْ ‘‘} in the establishment of prayer {’’ قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ ‘‘} is for this reason, that those who pray eagerly wait for the congregation. {’’ قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ‘‘} is the affirmative answer to this waiting, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ يَا بِلَالُ ! أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ أَرِحْنَا بِهَا ] [ أبو داوٗد، الأدب، باب في صلاۃ العتمۃ : ۴۹۸۵ ] "Bilaal! Establish the prayer, give us comfort with it." (Ibn Ashur)

➋ { اَفْلَحَ : ’’اَلْفَلَحُ‘‘} with a fathah on the lam and {’’اَلْفَلَاحُ‘‘} means success in good deeds, and {’’اَلْفَلْحُ‘‘} with a sukoon on the lam means "to split." Both come from the root {’’مَنَعَ‘‘}. It is said: {’’اَلْحَدِيْدُ بِالْحَدِيْدِ يُفْلَحُ‘‘} "Iron is cut with iron." The farmer is called {’’اَلْفَلَّاحُ‘‘} because he splits the earth. Thus, falah (success) is that achievement which is obtained as a result of effort and toil. Success is both of this world and the Hereafter.

➌ In {’’ قَدْ اَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ ‘‘} it is stated that the believers with the qualities mentioned later have certainly succeeded, but it is not mentioned in what they have succeeded. This is explained at the end of these verses, where He said: «{ اُولٰٓىِٕكَ هُمُ الْوٰرِثُوْنَ (10) الَّذِيْنَ يَرِثُوْنَ الْفِرْدَوْسَ }» [ المؤمنون : ۱۰، ۱۱ ] "These are the inheritors, who will inherit al-Firdaws." That is, success means success in the Hereafter, because the real life is that one, as He said: «{ وَ اِنَّ الدَّارَ الْاٰخِرَةَ لَهِيَ الْحَيَوَانُ لَوْ كَانُوْا يَعْلَمُوْنَ }» [ العنکبوت : ۶۴ ] "And indeed, the home of the Hereafter, that is the real life, if only they knew." The life of this world is neither real life nor is its success real success, as He said: «{ فَمَنْ زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَ اُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ وَ مَا الْحَيٰوةُ الدُّنْيَاۤ اِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُوْرِ }» [ آل عمران : ۱۸۵ ] "So whoever is removed from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he has certainly succeeded. And the life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion."

➍ Among the qualities of those who have succeeded, faith is mentioned first, because faith is the real cause of success. Then, in the following verses, some more qualities of the people of faith are mentioned, which are proof of the correctness and firmness of faith, and without which faith is meaningless.