23. Surat Al-Mu'minun (The Believers, 118 verses) by Salah Bukhatir


NURETTIN UZUNOĞLU:
Revealed at Makka

This is so named from a word occurring in the first verse or, it may be said, from its subject, which is the triumph of believers. It is considered I to be the last of the Surahs revealed at Makka, immediately before the prophet's migration to Yathrib (Al-Medina).

ALI ÜNAL:
This sūrah takes its title, "the believers," from the mention of the believers who are praised for their moral superiority at the very beginning of the sūrah. It was revealed in Makkah when the persecution perpetrated by the Makkan unbelievers was increasing. It consists of 118 verses.

The sūrah begins by mentioning certain moral characteristics of the believers. This is followed by stating the signs inherent in the creation of humankind and the universe in order to draw attention to God's Existence and Unity. Then, significant episodes from the experiences of several previous Messengers and their peoples are given in order to emphasize that there was nothing untypical about the reactions of the Makkan unbelievers, and also that the teachings that the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, conveyed were the same as those communicated by the earlier Messengers. By recounting the experiences of some of the earlier Messengers, the Qur'ān also aims to stress that the final victory will always belong to the believers. Then, the sūrah reminds us of certain important principles concerning human life. The sūrah concludes by warning the unbelievers that they will face a severe reckoning in the Hereafter.