Humans
Al-Insân
الانسان
LEARNING POINTS
This surah reminds human beings of how Allah created them, showed them the Way, and gave them free choice.
Some humans choose to be faithful and grateful, and others choose to be unfaithful and ungrateful.
The faithful are promised a great reward, and the unfaithful are warned of a horrible punishment.
The Prophet is advised to be patient.
SIDE STORY
Hello friends! My name is Janette. I was born in a small town in Ontario, Canada. As you can probably tell by my name, I wasn't born into a Muslim family, but I am Muslim now, Alhamdulillah. I would love to tell you the story of how I became Muslim.
Growing up, I was always a very curious person, and this is why I became a scientist. I studied the health of the human body and brain. Sometimes I would wonder how they were created so perfectly. I wondered, was this created just by accident? Or did something make us? For many years, I believed that everything was created by chance. But as I learned more, I began to question my own thinking. Engineers have created many wonderful things, but nothing as beautiful as the eco-system, universe, and humans. I had learned about many different religions before, but none of them answered my questions. Then one day, I began to feel a sense of belief in my heart—belief in a Creator. So I did some research, and came across Islam and the Quran. This led me to go to a mosque and speak to an imam. The imam told me about the 5 pillars of Islam, and also gave me a copy of an English translation of the Quran. In my heart I felt that this was the truth, so 3 days later at an Eid picnic I accepted Islam, Alhamdulillah. I am very grateful for Allah's guidance as well as the English translation of the Quran.
1: An eco-system is made up of all the living things (such as plants, animals, and organisms) and the non living things (such as water, rocks, and soil) in an area. A forest, a desert, and an ocean are examples of eco-systems.
It has helped me to understand life and many things that I couldn't learn from science. Now I am editing this book to help make it easier for kids around the world to understand the Quran in English. By the way, the imam I met at the mosque the first time, his name is Dr. Mustafa Khattab, and the translation he gave me was his book, The Clear Quran.
As a scientist who chose to be Muslim, I can relate to the following passage about the creation of human beings and free choice.
FREE CHOICE
1Was there not a period of time when each human was nothing to be mentioned?! 2We surely created humans from a mix of 'male and female' seeds, 'in order' to test them, so We made them hear and see. 3We already showed them the Way, whether they 'choose to' be grateful or ungrateful.
هَلۡ أَتَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡإِنسَٰنِ حِينٞ مِّنَ ٱلدَّهۡرِ لَمۡ يَكُن شَيۡٔٗا مَّذۡكُورًا 1إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ أَمۡشَاجٖ نَّبۡتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ سَمِيعَۢا بَصِيرًا 2إِنَّا هَدَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلسَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرٗا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا3
PUNISHMENT OF THE UNGRATEFUL
4We have certainly prepared for the disbelievers chains, leashes, and a blazing Fire.
إِنَّآ أَعۡتَدۡنَا لِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ سَلَٰسِلَاْ وَأَغۡلَٰلٗا وَسَعِيرًا4
REWARD OF THE GRATEFUL
5Surely the people of goodness will have a 'pure' drink—with a refreshing flavour called camphor 6'from' a spring where Allah's servants will drink, flowing as they please. 7They 'are those who' keep 'their' promises and fear a Day of total horror, 8and give food—even though they desire it themselves—to the poor, the orphan, and the prisoner of war, 9'saying to themselves,' "We feed you only for the sake of Allah, not expecting any reward or thanks from you. 10We fear from our Lord a horrible, stressful Day." 11So Allah will save them from the horror of that Day, and bless them with glow and joy, 12and reward them for their patience with Jannah and clothes of silk.
إِنَّ ٱلۡأَبۡرَارَ يَشۡرَبُونَ مِن كَأۡسٖ كَانَ مِزَاجُهَا كَافُورًا 5عَيۡنٗا يَشۡرَبُ بِهَا عِبَادُ ٱللَّهِ يُفَجِّرُونَهَا تَفۡجِيرٗا 6يُوفُونَ بِٱلنَّذۡرِ وَيَخَافُونَ يَوۡمٗا كَانَ شَرُّهُۥ مُسۡتَطِيرٗا 7وَيُطۡعِمُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ مِسۡكِينٗا وَيَتِيمٗا وَأَسِيرًا 8إِنَّمَا نُطۡعِمُكُمۡ لِوَجۡهِ ٱللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمۡ جَزَآءٗ وَلَا شُكُورًا 9إِنَّا نَخَافُ مِن رَّبِّنَا يَوۡمًا عَبُوسٗا قَمۡطَرِيرٗا 10فَوَقَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ شَرَّ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمِ وَلَقَّىٰهُمۡ نَضۡرَةٗ وَسُرُورٗا 11وَجَزَىٰهُم بِمَا صَبَرُواْ جَنَّةٗ وَحَرِيرٗا12
PLEASURES IN JANNAH
13In Jannah, they will be relaxing on 'decorated' couches, never feeling baking heat or freezing cold. 14Its shade will be right above them, and its fruit will be made very easy to reach 15They will be served with silver trays and cups of crystal— 16crystal from silver, filled exactly as desired. 17And they will be given a pure drink flavoured with ginger 18from a spring there, called Salsabil. 19They will be served by young, eternal waiters. If you saw them, you would think they were sprinkled pearls. 20And if you looked around, you would see 'great' blessings and a huge kingdom. 21The people of goodness will be 'dressed' in clothes of fine green silk and rich silk, and decorated with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will give them a pure drink. 22They will be told,' "All of this is definitely a reward for you. Your efforts have been appreciated."
مُّتَّكِِٔينَ فِيهَا عَلَى ٱلۡأَرَآئِكِۖ لَا يَرَوۡنَ فِيهَا شَمۡسٗا وَلَا زَمۡهَرِيرٗا 13وَدَانِيَةً عَلَيۡهِمۡ ظِلَٰلُهَا وَذُلِّلَتۡ قُطُوفُهَا تَذۡلِيلٗا 14وَيُطَافُ عَلَيۡهِم بَِٔانِيَةٖ مِّن فِضَّةٖ وَأَكۡوَابٖ كَانَتۡ قَوَارِيرَا۠ 15قَوَارِيرَاْ مِن فِضَّةٖ قَدَّرُوهَا تَقۡدِيرٗا 16وَيُسۡقَوۡنَ فِيهَا كَأۡسٗا كَانَ مِزَاجُهَا زَنجَبِيلًا 17عَيۡنٗا فِيهَا تُسَمَّىٰ سَلۡسَبِيلٗا 18۞ وَيَطُوفُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وِلۡدَٰنٞ مُّخَلَّدُونَ إِذَا رَأَيۡتَهُمۡ حَسِبۡتَهُمۡ لُؤۡلُؤٗا مَّنثُورٗا 19وَإِذَا رَأَيۡتَ ثَمَّ رَأَيۡتَ نَعِيمٗا وَمُلۡكٗا كَبِيرًا 20عَٰلِيَهُمۡ ثِيَابُ سُندُسٍ خُضۡرٞ وَإِسۡتَبۡرَقٞۖ وَحُلُّوٓاْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن فِضَّةٖ وَسَقَىٰهُمۡ رَبُّهُمۡ شَرَابٗا طَهُورًا 21إِنَّ هَٰذَا كَانَ لَكُمۡ جَزَآءٗ وَكَانَ سَعۡيُكُم مَّشۡكُورًا22
SUPPORTING THE PROPHET
23It is certainly We Who have revealed the Quran to you 'O Prophet' in stages. 24So be patient with your Lord's decision, and do not obey any of them who is an evil sinner or disbeliever. 25Always' remember the Name of your Lord morning and evening, 26and bow down to Him 'in prayer' during part of the night, and praise Him long at night.
إِنَّا نَحۡنُ نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ تَنزِيلٗا 23فَٱصۡبِرۡ لِحُكۡمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تُطِعۡ مِنۡهُمۡ ءَاثِمًا أَوۡ كَفُورٗا 24وَٱذۡكُرِ ٱسۡمَ رَبِّكَ بُكۡرَةٗ وَأَصِيلٗا 25وَمِنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ فَٱسۡجُدۡ لَهُۥ وَسَبِّحۡهُ لَيۡلٗا طَوِيلًا26
A MESSAGE TO THE DENIERS
27Surely those 'idol-worshippers' love this short life, 'totally' ignoring a difficult Day ahead of them. 28It is We Who created them and perfected their 'physical' form. But if We want, We can easily replace them with others. 29Surely this is a reminder. So let whoever wants, take the 'Right' Way to their Lord. 30But you cannot do so unless Allah wills. Surely Allah has perfect knowledge and wisdom. 31He enters whoever He wants into His mercy. As for those who do wrong, He has prepared for them a painful punishment.
إِنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ يُحِبُّونَ ٱلۡعَاجِلَةَ وَيَذَرُونَ وَرَآءَهُمۡ يَوۡمٗا ثَقِيلٗا 27نَّحۡنُ خَلَقۡنَٰهُمۡ وَشَدَدۡنَآ أَسۡرَهُمۡۖ وَإِذَا شِئۡنَا بَدَّلۡنَآ أَمۡثَٰلَهُمۡ تَبۡدِيلًا 28إِنَّ هَٰذِهِۦ تَذۡكِرَةٞۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ سَبِيلٗا 29وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمٗا 30يُدۡخِلُ مَن يَشَآءُ فِي رَحۡمَتِهِۦۚ وَٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ أَعَدَّ لَهُمۡ عَذَابًا أَلِيمَۢا31