Characteristics of the Mu'mineen from Surat al-Mu'mineen Ayah 1

The Characteristics of a Believer from Ayaat of Quran Series

Tafsir with Dr. Anaya Abu Talib, Sana’a Yemen

(Conversation conducted in Arabic with translation by al-Ghariba)

Part 1 – Surat al-Mu’minoon ayah 1

Al-Ghariba: Thank you Dr. for taking time to take part in this project of promoting Islam. I know you have started studying English in order to spread the dawa directly. How is the English study going?

Dr: Terribly. It is a very slow process. Khair Insha Allah.

Al-Ghariba: Today we start discussing the characteristics of a believer (sifaat al-Mu’min) as laid down in Allah’s Book. We are starting with the opening line of Surat al-Mu’minoon which is a very triumphant statement. 

 قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

Indeed successful are the believers (qad aflahal-muminoon)

Dr: Yes it is especially triumphant and what we all should be aiming for.

Al-Ghariba: so let’s start with a quick vocabulary rundown, what do these words mean linguistically?

Dr: qad at the start of the ayah signifies the absoluteness of the verb following, so in this there is no doubt at all. The verb aflaha means to be successful, so in this there is absolutely no doubt about that success, it has come to pass, it is done. And mu’minoon means believer but a higher level of faith than just a Muslim, but we will get onto that next.

Al-G: Why is the ending of mu’minoon not with een – as in mu’mineen.

Dr: This is because the oon ending is marfoo3, and in this ayah, mu’minoon is like what you say in English is the subject so it is marfoo3 and takes the oon ending. I don’t want to go into too much detail in grammar just now. The -oon ending also makes the ayat melodical when you recite - it is something of the beauty of the way Arabic is used so that some of they ayat rhyme.

Al-G: Ok, so then let’s look closer at the meaning of success in the ayah. What is the success?

Dr: It is not like the success of this life, it is a success much greater for the Hereafter, and it is an eternal success which never fades. The success of duniya is interchanging with failure and with hardship there is ease, this is the continuum of this life but the success of the Mu’min by doing the right things now in this life give tranquillity and sabr and for the Hereafter will result in a never ending success and fortune in Paradise Jannat al-Firdaus. May Allah make us of those who will be successful.

Al-G: Amin Amin ya rabil-alameen! You mentioned that the Mu’min is a higher rate than a Muslim, can you explain the difference between these two?

Dr. All of us are Muslim, we submit to Islam – we accept Allah is the One True God and Muhammad is His Messenger, but the Mu’min has a higher level of iman and piety and have the characteristics and actions mentioned in the following ayaat of the Surah. Only Allah knows who they are, we can’t say, “so and so is a Mu’min”, because we don’t know, we cannot see what is in the heart. If we think someone is a Mu’min and we want to praise them (carefully) we might say, “so and so has the character of a mu’min”, and make dua for that person because we don’t want to give them hasad (the eye).

Allah says in His Book about saying one is a Mu'min,

"The Beduin say, "We believe" Say, "You do not believe but rather say, "We have submitted"; for faith has not yet entered into your hearts" Al-Hujarat:14

We will see in the next ayah how important faith in the heart is in order to be like a Mu'min.