Introduction

In essence, this Meccan sûrah emphasizes the main concepts highlighted both in the previous and following sûrahs-namely Allāh being infinite in mercy and severe in punishment, and humanity being either grateful or ungrateful to their Lord along with the reward that ensues. All this is embodied in the story of Moses (verses 23- 54)-with Pharaoh as the ungrateful disbeliever and an unidentified man from Pharaoh's people as the grateful believer. The Prophet ﷺ is repeatedly advised to be patient, keeping in mind that Allāh never lets His prophets down (verses 51 and 77).

Details from Tafheem-ul-Qurʾān

Name

The Surah takes its name Al Mu'min from verse 28, implying thereby, that it is a Surah in which Al Mu'min (the Believer of Pharaoh's people) has been mentioned.

Period of Revelation

According to Ibn'Abbas and Jabir bin Zaid, this Surah was sent down consecutively after Surah Az Zumar, and its present position in the order of the Surahs in the Qurʾān is the same as its chronological order.

Background of Revelation

There are clear indications in the subject matter of this Surah to the conditions in which it was revealed. The disbelievers of Makkah at that time were engaged in two kinds of the activities against the Holy Prophet. First, they were creating every kind of suspicion and misgiving in the minds of the pqople about the teaching of the Qurʾān and the message of Islam and about the Holy Prophet himself by starting many disputes and discussions, raising irrelevant objections and bringing ever new accusations so that the Holy Prophet and the believers were sick of trying to answer them. Second, they were preparing the ground for putting an end to the Holy Prophet himself. They were devising one plot after the other, and on one occasion had even taken the practical steps to execute a plot. Bukhari has related a tradition on the authority of Hadrat Abdullah bin Amr bin 'As saying that one day when the Holy Prophet was offering his Prayer in the precincts of the Kabbah, suddenly 'Uqbah bin Abi Mu'ait, rushed forward and putting a piece of cloth round his neck started twisting it so as to strangle him to death. Hadrat Abu Bakr, who happened to go there in time, pushed him away. Hadrat Abdullah says that when Abu Bakr was struggling with the cruel man, he was saying words to the effect: "Would you kill a man only because he says: Allāh is my Lord?" With a little variation this event has also been mentioned in Ibn Hisham, Nasa'i and Ibn Abi Hatim.

Theme and Topics

Both aspects of this have been clearly stated at the very outset, and then the whole following discourse is a most effective and instructive review of them.

As an answer to the conspiracies of murder, the story of the Believer of the people of Pharaoh has been acknowledge the prophethood of Muḥammad (upon whom be Allāh's peace), your power and authority will come to an end. That is why you are straining every nerve to frustrate and defeat him." In the same connection, the disbelievers have been warned again and again to the effect: "If you do not desist from wrangling against the Revelations of Allāh, you will be doomed to the same fate as the nations of the past. Much worse torment awaits you in the Hereafter. Then you will repent, but it will be too late."