"Ibad-ur-Rahman" (Servants of the Most Merciful) - Surah Al-Furqan (Chapter 25), verses 63–76.
This passage is one of the most beautiful and comprehensive descriptions of the ideal believer's character, covering their social conduct, worship, spending habits, and moral integrity.
Q.25:63–76: The Charter of the Servants of the Merciful
Q.25:63: Humility & Peace
[25:63.a] And the servants of the Merciful (وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ, ওয়া ইবাদু আর-রাহমানি, ʿ-b-d, to serve/worship) [25:63.b] those who walk upon the earth (الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ, আল্লাযীনা ইয়ামশূনা আলা আল-আরদি, m-sh-y, to walk) [25:63.c] gently (with humility) (هَوْنًا, হাওনান, h-w-n, to be easy/gentle/light) [25:63.d] and when the ignorant address them (وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ, ওয়া ইযা খাতাবাহুমু আল-জাহিলূনা, j-h-l, to be ignorant/irrational) [25:63.e] they say "Peace" (قَالُوا سَلَامًا, কালূ সালামা, s-l-m, to be safe/peace)
Q.25:64: The Night Vigil
[25:64.a] And those who spend the night (وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ, ওয়া আল্লাযীনা ইয়াবীতূনা, b-y-t, to pass the night) [25:64.b] for their Lord (لِرَبِّهِمْ, লি-রব্বিহিম, r-b-b, to nurture/lord) [25:64.c] prostrating and standing (سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًا, সুজ্জাদান ওয়া ক্বিয়ামান, s-j-d / q-w-m, to prostrate / to stand)
Q.25:65–66: Fear of Judgment
[25:65.a] And those who say (وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ, ওয়া আল্লাযীনা ইয়াকুলূনা, q-w-l, to say) [25:65.b] "Our Lord, avert from us" (رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا, রব্বানা আসরিফ আন্না, ṣ-r-f, to turn away/divert) [25:65.c] the punishment of Hell (عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ, আযাবা জাহান্নামা, ʿ-dh-b, to torture/sweeten [ironic]) [25:65.d] indeed, its punishment is inseparable (torment) (إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا, ইন্না আযাবাহা কানা গারামান, gh-r-m, to be persistent/debt) [25:66.a] Indeed, it is evil as a settlement (إِنَّهَا سَاءَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا, ইন্নাহা সা'আত মুস্তাক্বাররান, s-w-ʾ, to be evil) [25:66.b] and a residence (وَمُقَامًا, ওয়া মুক্বামান, q-w-m, to stand/reside)
Q.25:67: Financial Moderation
[25:67.a] And those who, when they spend (وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنْفَقُوا, ওয়া আল্লাযীনা ইযা আনফাক্বূ, n-f-q, to spend/tunnel) [25:67.b] are not extravagant (لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا, লাম ইউসরিফূ, s-r-f, to exceed bounds) [25:67.c] and are not stingy (وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا, ওয়া লাম ইয়াক্বতুরূ, q-t-r, to be scanty/stingy) [25:67.d] but are between that, a just mean (وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا, ওয়া কানা বাইনা যালিকা ক্বওয়ামান, q-w-m, to stand straight/upright)
Q.25:68: Major Sins (Shirk, Murder, Adultery)
[25:68.a] And those who do not invoke (وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ, ওয়া আল্লাযীনা লা ইয়াদ'ঊনা, d-ʿ-w, to call/pray) [25:68.b] with God another deity (مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا آخَرَ, মা'আ আল্লাহি ইলাহান আখারা, ʾ-l-h, to deify) [25:68.c] and do not kill the soul (وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ, ওয়া লা ইয়াক্বতুলূনা আন-নাফসা, q-t-l, to kill) [25:68.d] which God has forbidden except by right (الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ, আল্লাতী হাররামাল্লাহু ইল্লা বিল-হাক্কি, ḥ-r-m, to forbid/sacred) [25:68.e] and do not commit unlawful intercourse (وَلَا يَزْنُونَ, ওয়া লা ইয়াযনূনা, z-n-y, to commit adultery/fornication) [25:68.f] and whoever does that meets sin (penalty) (وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا, ওয়া মান ইয়াফ'আল যালিকা ইয়ালক্বা আছামান, ʾ-th-m, to sin/slow down)
Q.25:69–71: Punishment & Repentance
[25:69.a] Multiplied for him is the punishment (يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ, ইউদা'আফ লাহু আল-আযাবু, d-ʿ-f, to double/fold) [25:69.b] on the Day of Resurrection (يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ, ইয়াওমা আল-ক্বিয়ামতি, q-w-m, to rise) [25:69.c] and he abides therein humiliated (وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا, ওয়া ইয়াখলুদ ফীহি মুহানান, h-w-n, to be weak/despised) [25:70.a] Except he who repented (إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ, ইল্লা মান তাবা, t-w-b, to return) [25:70.b] and believed and did righteous deeds (وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا, ওয়া আমানা ওয়া 'আমিলা 'আমালান সালিহান, ʿ-m-l, to work) [25:70.c] then those, God will change (فَأُولَـٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ, ফা-উলাইকা ইউবাদ্দিলুল্লাহু, b-d-l, to exchange) [25:70.d] their evil deeds into good deeds (سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ, সাইয়িআতিহিম হাসানাতিন, s-y-ʾ / ḥ-s-n, to be bad / to be beautiful)
Q.25:72: Integrity of Witness
[25:72.a] And those who do not witness falsehood (وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ, ওয়া আল্লাযীনা লা ইয়াশহাদূনা আয-যূরা, z-w-r, to falsify/lean) [25:72.b] and when they pass by ill speech (وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ, ওয়া ইযা মাররূ বিল-লাগউই, l-gh-w, to speak nonsense) [25:72.c] they pass by with dignity (مَرُّوا كِرَامًا, মাররূ কিরামান, k-r-m, to be noble/generous)
Q.25:73: Responsiveness to Revelation
[25:73.a] And those who, when reminded (وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا, ওয়া আল্লাযীনা ইযা যুক্কিরূ, dh-k-r, to remember/remind) [25:73.b] of the verses of their Lord (بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ, বি-আয়াত রব্বিহিম, ʾ-y-y, sign/mark) [25:73.c] do not fall upon them deaf and blind (لَمْ يَخِرُّوا عَلَيْهَا صُمًّا وَعُمْيَانًا, লাম ইয়াখিররূ আলাইহা সুম্মাউ ওয়া 'উমিয়ানান, kh-r-r / ṣ-m-m / ʿ-m-y, to fall / to be deaf / to be blind)
Q.25:74: The Prayer for Spiritual Legacy
[25:74.a] And those who say (وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ, ওয়া আল্লাযীনা ইয়াকুলূনা, q-w-l, to say/speak) [25:74.b] "Our Lord, grant us" (رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا, রব্বানা হাব লানা, w-h-b, to bestow/gift freely) [25:74.c] from our spouses (مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا, মিন আযওয়াজিনা, z-w-j, to pair/join) [25:74.d] and our offspring (وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا, ওয়া যুররিয়্যাতিনা, dh-r-r, to scatter/sow/progeny) [25:74.e] comfort of eyes (قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ, কুররাতা আ'ইয়ুনিন, q-r-r + ʿ-y-n, to settle/cool + eye) [25:74.f] and make us for the righteous (وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ, ওয়া ইজ'আলনা লিল-মুত্তাক্বীনা, j-ʿ-l + w-q-y, to make + to guard/protect) [25:74.g] a leader (model). (إِمَامًا, ইমামান, ʾ-m-m, to lead/front/mother)
Exegesis Note Q.25:74: Domestic Tranquility & Leadership Classical mufassirun (Ibn Kathir, Al-Tabari) establish that "coolness of eyes" (qurrata aʿyunin) signifies spiritual stability—seeing one's family obedient to God, bringing joy that prevents the eyes from roving or weeping. This connects to Q.32:17 (joy kept hidden for believers) and Q.20:40 (restoring Moses to "cool" his mother's eye). The Prophet (ﷺ) stated: "When a man dies, his acts come to an end, but three, [among them] a righteous child who prays for him" ([Sahih Muslim:1631]). Context: The concluding description of Ibad al-Rahman (Servants of the Merciful) in Late Mecca. Balagha: Hab implies a gift without exchange; Imam (singular) suggests a unified model for the collective. Parallels OT Prov 17:6 declaring grandchildren as a "crown" of the aged, NT Eph 6:4 stating the duty to raise children in "instruction of the Lord," and Sirach 3:5 depicting the honor of offspring as a source of parental prayer hearing.
Q.25:75–76: The Reward [25:75.a] Those will be awarded the Chamber (أُولَـٰئِكَ يُجْزَوْنَ الْغُرْفَةَ, উলাইকা ইউজযাওনা আল-গুরফাতা, gh-r-f, to scoop/lofty room) [25:75.b] for what they patiently endured (بِمَا صَبَرُوا, বিমা সবারূ, ṣ-b-r, to bind/patience) [25:75.c] and they will be met therein with greeting and peace (وَيُلَقَّوْنَ فِيهَا تَحِيَّةً وَسَلَامًا, ওয়া ইউলাক্কওনা ফীহা তাহিয়্যাতান ওয়া সালামা, ḥ-y-y, to live/greet) [25:76.a] Abiding eternally therein (خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا, খালিদীনা ফীহা, kh-l-d, to last forever) [25:76.b] excellent it is as a settlement and residence (حَسُنَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا, হাসুনাত মুস্তাক্বাররাও ওয়া মুক্বামান, ḥ-s-n, to be beautiful)
Exegesis Note Q.25:63–76:
The Ethical Definition of Believers Classical mufassirun (Razi, Qurtubi) identify these verses as the "Constitution of the Saints" (Dastur al-Awliya), contrasting the earlier arrogance of the Quraysh with the humility of the Ibad al-Rahman. The passage outlines a "Golden Mean": walking gently (social humility), spending neither wastefully nor stingily (financial balance), and responding to aggression with "Peace" (emotional control). Authentic Hadith states: "The most beloved of God's servants are those who walk on the earth gently" ([Kanz al-Ummal]). Razi highlights the transformation in verse 70 (Tabdil), where genuine repentance actively converts past sins into credits of merit. Context: Late Meccan period, strengthening the identity of the persecuted Muslim community.
Parallels:
Humility: NT Matt 5:5 ("Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth").
Night Vigil: OT Ps 119:62 ("At midnight I rise to give you thanks") and Ps 134:1 (Servants who stand by night).
Decalogue Echoes: The prohibition of Shirk, Murder, and Adultery (v. 68) mirrors the core of the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:3, 13, 14) and the Noahide Laws.
False Witness: Verse 72 parallels the 9th Commandment (Exod 20:16 "You shall not bear false witness").
Transformation: The "new creation" or change of status mirrors NT 2 Cor 5:17 ("The old has passed away; behold, the new has come").