Surah 31. Luqman

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Verses [Section]: 1-11[1], 12-19 [2], 20-30 [3], 31-34 [4]

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Quran Text of Verse 20-3031. Luqman Page 413اَلَمْDo notتَرَوْاyou seeاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahسَخَّرَhas subjectedلَكُمْto youمَّاwhateverفِی(is) inالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ مَاand whateverفِی(is) inالْاَرْضِthe earthوَ اَسْبَغَand amply bestowedعَلَیْكُمْupon youنِعَمَهٗHis Bountiesظَاهِرَةًapparentوَّ بَاطِنَةً ؕand hiddenوَ مِنَBut ofالنَّاسِthe peopleمَنْ(is he) whoیُّجَادِلُdisputesفِیaboutاللّٰهِAllahبِغَیْرِwithoutعِلْمٍknowledgeوَّ لَاand notهُدًیguidanceوَّ لَاand notكِتٰبٍa bookمُّنِیْرٍ enlightening وَ اِذَاAnd whenقِیْلَit is saidلَهُمُto themاتَّبِعُوْاFollowمَاۤwhatاَنْزَلَAllah (has) revealedاللّٰهُAllah (has) revealedقَالُوْاthey sayبَلْNayنَتَّبِعُwe will followمَاwhatوَجَدْنَاwe foundعَلَیْهِon itاٰبَآءَنَا ؕour forefathersاَوَ لَوْEven ifكَانَShaitaan wasالشَّیْطٰنُShaitaan wasیَدْعُوْهُمْ(to) call themاِلٰیtoعَذَابِ(the) punishmentالسَّعِیْرِ (of) the Blaze وَ مَنْAnd whoeverیُّسْلِمْsubmitsوَجْهَهٗۤhis faceاِلَیtoاللّٰهِAllahوَ هُوَwhile heمُحْسِنٌ(is) a good- doerفَقَدِthen indeedاسْتَمْسَكَhe has graspedبِالْعُرْوَةِthe handholdالْوُثْقٰی ؕthe most trustworthyوَ اِلَیAnd toاللّٰهِAllahعَاقِبَةُ(is the) endالْاُمُوْرِ (of) the matters وَ مَنْAnd whoeverكَفَرَdisbelievesفَلَاlet notیَحْزُنْكَgrieve youكُفْرُهٗ ؕhis disbeliefاِلَیْنَاTo Usمَرْجِعُهُمْ(is) their returnفَنُنَبِّئُهُمْthen We will inform themبِمَاof whatعَمِلُوْا ؕthey didاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahعَلِیْمٌۢ(is) the All-Knowerبِذَاتِof whatالصُّدُوْرِ (is in) the breasts نُمَتِّعُهُمْWe grant them enjoymentقَلِیْلًا(for) a littleثُمَّthenنَضْطَرُّهُمْWe will force themاِلٰیtoعَذَابٍa punishmentغَلِیْظٍ severe وَ لَىِٕنْAnd ifسَاَلْتَهُمْyou ask themمَّنْWhoخَلَقَcreatedالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ الْاَرْضَand the earthلَیَقُوْلُنَّThey will surely sayاللّٰهُ ؕAllahقُلِSayالْحَمْدُAll praisesلِلّٰهِ ؕ(are) for AllahبَلْButاَكْثَرُهُمْmost of themلَا(do) notیَعْلَمُوْنَ know لِلّٰهِTo Allah (belongs)مَاwhateverفِی(is) inالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ الْاَرْضِ ؕand the earthاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahهُوَHeالْغَنِیُّ(is) Free of needالْحَمِیْدُ the Praiseworthy وَ لَوْAnd ifاَنَّمَاwhateverفِی(is) inالْاَرْضِthe earthمِنْofشَجَرَةٍ(the) treesاَقْلَامٌ(were) pensوَّ الْبَحْرُand the seaیَمُدُّهٗ(to) add to itمِنْۢafter itبَعْدِهٖafter itسَبْعَةُsevenاَبْحُرٍseasمَّاnotنَفِدَتْwould be exhaustedكَلِمٰتُ(the) Wordsاللّٰهِ ؕ(of) AllahاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahعَزِیْزٌ(is) All-Mightyحَكِیْمٌ All-Wise مَاNotخَلْقُكُمْ(is) your creationوَ لَاand notبَعْثُكُمْyour resurrectionاِلَّاbutكَنَفْسٍas a soulوَّاحِدَةٍ ؕsingleاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahسَمِیْعٌۢ(is) All-Hearerبَصِیْرٌ All-Seer 31. Luqman Page 414اَلَمْDo notتَرَyou seeاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahیُوْلِجُcauses to enterالَّیْلَthe nightفِیintoالنَّهَارِthe dayوَ یُوْلِجُand causes to enterالنَّهَارَthe dayفِیintoالَّیْلِthe nightوَ سَخَّرَand has subjectedالشَّمْسَthe sunوَ الْقَمَرَ ؗand the moonكُلٌّeachیَّجْرِیْۤmovingاِلٰۤیforاَجَلٍa termمُّسَمًّیappointedوَّ اَنَّand thatاللّٰهَAllahبِمَاof whatتَعْمَلُوْنَyou doخَبِیْرٌ (is) All-Aware ذٰلِكَThatبِاَنَّ(is) becauseاللّٰهَAllahهُوَHeالْحَقُّ(is) the Truthوَ اَنَّand thatمَاwhatیَدْعُوْنَthey callمِنْbesides Himدُوْنِهِbesides Himالْبَاطِلُ ۙ(is) [the] falsehoodوَ اَنَّand thatاللّٰهَAllahهُوَHeالْعَلِیُّ(is) the Most Highالْكَبِیْرُ۠the Most Great

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Translation of Verse 20-30

(31:20) Have you not seen that Allah has subjected to your service all that is in the heavens³⁵ and on the earth and has abundantly bestowed upon you all His bounties, both visible and invisible?³⁶ Yet some persons dispute regarding Allah³⁷ without having any knowledge or guidance or any illuminating Book.³⁸

(31:21) When they are told: “Follow what Allah has revealed,” they say: “We will rather follow that which we have found our forefathers following.” (Will they follow that) even though Satan might invite them to the chastisement of the Blazing Fire?³⁹

(31:22) Whoever surrenders himself to Allah⁴⁰ and lives righteously⁴¹ grasps the most firm handle.⁴² The ultimate decision of all matters rests with Allah.

(31:23) So let the unbelief of the unbeliever not grieve you.⁴³ To Us is their return and then We shall inform them of all that they did. Surely Allah knows well even the secrets that are hidden in the breasts (of people).

(31:24) We allow them to enjoy themselves a while in the world and then We shall drive them in utter helplessness to a harsh chastisement.

(31:25) If you were to ask them: “Who created the heavens and the earth?” they will certainly reply: “Allah.” Say: “All praise and thanks be to Allah.”⁴⁴ Yet most of them do not know.⁴⁵

(31:26) All that is in the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah.⁴⁶ Verily He is All-Sufficient, Immensely Praiseworthy.⁴⁷

(31:27) If all the trees on earth become pens, and the sea replenished by seven more seas were to supply them with ink, the Words of Allah would not be exhausted.⁴⁸Verily Allah is Most Mighty, Most Wise.

(31:28) To create all of you or to resurrect all of you is to Him like (creating or resurrecting) a single person. Verily Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.⁴⁹

(31:29) Do you not see that Allah makes the night phase into the day and makes the day phase into the night and has subjected the sun and the moon⁵⁰ to His will so that each of them is pursuing its course till an appointed time? (Do you not know that)⁵¹ Allah is well aware of all that you do?

(31:30) All this is because Allah, He alone, is the Truth⁵² and all that which they call upon beside Him is false.⁵³ Surely Allah, He alone, is All-High, Incomparably Great.⁵⁴

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Commentary

35. A thing can be subjected to someone’s service in two ways. First, that the thing be made subservient to him, and he be enabled to use it as he wills. Second, that the thing be made part of a system in such a way that it is endowed with utility and made conducive to serve his interests.

Now, while it is true that everything in the heavens and the earth has been subjected to man’s service, not everything has been subjected to that service in a uniform manner. To illustrate, God has subjected air, water, earth, fire, vegetation, minerals, cattle and many other objects to man’s service in the sense that he has been given the power to use them as he wishes. On the other hand, although the sun, the moon, etc., have also been subjected to man’s service, this subjection means that they have been invested with utility and have been rendered useable in a manner that is conducive to man’s interests.

36. “Visible bounties” denote bounties that are palpable or lie within the range of man’s knowledge. “Invisible bounties”, on the other hand, are those that are beyond the ken of man’s sense perception. Numerous things are at work in man’s own body and in the world around him which are conducive to his best interests even though he does not even have the faintest idea as regards the extent of God’s arrangements for his protection, sustenance, growth and well-being. As man’s research in different fields of science advances, an increasing number of God’s hitherto unknown bounties are being unraveled. It is obvious that the _bounties that are known so far will appear to be utterly insignificant were we to compare them with those that will become known in the future.

37. They wrangle over questions such as the following: is there a God or not? Is He the only God or is there a multiplicity of gods? What are God’s attributes and what is their nature? What is the nature of the relationship between God and His creatures?

38. The unbelievers do not have any source of knowledge that would enable them to observe or experience the reality at first hand. Nor do they have any guide who has informed them of the reality on the basis of direct observation and knowledge. Indeed, they do not possess any Scripture on which they might anchor their beliefs.

39. It is not at all necessary that the ancestors of a person, family or nation were on the right way. The mere fact that some belief or practice can be traced back to the times of someone’s forefathers does not necessarily mean that it is also sound. No intelligent person can blindly follow the ways of their forefathers disregarding the possibility that they might have been misguided. Nor should anyone be averse to finding out for themselves what the consequences would be of adhering to those ways.

40. A person should surrender themselves wholly to God and refer all their affairs to Him, treating God’s directives as the law for the whole of their lives.

41. That is, one’s practical life should conform to righteousness.

Submission to God should not be merely a verbal claim while one’s actual life is far from being one of obedience and servitude to Him.

42. After one learns how to hold this handle, one is immune to misguidance. Furthermore, one need not entertain any fear of self-destruction providing one truly serves God.

43. This is addressed to the Prophet (peace be on him). He is being told that the unbelievers suffer from the delusion that by rejecting Islam and persisting in unbelief they only cause harm to the Prophet (peace be on him).

The fact is that by so doing they only hurt themselves. Far from being able to cause any harm to the Prophet (peace be on him), they courted their own destruction. The Prophet (peace be on him) naturally felt grieved by the unbelievers’ attitude. Here God apprises him that if the unbelievers ' persist in disbelieving, he need not torment himself on their account.

44. Even the unbelievers conceded that God alone created the heavens and the earth. Hence why all praise should be exclusively for God because none else has any share in the creation of the universe.

45. Most people do not realize the implications and requirements of belief in God as the sole Creator of the Universe. Nor do they know what is inconsistent with this belief. Once a person recognizes that God alone is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, he must also recognize that He is the only Lord, and the Deity Who is exclusively entitled to every kind of worship, obedience and service. Hence why one should not celebrate the glory or sing the praises of any other than the One True God. All invocations and supplications are also to be addressed only to Him. None but God can be regarded as the Sovereign or Law-Giver of His creatures. It is illogical to recognize someone as the Creator and accept others as objects of worship and service. To do so amounts to rank irrationality, and is as preposterous as simultaneously affirming two mutually contradictory propositions. Such a notion can only be entertained by those who are steeped in ignorance. No sane person is prepared to recognize someone as the Almighty Creator in one breath and regard others, in the next, as having the power to fulfil needs and remove distresses. Nor would such a person prostrate himself in veneration of others than the Creator, nor would they hold anyone other than the One True God as their Sovereign and as One worthy of absolute obedience. To do so would be like being in constant and blatant conflict, all of which is unacceptable to a person of knowledge and understanding.

46. The fact of the matter is not simply that God is the Creator of the heavens and earth, but rather that He is also the Owner of all that exists in the heavens and on earth. It would be idle to fancy that God, after having created the Universe, simply abandoned it, leaving others to claim its ownership, whether wholly or partially, if they so wished. In point of fact it is God Alone Who is the Sole Owner of all that He has created. All that exists in the Universe is solely His, and He alone is invested with Divine authority.

47. For its explanation see n. 19 above.

48. “Words of Allah” here stand for the wonders of God’s creation and the marvels of His power and wisdom. The same idea is expressed in Surah al-Kahf 18:109. At the first instance, one might feel that this statement — that were all the trees on earth to become pens and the seas replenished by seven more seas were to supply them with ink, the Words of Allah would not be exhausted - is an exaggeration. However, on further reflection one realizes that there is not the least exaggeration in this statement. For quite literally, if all the trees on earth were to become pens, and the seas, replenished by seven more seas so as to. supply them with ink, even this would be insufficient to make a bare catalogue of all that exists in the world, let alone suffice to describe God’s power and wisdom. When it is impossible to simply record all that exists on earth, how can we even conceive that man will ever be able to record all that exists in the vast Universe? This statement drives home the fact that, when compared with Almighty God Who brought this enormous Universe into existence and Who constantly controls it, the puny beings whom people set up as their deities’ pale into utter insignificance. It is not only that they have no part in the governance of this Universe, but they lack even partial knowledge, let alone have full knowledge of even a small part of God’s dominion.

Hence, how can it be conceived that they will ever be invested with even a limited share of Divine powers that would enable them to answer prayers and make or mar the destinies of others?

49. God hears all voices and all sounds quite distinctly at one and the same time. He does so in such a way that none of the sounds or voices make Him oblivious of others. In like manner, He simultaneously observes the entire Universe and all objects and events in it in the minutest detail.

Yet the observation of these objects does not absorb Him totally so as to” prevent Him from observing other objects and events. The same holds true about His causing the birth of human beings and raising them to — life after they die. God has the power to resurrect all those who were ever born, right from the beginning of human life until the Last Day.

His creating some does not prevent Him from simultaneously creating others. For Him, it is all the same whether He creates a single person or billions of them.

50. The constant alternation of night and day underscores the fact - that the sun and the moon are bound in a meticulously regulated system of laws. The sun and the moon are specifically mentioned because from ancient times people have held these two prominent heavenly bodies as objects of worship. In fact, even today many regard them as deities.

The truth, however, is that God has subjected all the stars and planets, including the sun and the moon, to an inexorable law from which they cannot deviate even in the slightest.

51. Everything in the Universe pursues its course till its appointed time. Nothing in it is eternal and everlasting, be it the sun, the moon or any other star or planet. Everything came into existence at an appointed time before which-it did not exist. Likewise, everything will cease to exist after an appointed time. This truth is highlighted so as to stress that helpless objects, which have had a beginning in time and will have an end at a certain time, can never rightfully become deities.

52. That is, God is the only powerful actor. He is the One Who alone has the power to create things and to manage them.

53. It is only the unbelievers’ imagination that had contrived these false deities. They had assumed that such deities had a share in Divinity or the power to remove man’s distresses and fulfil his needs. In truth, no one and nothing has the power to accomplish any of these, even to the slightest degree.

54. God is All-High and Incomparably Great; when compared to Him, all are lowly and inferior.