Surah 31. Luqman

Alif-Lãm-Mĩm.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Alif Lam Mim. ³⁵⁷⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 25 to ii. 1 and Introduction to S. xxx.

These are the verses of the Book, rich in wisdom.

  - Mustafa Khattab

These are Verses of the Wise Book, ³⁵⁸⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This Sura relates to Wisdom, and the Qur-an is appropriately called the Wise Book, or the Book of Wisdom. In verse 12 below there is a reference to Luqman the Wise. "Wise" in this sense (Hakim) means not only a man versed in knowledge human and divine, but one carrying out in practical conduct ('amal) the right course in life to the utmost of his power. His knowledge is correct and practical, but not necessarily complete: for no man is perfect. Such an ideal involves the conception of a man of heroic action as well as of deep and workman-like knowledge of nature and human nature,-not merely dreams or speculation. That ideal was fulfilled in a most remarkable degree in the holy Prophet, and in the sacred Book which was revealed through him. "The Wise Book" (Kilab-ul-hakim) is one of the titles of the Qur-an.

'It is' a guide and mercy for the good-doers-

  - Mustafa Khattab

A Guide and a Mercy to the Doers of Good, ³⁵⁸¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

A guide to all, and, to those who accept its guidance, a source of mercy as leading them to Salvation.

those who establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and have sure faith in the Hereafter.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Those who establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity and have (in their hearts) the assurance of the Hereafter. ³⁵⁸²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The righteous are distinguished here by three marks, which are summed up in the phrase "doers of good", viz.: (1) they yearn towards Allah in duty, love, and prayer, (2) they love and serve their fellow-men in charity, (3) they win peace and rest for themselves in the assured hope of the Future.

It is they who are 'truly' guided by their Lord, and it is they who will be successful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

These are on (true) guidance from their Lord; and these are the ones who will prosper. ³⁵⁸³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They get these blessings because they submit their will to Allah's Will and receive His guidance. They will do well in this life (from the highest standpoint) and they will reach their true Goal in the Future.

But there are some who employ theatrics,¹ only to lead others away from Allah's Way- without any knowledge- and to make a mockery of it. They will suffer a humiliating punishment.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Some pagan Arabs used to utilize singing, dancing, chanting, etc. to distract people’s attention from listening to the recitation of the Quran.

But there are among men those who purchase idle tales without knowledge (or meaning) to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah and throw ridicule (on the Path): for such there will be a humiliating Penalty. ³⁵⁸⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Life is taken seriously by men who realize the issues that hang upon it. But there are men of a frivolous turn of mind who prefer idle tales to true Realities and they are justly rebuked here. In the time of the holy Prophet there was a pagan Nadhr ibn al-Harith who preferred Persian romances to the Message of Allah, and turned away ignorant men from the preaching of Allah's Word.

Whenever Our revelations are recited to them, they turn away in arrogance as if they did not hear them, as if there is deafness in their ears. So give them good news 'O Prophet' of a painful punishment.

  - Mustafa Khattab

When Our Signs are rehearsed to such a one he turns away in arrogance as if he heard them not as if there were deafness in both his ears: announce to him a grievous Penalty. ³⁵⁸⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Such men behave as if they had heard nothing of serious import, or laugh at serious teaching. The loss will be their own. They will miss the higher things of life and be left out of Allah's blessings. Ignorance and arrogance are in most cases the causes of their fall.

Surely those who believe and do good will have the Gardens of Bliss,

  - Mustafa Khattab

For those who believe and work righteous deeds there will be Gardens of Bliss.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

staying there forever. Allah's promise is true. And He is the Almighty, All-Wise.

  - Mustafa Khattab

To dwell therein. The promise of Allah is true: and He is Exalted in power Wise. ³⁵⁸⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He is Exalted in power, and can carry out His Will, and nothing can stop the carrying out of His promise. He is also infinitely Wise: His promise is therefore full of meaning: it is not merely without purpose: it has a place in the Universal Plan.

He created the heavens without pillars- as you can see- and placed firm mountains upon the earth so it does not shake with you, and scattered throughout it all types of creatures. And We send down rain from the sky, causing every type of fine plant to grow on earth.

  - Mustafa Khattab

He created the heavens without any pillars that ye can see; He set on the earth mountains standing firm lest it should shake with you; and He scattered through it beasts of all kinds. We send down rain from the sky and produce on the earth every kind of noble creature in pairs. ^{3587 3588 3589 3590 3591}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xiii. 2 and n. 1800.

Cf. xvi. 15 and n. 2038.

Cf. ii. 164 and n. 166.

Note the change of the pronoun at this stage in the verse. Before this, Allah was spoken of in the third person, "He", and the acts of Creation referred to were acts that in the main were completed when the universe as we see it came into being, though its slow age-long evolution continues. After this, Allah speaks in the first person "We", the plural of honor, as explained before (see n. 56 to ii. 38); and the processes spoken of are those that go on continually before us, as in the case of rain and the growth of the vegetable kingdom. In some way the creation of the heavens and the earth and animal life on it may be considered impersonal to man, while the processes of rain and vegetation may be considered in special personal relationship to him.

I think that sex life in plants is referred to, as in xiii. 3, where see n. 1804, though the pairs here may refer to animals also. "Noble" (karim) may refer to the more beneficent plants and trees (and animals), which Allah has created for man's use.

This is Allah's creation. Now show Me what those 'gods' other than Him have created. In fact, the wrongdoers are clearly astray.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Such is the Creation of Allah: now show Me what is there that others besides Him have created: nay but the Transgressors are in manifest error. ³⁵⁹²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The transition from "We" in the last verse to "Me" in this verse means a still more personal relation to Allah:(see n. 56 to ii. 38): as we are now asked about the true worship of Allah, as against the false worship of others besides Allah.

Indeed, We blessed Luqman with wisdom, 'saying', 'Be grateful to Allah, for whoever is grateful, it is only for their own good. And whoever is ungrateful, then surely Allah is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.'¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Luqmân is believed to have been a righteous, wise man who lived around the time of Prophet David (ﷺ).

We bestowed (in the past) wisdom on Luqman: "Show (thy) gratitude to Allah." Any who is (so) grateful does so to the profit of his own soul: but if any is ungrateful verily Allah is free of all wants worthy of all praise. ^{3593 3594}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The sage Luqman, after whom this Sura is called, belongs to Arab tradition. Very little is known of his life. He is usually associated with a long life, and his title is Mu'ammar (the long-lived). He is referred by some to the age of the 'Ad people, for whom see n. 1040 to vii. 65. He is the type of perfect wisdom. It is said that he belonged to a humble station in life, being a slave or a carpenter, and that he refused worldly power and a kingdom. Many instructive apologies are credited to him, similar to Aesop's Fables in Greek tradition. The identification of Luqman and Aesop has no historical foundation, though it is true that the traditions about them have influenced each other.

Cf. xiv. 8. The basis of the moral Law is man's own good, and not any benefit to Allah, for Allah is above all needs, and "worthy of all praise"; i.e., even in praising Him, we do not advance His glory. When we obey His Will, we bring our position into conformity with our own nature as made by Him.

And 'remember' when Luqman said to his son, while advising him, 'O my dear son! Never associate 'anything' with Allah 'in worship', for associating 'others with Him' is truly the worst of all wrongs.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Behold Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: "O my son! Join not in worship (others) with Allah: for false worship is indeed the highest wrong-doing." ³⁵⁹⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Luqman is held up as a pattern of wisdom, because he realized the best in a wise life in this world, as based upon the highest Hope in the inner life. To him, as in Islam, true human wisdom is also divine wisdom: the two cannot be separated. The beginning of all wisdom, therefore, is conformity with the Will of Allah (xxxi. 12). That means that we must understand our relations to Him and worship Him aright (xxxi. 13). Then we must be good to mankind, beginning with our own parents (xxxi. 14). For the two duties are not diverse, but one. Where they appear to conflict, there is something wrong with the human will (see n. 3597).

And We have commanded people to 'honour' their parents. Their mothers bore them through hardship upon hardship, and their weaning takes two years. So be grateful to Me and your parents. To Me is the final return.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him and in years twain was his weaning: (hear the command) "Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents: to Me is (thy final) Goal. ³⁵⁹⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The set of milk teeth in a human child is completed at the age of two years, which is therefore the natural extreme limit for breast-feeding. In our artificial life the duration is much less.

But if they pressure you to associate with Me what you have no knowledge of,¹ do not obey them. Still keep their company in this world courteously, and follow the way of those who turn to Me 'in devotion'. Then to Me you will 'all' return, and then I will inform you of what you used to do.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Other gods.

"But if they strive to make the join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge obey them not; Yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration) and follow the way of those who turn to Me (in love): in the End the return of you all is to Me and I will tell you the truth (and meaning) of all that ye did." ^{3597 3598 3599}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Where the duty to man conflicts with the duty to Allah, it means that there is something wrong with the human will, and we should obey Allah rather than man. But even here, it does not mean that we should be arrogant or insolent. To parents and those in authority, we must be kind, considerate, and courteous, even where they command things which we should not do and therefore disobedience becomes our highest duty. The worship of things other than Allah is the worship of false things, things which are alien to our true knowledge, things that go against our own pure nature as created by Allah.

In any apparent conflict of duties our standard should be Allah's Will, as declared to us by His command. That is the way of those who love Allah: and their motive in disobedience to parents or human authority where disobedience is necessary by Allah's Law is not self willed rebellion or defiance, but love of Allah, which means the true love of man in the highest sense of the word. And the reason we should give is: "Both you and I have to return to Allah; therefore not only must I follow Allah's Will, but you must command nothing against Allah's Will."

These conflicts may appear to us strange and puzzling in this life. But in Allah's Presence we shall see their real meaning and significance. It may be that that was one way in which our true mettle could be tested: for it is not easy to disobey and love man at the same time.