Subject: Commentary on Sura 31 (Luqman) Sat Jul 23, 2011 11:40 am
Luqmân
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful:
[31:1]
Alif lām mīm.
[31:2] Those are the signs of the wise Book,
[31:3] a guidance and a mercy for the virtuous,
[31:4] who maintain the prayer and pay the alms and who are certain of the Hereafter.
[31:5] Such follow guidance from their Lord and it is they who are the successful.
[31:6] And among people there is he who purchases idle talk that he may lead [people] astray from the way of God without knowledge and take it in mockery. For such there will be a humiliating chastisement.
[31:7] And when Our signs are recited to such [a one] he turns away disdainfully as though he never heard them, as though there were a deafness in his ears. So give him tidings of a painful chastisement.
[31:8] Surely those who believe and perform righteous deeds, for them there shall be Gardens of Bliss,
[31:9] abiding therein — a promise of God in truth, and He is the Mighty, the Wise.
[31:10] He created the heavens without any pillars that you can see and cast high mountains into the earth, lest it shake with you, and He dispersed therein all kinds beasts. And We sent down water from the heaven and We caused to grow in it of every splendid kind.
[31:11] This is God’s creation. Now show me what those [you worship] besides Him have created. Nay but the evildoers are in manifest error.
[31:12] And verily We gave Luqm?n wisdom: ‘Give thanks to God. Whoever gives thanks only for his own sake and whoever is ungrateful, then surely God is Independent, Praised’.
[31:13] And when Luqmān said to his son, when he was admonishing him, ‘O my son do not ascribe partners to God: idolatry is truly a tremendous wrong’.
[31:14] And We have enjoined man concerning his parents — his mother bears him in weakness after weakness, and his weaning is in two year. ‘Give thanks to Me and to your parents. To Me is the journey’s end.
[31:15] But if they urge you to ascribe to Me as partner that whereof you have no knowledge, then do not obey them. And keep them company in this world honourably, and follow the way of him who returns to Me [in penitence]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will inform you of what you used to do.
[31:16] ‘O my son! Even if it should be the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and [even if] it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, God will bring it forth. Truly God is Subtle, Aware.
[31:17] O my son! Establish prayer and enjoin decency and forbid indecency. And be patient through whatever may befall you. Truly that is true constancy.
[31:18] And do not turn your cheek disdainfully from people and do not walk upon the earth exultantly. Truly God does not like any swaggering braggart.
[31:19] And be modest in your bearing and lower your voice; indeed the most hideous of voices is the donkey’s voice’.
[31:20] Do you not see that God has disposed for you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He has showered His favours upon you, [both] outwardly and inwardly? Yet among people there are those who dispute concerning God without any knowledge or guidance or an illuminating scripture.
[31:21] And if it is said to them: ‘Follow what God has revealed’, they say, ‘We will rather follow what we found our fathers following’. What! even though Satan were calling them to the chastisement of the Blaze?
[31:22] And whoever surrenders his purpose to God and is virtuous, has certainly grasped the firmest handle, and to God belongs the sequel of all matters.
[31:23] And whoever disbelieves, then do not let his disbelief grieve you. To Us shall be their return and We shall inform them of what they did. Truly God knows [best] what is in the breasts.
[31:24] We will give them comfort for a little [while], then We will drive them, to a harsh chastisement.
[31:25] And if you were to ask them, ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’ they will surely say, ‘God’. Say: ‘Praise be to God’. Nay, but most of them do not realise.
[31:26] To God belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Indeed God, He is the Independent, the Praised.
[31:27] And if all the trees on earth were pens, and the sea replenished with seven more seas, the Words of God would not be spent. Truly God is Mighty, Wise.
[31:28] Your creation and your resurrection are only as [that of] a single soul. Truly God is Hearer, Seer.
[31:29] Have you not seen that God makes the night pass into the day and makes the day pass into the night, and He has disposed the sun and the moon, each running to an appointed term, and that God is Aware of what you do?
[31:30] That is [so] because God, He is the Truth, and whatever they call on besides Him is falsehood, and because God is the High [Exalted], the Great.
[31:31] Have you not seen that the ships run upon the sea by the grace of God, that He may show you some of His signs? Surely in that there are signs for every [servant who is] steadfast, grateful.
[31:32] And if waves cover them like awnings, they call on God, sincere before Him in their faith; but when He delivers them to land, some of them compromise. And none denies Our signs, except every perfidious ingrate.
[31:33] O people, fear your Lord and fear a day when no parent shall avail a child; and no child shall avail its parent in any way. Surely God’s promise is true. So do not let the life of this world deceive you, and do not let the Deceiver deceive you concerning God.
[31:34] Lo! God, with Him lies knowledge of the Hour; and He sends down the rain, and He knows what is in the wombs. And no soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Truly God is Knower, Aware.
Sat Jul 23, 2011 11:40 am