Surah Luqman

Ta'awwudh · Seeking Refuge

أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytani ar-rajim. I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed.

The Name · Bismillah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Bismillahi ar-Rahmani ar-Rahim. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

✦

The Surah · Luqman

﴾١﴿ الٓمٓ

Alif Laam Mim

Alif Lam Mim.

﴾٢﴿ تِلْكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ

Tilka Aayaatul Kitaabil Hakim

These are the verses of the Book of wisdom,

﴾٣﴿ هُدًۭى وَرَحْمَةًۭ لِّلْمُحْسِنِينَ

Hudanw wa rahmatal lilmuhsinin

a guidance and a mercy for those who do good,

﴾٤﴿ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ

Allazina yuqimunas Salaata wa yu'tunaz Zakaata wa hum bil Aakhirati hum yuqinun

who establish the prayer, give the zakat, and are certain of the hereafter.

﴾٥﴿ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًۭى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ

Ulaa'ika 'alaa hudam mir Rabbihim wa ulaa'ika humul muflihun

They are upon guidance from their Lord, and they are the successful.

﴾٦﴿ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِى لَهْوَ ٱلْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍۢ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌۭ مُّهِينٌۭ

Wa minan naasi mai yashtari lahuwal hadisi li yudilla 'an sabilil laahi bighairi 'ilminw wa yattakhizahaa huzuwaa; ulaa'ika lahum 'azaabum muhin

Among people is the one who buys idle talk to lead others away from the path of Allah without knowledge, and who takes it in mockery. For them is a humiliating punishment.

﴾٧﴿ وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا وَلَّىٰ مُسْتَكْبِرًۭا كَأَن لَّمْ يَسْمَعْهَا كَأَنَّ فِىٓ أُذُنَيْهِ وَقْرًۭا ۖ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

Wa izaa tutlaa 'alayhi Aayaatunaa wallaa mustakbiran ka al lam yasma'haa ka anna fi uzunwihi waqran fabash shiru bi'azaabin alim

When Our verses are recited to him, he turns away in arrogance as though he did not hear them, as though there were deafness in his ears. So give him news of a painful punishment.

﴾٨﴿ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتُ ٱلنَّعِيمِ

Innal lazina aamanu wa 'amilus saalihaati lahum Janaatun Na'im

Those who believe and do righteous deeds will have the gardens of delight,

﴾٩﴿ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۖ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقًّۭا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ

Khaalidina fiha wa'dal laahi haqqaa; wa Huwal 'Azizul Hakim

remaining in them. The promise of Allah is true. He is the Mighty, the Wise.

﴾١٠﴿ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍۢ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ وَأَلْقَىٰ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ رَوَٰسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍۢ ۚ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۭ فَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍۢ كَرِيمٍ

Khalaqas samaawaati bi ghairi 'amadin tarawnahaa wa alqaa fil ardi rawaasiya an tamida bikum wa bassa fihaa min kulli daabbah; wa anzalnaa minas samaa'i maa'an fa ambatnaa fiha min kulli zawjin karim

He created the heavens without pillars that you can see, and cast into the earth firm mountains so that it would not shift with you, and spread through it every kind of creature. And We sent down water from the sky and caused every noble kind to grow in it.

﴾١١﴿ هَٰذَا خَلْقُ ٱللَّهِ فَأَرُونِى مَاذَا خَلَقَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِۦ ۚ بَلِ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ فِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ

Haazaa khalqul laahi fa aruni maazaa khalaqal lazina min dunih; baliz zaalimuna fi dalalim Mubin

This is the creation of Allah. Now show me what those besides Him have created. Rather, the wrongdoers are in clear error.

﴾١٢﴿ وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا لُقْمَٰنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ أَنِ ٱشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌۭ

Wa laqad aatainaa Luqmaanal hikmata anishkur lillaah; wa many yashkur fa innamaa yashkuru linafsihi wa man kafara fa innal laaha Ghaniyyun Hamid

We gave Luqman wisdom: be grateful to Allah. Whoever is grateful is grateful for his own sake, and whoever is ungrateful, Allah is Rich, Praiseworthy.

﴾١٣﴿ وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَٰنُ لِٱبْنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَٰبُنَىَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌۭ

Wa iz qaala luqmaanu libnihi wa huwa ya'izuhu ya bunaiya laa tushrik billaah; innash shirka lazulmun 'azim

Luqman said to his son, instructing him, “My son, do not associate anything with Allah. Association is a great wrong.”

﴾١٤﴿ وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُۥ وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍۢ وَفِصَٰلُهُۥ فِى عَامَيْنِ أَنِ ٱشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ ٱلْمَصِيرُ

Wa wassainal bi waalidaihi hamalat hu ummuhu wahnan 'alaa wahninw wa fisaaluhu fi 'aamaini anishkur li wa liwaalidaika ilaiyal masir

We instructed man concerning his parents. His mother carried him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents. To Me is the return.

﴾١٥﴿ وَإِن جَٰهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُشْرِكَ بِى مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖ وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًۭا ۖ وَٱتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَىَّ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

Wa in jaahadaaka 'alaa an tushrika bi maa laisa laka bihi 'ilmun falaa tuti'humaa wa saahib humaa fid dunyaa ma'rufanw wattabi' sabila man anaaba ilayy; summa ilaiya marji'ukum fa unabbi'ukum bimaa kuntum ta'malun

If they strive to make you associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, do not obey them, but keep company with them in this world honorably, and follow the way of the one who turns to Me. Then to Me is your return, and I will inform you of what you used to do.

﴾١٦﴿ يَٰبُنَىَّ إِنَّهَآ إِن تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍۢ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍۢ فَتَكُن فِى صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ أَوْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌۭ

Ya bunaiya innahaa in taku misqaala habbatim min khardalin fatakun fi sakhratin aw fis samaawaati aw fil ardi yaati bihal laa; innal laaha latifun Khabir

“My son, if it is the weight of a mustard seed, and it is inside a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Allah is Subtle, Aware.

﴾١٧﴿ يَٰبُنَىَّ أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأْمُرْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَٱنْهَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَصَابَكَ ۖ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ ٱلْأُمُورِ

Yaa bunaiya aqimis Salaata waamur bilma'rufi wanha 'anil munkari wasbir 'alaa maa asaabaka inna zaalika min 'azmil umur

My son, establish the prayer, command what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient over what strikes you. That is from the matters requiring determination.

﴾١٨﴿ وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍۢ فَخُورٍۢ

Wa laa tusa' 'ir khaddaka linnaasi wa laa tamshi fil ardi maarahan innal laaha laa yuhibbu kulla mukhtaalin fakhur

Do not turn your cheek away from people, and do not walk on the earth in arrogance. Allah does not love anyone who is self-admiring and boastful.

﴾١٩﴿ وَٱقْصِدْ فِى مَشْيِكَ وَٱغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ ۚ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ ٱلْأَصْوَٰتِ لَصَوْتُ ٱلْحَمِيرِ

Waqsid fi mashyika waghdud min sawtik; inna ankaral aswaati lasawtul hamir

Be moderate in your walk and lower your voice. The most disagreeable of voices is the voice of the donkey.”

﴾٢٠﴿ أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُۥ ظَٰهِرَةًۭ وَبَاطِنَةًۭ ۗ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَٰدِلُ فِى ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍۢ وَلَا هُدًۭى وَلَا كِتَٰبٍۢ مُّنِيرٍۢ

Alam taraw annal laaha sakhkhara lakum maa fis sa maawaati wa maa fil ardi wa asbaha 'alaikum ni'amahu zaahiratanw wa baatinah; wa minan naasi many yujaadilu fil laahi bighayri 'ilminw wa laa hudanw wa laa Kitaabim munir

Do you not see that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and has poured His favors upon you, outward and inward? Yet among people is the one who argues about Allah without knowledge, without guidance, and without an enlightening Book.

﴾٢١﴿ وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَآ ۚ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ

Wa izaa qila lahumut tabi'u maa anzalal laahu qaalu bal nattabi'u maa wajadnaa 'alaihi aabaa'anaa; awalaw kaanash Shaitaanu yad'uhum ilaa 'azaabis sa'ir

When it is said to them, “Follow what Allah has revealed,” they say, “No, we follow what we found our fathers upon.” Even if Satan was calling them to the punishment of the blaze?

﴾٢٢﴿ ۞ وَمَن يُسْلِمْ وَجْهَهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌۭ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ ۗ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلْأُمُورِ

Wa many yuslim wajha hu ilal laahi wa huwa muhsinun faqadistamsaka bil'ur watil wusqaa; wa ilal laahi 'aaqibatul umur

Whoever submits his face to Allah while doing good has grasped the most trustworthy handhold. To Allah belongs the outcome of all matters.

﴾٢٣﴿ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَلَا يَحْزُنكَ كُفْرُهُۥٓ ۚ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ فَنُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ

Wa man kafara falaa yahzunka kufruh; ilainaa marji'uhum fanunabbi'uhum bimaa 'amilu; innal laaha 'alimum bizaatis sudur

Whoever disbelieves, do not let his disbelief grieve you. To Us is their return, and We will inform them of what they did. Allah knows what is in the chests.

﴾٢٤﴿ نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلًۭا ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍۢ

Numatti'uhum qalilan summa nadtarruhum ilaa 'azaabin ghaliz

We give them enjoyment for a little, then We drive them to a harsh punishment.

﴾٢٥﴿ وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

Wa la'in sa altahum man khalaqas samaawaati wal arda la yaqulunnal laah; qulil hamdu lillaah; bal aksaruhum laa ya'lamun

If you ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will say Allah. Say, praise belongs to Allah. But most of them do not know.

﴾٢٦﴿ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ

Lilaahi ma fis samaa waati wal ard; innal laaha Huwal Ghaniyyul Hamid

To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Allah is the Rich, the Praiseworthy.

﴾٢٧﴿ وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلَٰمٌۭ وَٱلْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُۥ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍۢ مَّا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ

Wa law annamaa fil ardi min shajaratin aqlaamunw wal bahru yamudduhu mim ba'dihi sab'atu abhurim maa nafidat Kalimaatul laah; innal laaha 'azizun Hakim

If all the trees on earth were pens, and the sea, with seven more seas after it, were ink, the words of Allah would not run out. Allah is Mighty, Wise.

﴾٢٨﴿ مَّا خَلْقُكُمْ وَلَا بَعْثُكُمْ إِلَّا كَنَفْسٍۢ وَٰحِدَةٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ

Maa khalqukum wa laa ba'sukum illaa kanafsinw waa hidah; innal laaha Sami'um Basir

Your creation and your resurrection are only like that of a single soul. Allah is Hearing, Seeing.

﴾٢٩﴿ أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُولِجُ ٱلَّيْلَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِى ٱلَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ كُلٌّۭ يَجْرِىٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّۭى وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌۭ

Alam tara annal laaha yulijul laila fin nahaari wa yulijun nahaara fil laili wa sakhkharash shamsa wal qamara kulluny yajri ilaa ajalim musammanw wa annal laaha bimaa ta'malona Khabir

Do you not see that Allah merges the night into the day and the day into the night, and has made the sun and the moon subject, each running for a stated term, and that Allah is aware of what you do?

﴾٣٠﴿ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ ٱلْبَٰطِلُ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْكَبِيرُ

Zaalika bi annal laaha Huwal Haqqu wa anna maa yad'una min dunihil baatilu wa annal laaha Huwal 'Aliyyul Kabir

That is because Allah is the Truth, and what they call upon besides Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Great.

﴾٣١﴿ أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱلْفُلْكَ تَجْرِى فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ بِنِعْمَتِ ٱللَّهِ لِيُرِيَكُم مِّنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍۢ شَكُورٍۢ

Alam tara annal fulka tajri fil bahri bini'matil laahi li yuriyakum min Aayaatih; inna fi zaalika la Aayaatil likulli sabbaarin shakur

Do you not see that ships sail through the sea by the favor of Allah, to show you some of His signs? In that are signs for everyone patient and grateful.

﴾٣٢﴿ وَإِذَا غَشِيَهُم مَّوْجٌۭ كَٱلظُّلَلِ دَعَوُا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّىٰهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْبَرِّ فَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌۭ ۚ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ إِلَّا كُلُّ خَتَّارٍۢ كَفُورٍۢ

Wa izaa ghashiyahum mawjun kazzulali da'a wul laaha mukhlisina lahud dina fa lammaa najjaahum ilal barri faminhum muqtasid; wa maa yajhadu bi Aayaatinaa illaa kullu khattaarin kafur

When waves cover them like canopies, they call upon Allah, sincere to Him in religion. Then when He delivers them to land, some of them take the middle course. Only the treacherous and ungrateful reject Our signs.

﴾٣٣﴿ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ وَٱخْشَوْا۟ يَوْمًۭا لَّا يَجْزِى وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِۦ وَلَا مَوْلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَن وَالِدِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا ۚ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّۭ ۖ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْغَرُورُ

Yaa ayyuhan naasuttaqu Rabbakum wakhshaw Yawmal laa yajzi waalidun 'anw waladihi wa laa mawludun huwa jaazin 'anw waalidihi shai'aa; innaa wa'dal laahi haqqun falaa taghurran nakumul hayaatud dunyaa wa laa yaghur rannakum billaahil gharun

People, be mindful of your Lord and fear a Day when no father will pay anything for his son, and no son will pay anything for his father. The promise of Allah is true. So do not let the life of this world deceive you, and do not let the deceiver deceive you about Allah.

﴾٣٤﴿ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عِندَهُۥ عِلْمُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ ٱلْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْحَامِ ۖ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌۭ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًۭا ۖ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌۢ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍۢ تَمُوتُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۢ

Innal laaha 'indahu 'ilmus saa'ati wa yunazzilul ghaisa wa ya'lamu maa fil arhaami wa maa tadri nafsum maazaa takisbu ghadaa; wa maa tadri nafsum bi ayyi ardin tamut; innal laaha 'Alimun Khabir

With Allah is the knowledge of the Hour. He sends down the rain, and He knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Allah is Knowing, Aware.

The Tafsir · The Breakdown

What The Surah Means

Overview

A Father Talking to His Son

Luqman is the surah every man raising children should be able to recite the middle of from memory. Its center, verses 13 through 19, is a father giving his son the whole curriculum in seven sentences. He was not a prophet. Verse 12 says he was given hikmah, wisdom, and the first thing that wisdom produced in him was gratitude. The instructions he gives cover creed, awareness, worship, social duty, endurance, posture, gait and volume, in that order, and they end with the sound of a man's voice. Around that core the surah puts two contrasts: the man in verse 6 who spends money on distraction, and the man in verse 22 who has grasped the most trustworthy handhold. It closes in verse 34 on the five things no man knows, which is the exact boundary a father is teaching his son to respect.

Verses 1 to 11

What a Man Buys

Verse 6 is unusually specific about the mechanism of loss. Among people is the one who buys idle talk, yashtari lahwa al-hadith, to lead others away from the path of Allah. He purchases it. Attention is spent, not lost, and this verse treats the spending as a transaction with a price attached. Ibn Kathir records that Ibn Mas'ud, when asked about lahw al-hadith in this verse, swore that it meant singing, and other early authorities read it more broadly as any speech that pulls a man off the road. Either reading leaves the structure intact. A man buys the thing that takes him away, and then verse 7 shows what it did to his hearing. When Our verses are recited to him, he turns away in arrogance as though he did not hear them, as though there were deafness in his ears. Not deaf. As though. The capacity is intact and the use of it has been sold. Verse 10 and verse 11 then make the challenge that runs through the Meccan surahs. This is the creation of Allah. Now show me what those besides Him have created. The verse does not argue. It asks for an inventory and lets the silence answer.

Verses 12 to 19

The Seven Sentences

Verse 12 defines wisdom by its first output. We gave Luqman wisdom: be grateful to Allah. Then it closes the loop: whoever is grateful is grateful for his own sake. Gratitude does not add to Allah. It changes the man performing it. Then the instruction begins. First, verse 13, creed before anything else. My son, do not associate anything with Allah. Association is a great wrong. He calls it zulm, wrong, misplacement, putting a thing where it does not belong. Notice that Allah then interrupts the father in verses 14 and 15 to speak about parents directly, which is placed exactly here so that the son who has just been told to obey his father also learns the one limit on that obedience. If they strive to make you associate with Me, do not obey them, but keep company with them in this world honorably. The refusal is absolute and the manner stays honorable. A man can decline his father's religion without declining his father's dignity. Then Luqman resumes. Verse 16, awareness: the weight of a mustard seed inside a rock will be brought forth. He hands his son a permanent witness before he hands him a single duty. Verse 17, the duties themselves, and they come as a set: establish the prayer, command what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient over what strikes you. The patience is attached to the commanding, because the second and third instructions produce the thing the fourth one absorbs. He calls the whole set azm al-umur, the matters that require determination. Then verses 18 and 19, which cover the way a man carries himself. Do not turn your cheek away from people. Do not walk in arrogance. Be moderate in your walk and lower your voice. He has just given his son the largest possible truths and he finishes by telling him how loud to talk. That order is the lesson. A man whose creed is correct and whose voice is contemptuous has not finished the curriculum.

Verses 20 to 34

The Handhold, and the Five Nobody Has

Verse 20 names what has been given, outward and inward, and then names the man who argues about Allah with none of the three things an argument requires: no knowledge, no guidance, no enlightening Book. Verse 21 gives his actual reason. We follow what we found our fathers upon. The surah has spent nine verses on a father's instruction and now shows the failure mode of inherited belief, which is why the two sit side by side. A father's guidance is not authority in itself. Luqman's instruction is worth following because of what it points at. Verse 22 gives the alternative. Whoever submits his face to Allah while doing good has grasped the most trustworthy handhold, al-urwah al-wuthqa. Two conditions in one sentence: the submission and the doing. Verse 27 is one of the most expansive images in the Quran. If all the trees on earth were pens, and the sea, with seven more seas after it, were ink, the words of Allah would not run out. Verse 32 is the honest description of most men in a crisis. When waves cover them like canopies, they call upon Allah, sincere to Him in religion. Sincere, in the storm, with nothing held back. Then He delivers them to land and some of them take the middle course. Not open rejection. A middle. The sincerity was real and it did not survive the calm. Verse 33 sets the limit on the whole surah about a father and a son. Fear a Day when no father will pay anything for his son, and no son will pay anything for his father. Everything Luqman gave his son has to be carried by the son himself. Verse 34 closes on the five that stay with Allah: the Hour, the rain, what is in the wombs, what a soul will earn tomorrow, and the land in which it will die. Al-Bukhari records from Ibn Umar that the Prophet, peace be upon him, named these as the keys of the unseen, five, and then recited this verse. A man's whole planning happens inside the space those five leave open.

The Structure · At A Glance

Thirty-Four Verses. My Son, Do Not Associate Anything With Allah.

The surah puts a father's instruction at its center and builds the rest around it. It shows a man buying distraction and losing his hearing, and a man grasping the handhold that does not break. Luqman moves from creed to awareness to prayer, duty and patience, and finishes with posture, gait and the volume of a voice. Allah interrupts to place the one limit on obedience to parents and to keep the manner honorable inside the refusal. It closes with a Day on which no father pays for his son, and with the five things no man is given.

The Practice · Daily Integration

Thirty-Four Verses. My Son, Do Not Associate Anything With Allah.

Verse 6. Name what you have been buying with your attention this month. Cancel one purchase this week.

Verse 17. Take the four in order for seven days: the prayer on time, one right thing said, one wrong thing refused, and no complaint about what came back at you.

Verse 19. Lower your voice for one full day, in the house first. Watch what changes in the room.

آمِين

Prepared with discipline · Ameen

Verse-By-Verse · Test Yourself

The Quiz

Two questions per verse. Translation and a key Arabic word. Walk through it slow. The goal is comprehension, not speed.

Verse 61 / 10

The Verse

What does verse 6 say a certain kind of man does with idle talk?