31. Surah Luqman, English Translation

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

˹It is˺ a guide and mercy for the good-doers—

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

Indeed, We blessed Luqmân 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

And ˹remember˺ when Luqmân 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.”

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.

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.

˹Luqmân  added,˺ “O my dear son! ˹Even˺ if a deed were the weight of a mustard seed—be it ˹hidden˺ in a rock or in the heavens or the earth—Allah will bring it forth. Surely Allah is Most Subtle, All-Aware.

“O my dear son! Establish prayer, encourage what is good and forbid what is evil, and endure patiently whatever befalls you. Surely this is a resolve to aspire to.

“And do not turn your nose up to people, nor walk pridefully upon the earth. Surely Allah does not like whoever is arrogant, boastful.

Be moderate in your pace. And lower your voice, for the ugliest of all voices is certainly the braying of donkeys.”

Have you not seen that Allah has subjected for you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and has lavished His favours upon you, both seen and unseen? ˹Still˺ there are some who dispute about Allah without knowledge, or guidance, or an enlightening scripture.

When it is said to them, “Follow what Allah has revealed,” they reply, “No! We ˹only˺ follow what we found our forefathers practicing.” ˹Would they still do so˺ even if Satan is inviting them to the torment of the Blaze?

Whoever fully submits themselves to Allah and is a good-doer, they have certainly grasped the firmest hand-hold. And with Allah rests the outcome of ˹all˺ affairs.

But whoever disbelieves, do not let their disbelief grieve you ˹O Prophet˺. To Us is their return, and We will inform them of all they did. Surely Allah knows best what is ˹hidden˺ in the heart.

We allow them enjoyment for a little while, then ˹in time˺ We will force them into a harsh torment.

And if you ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will definitely say, “Allah!” Say, “Praise be to Allah!” In fact, most of them do not know.

To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Allah is truly the Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.

If all the trees on earth were pens and the ocean ˹were ink˺, refilled by seven other oceans, the Words of Allah would not be exhausted. Surely Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.

The creation and resurrection of you ˹all˺ is as simple ˹for Him˺ as that of a single soul. Surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

Do you not see that Allah causes the night to merge into the day and the day into the night, and has subjected the sun and the moon, each orbiting for an appointed term, and that Allah is All-Aware of what you do?

That is because Allah ˹alone˺ is the Truth and what they invoke besides Him is falsehood, and ˹because˺ Allah ˹alone˺ is the Most High, All-Great.

Do you not see that the ships sail ˹smoothly˺ through the sea by the grace of Allah so that He may show you some of His signs? Surely in this are signs for whoever is steadfast, grateful.

And as soon as they are overwhelmed by waves like mountains, they cry out to Allah ˹alone˺ in sincere devotion. But when He delivers them ˹safely˺ to shore, only some become relatively grateful. And none rejects Our signs except whoever is deceitful, ungrateful.

O humanity! Be mindful of your Lord, and beware of a Day when no parent will be of any benefit to their child, nor will a child be of any benefit to their parent. Surely Allah’s promise is true. So do not let the life of this world deceive you, nor let the Chief Deceiver¹ deceive you about Allah.

Indeed, Allah ˹alone˺ has the knowledge of the Hour. He sends down the rain,¹ and knows what is in the wombs.² No soul knows what it will earn for tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.