لقمان
Luqman
Luqman • makkah • 34 Verses
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الٓمٓ
30:2.
تِلْكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ
10:2; 31:3.
Commentary:
The Quran has variously described itself as follows:
"The Book full of wisdom" as in the present verse; "the Book of Allah" (2:102); "the Book" (5:16); "a Book whose verses have been made unchangeable and then they have been expounded in detail" (11:2); "an enlightening Book" (22:9); "a mighty Book" (41:42); "the Book inscribed" (52:3); "a well-preserved Book" (56:79); "the Quran in Arabic" (12:3); "the illuminating Quran" (15:2); the Great Quran" (15:88); "the Quran full of wisdom" (36:2); "the Quran full of exhortation" (38:2); "the noble Quran" (56:78); "the wonderful Quran" (72:2); and "the glorious Quran" (85:22).
The Quran is indeed such a wise, and wonderful Book that "not a single one of the great truths, principles, and ideals enumerated and proclaimed by it has been contradicted or falsified by ancient learning or science, nor by modern discoveries and inventions." It has eminently held its own, and proved equal to the exigencies of time, in every age and period.
Like the abbreviated letters which have been placed in the beginning of different Surahs, the various qualifying words used for the Quran in the above-mentioned Surahs have a subtle connection with their subject matter. A deep study of the context reveals the connection between the two.
10:2.
The Qur’an is indeed such a wonderful Book that not a single one of the great truths, principles and ideals, enumerated and proclaimed by it, has been contradicted or falsified by ancient learning or science, or by modern discoveries and inventions. It has eminently held its own and proved equal to the exigencies of time in every age and period.
هُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّلْمُحْسِنِينَ
16:90; 27:3.
16:90; 27:3.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ
2:4; 5:56; 9:71; 27:4.
2:4; 5:56; 9:71; 27:4.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
2:6.
2:6.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِى لَهْوَ ٱلْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ
Commentary:
Life is a very serious thing. Man has been created to serve a very noble and grand purpose. To this seriousness and sublimity of human life, an emphatic and pointed reference has been made in the words "do you think that We have created you in vain and that you will not return to Us" (23:116). But in spite of this emphatic admonition, men of frivolous turn of mind fritter away their precious time and energy in vain pursuits and foolish diversions, treating the signs of God lightly, with the result that (as the verse says) they meet with disgrace and failure in this life, and a humiliating punishment awaits them in the Hereafter.
Life is a very serious thing. Man has been created to serve a very noble and grand purpose. But men of frivolous turn of mind fritter away their precious time and energy in vain pursuits and foolish diversions (23:116).
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَٰتُنَا وَلَّىٰ مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَن لَّمْ يَسْمَعْهَا كَأَنَّ فِىٓ أُذُنَيْهِ وَقْرًا ۖ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
Commentary:
The verse under comment explains another verse of the Quran (2:8) wherein it is stated that God sets a seal on the hearts of disbelievers and on their ears and eyes. The present verse makes it clear that man first turns away disdainfully from truth, and behaves arrogantly, and turns a deaf ear to the Divine Message and heavenly admonition, and then, as a result of his arrogant behaviour and attitude, his heart becomes, as it were, sealed and he is rendered spiritually blind and deaf.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتُ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۖ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقًّا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ وَأَلْقَىٰ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ رَوَٰسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ ۚ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ
13:3.
13:4; 15:20; 16:16; 77:28.
27:61; 50:8.
Commentary:
It should not be understood from the word ألقی which literally means, "He has cast" or "He has placed" that the mountains were placed on the earth from somewhere outside, after it had been created. Elsewhere the Quran has used the word جعل(He made) to express the same sense which shows that the mountains formed a part and parcel of the earth and were not placed on it from outside.
Incidentally, the verse points to a truth which science has only recently discovered but which the Quran revealed about 1400 years ago, viz. that mountains instead of being a cause of earthquakes, exert a stabilizing influence, rendering earth tremors a very infrequent occurrence.
This verse gives three arguments to prove the Oneness and Almightiness of God: (a) He is the Creator of heavens and the whole solar system; (b) He has created the earth and regulates, controls and guides all life on it; (c) He sends down water from heaven and gives a new life to the earth after it has become parched and dry. This means that God is the Creator of the universe, its Controller and the Giver of life. These are essential attributes of a Supreme Being Who demands and commands our adoration and worship. See also 16:16.
13:3.
13:4; 15:20; 16:16; 77:28.
27:61; 50:8.
Elsewhere (13:4) the Qur’an has used the word Ja‘ala (He has made) to express the sense of Alqa (He has placed) which shows that mountains formed a part of the earth and were not placed on it from outside.
هَٰذَا خَلْقُ ٱللَّهِ فَأَرُونِى مَاذَا خَلَقَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِۦ ۚ بَلِ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ فِى ضَلَٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا لُقْمَٰنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ أَنِ ٱشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ
14:9.
Important Words:
شکر (is grateful). شکر الله or شکر لله means, he thanked God or was grateful to Him; or he praised God for His beneficence; and acted in the manner incumbent on him in rendering Him obedience. شکر (thankfulness) is of three kinds: (1) with the heart; (2) with the tongue; and (3) with the limbs, and consists in requiting the benefit received according to its desert. Man’s thankfulness to God consists in (a) his humility to Him; (b) his love of Him; (c) his knowledge of His bounties; (d) his eulogizing Him for it; and (e) his not making use of the benefits in a manner disliked by Him. شکر on the part of God consists in forgiving a person, or regarding him with favour and therefore rewarding him (Lane). See also 14:8.
Commentary:
Luqman seems to be a non-Arab, very probably an Ethiopian. He is said to belong to Egypt or Nubia. By some he has also been identified with the Greek "Aesop". From the beautiful moral precepts he gave to his son which are embodied in the present and the next few verses Luqman appears to be a Prophet of God. To know who Luqman was is not of importance so much as the principle that God sent His Messengers among all people and that all those Messengers deserve our respect and reverence and that Luqman was one of them. Islam was the first and the only religion to proclaim this principle which alone can form a sound and solid basis for peace among the followers of various faiths.
وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَٰنُ لِٱبْنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَٰبُنَىَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ
Commentary:
The first and basic principle of all religious teaching is that God is One. All other noble ideals flow from this principle. By worshipping any other thing or being beside God Who is the Creator, Lord and Sustainer, man degrades himself and stunts, stifles and stultifies his personality. So Luqman began his moral sermon by laying stress on this most supreme of all religious beliefs.
Luqman seems to be a non-Arab, very probably an Ethiopian. He is said to belong to Egypt or Nubia. By some he has also been identified with the Greek "Aesop." From the beautiful moral precepts he gave to his son and which are embodied in the present and the next few verses, Luqman appears to be a Prophet of God.
The first and basic principle of all religious teaching is that God is One. All noble ideals and principles flow from this doctrine. By worshipping any other thing or being beside Allah man degrades himself and stunts, stifles and stultifies his personality.
وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُۥ وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍ وَفِصَٰلُهُۥ فِى عَامَيْنِ أَنِ ٱشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
6:152; 19:33; 29:9; 46:16.
Commentary:
This and the next verse form a parenthetical clause and refer to the second most important duty of man, after his duty to God—his obligations to mankind, which begin with his obligations to his parents. He is told that he must be good and kind to his parents. Luqman only referred to man’s duty to God, but God Himself supplements his exhortation by adding man’s duty to his parents and also gives the reason for doing so, viz. that parents undergo all sorts of sacrifice for their children, particularly the mother. She has, therefore, secured a special mention here.
6:152; 29:9; 46:16.
This and the next verse form a parenthetical clause and refer to the second most important duty of man after his duty to God—his obligations to his fellow-beings which begin with his obligations to his parents.
The apparent contradiction between this and 46:16 seems to be that some children are born earlier than others and, therefore, being weaker in constitution, take longer time to be weaned.
وَإِن جَٰهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُشْرِكَ بِى مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖ وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا ۖ وَٱتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَىَّ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
Commentary:
After being reminded of his duty to his parents, man is warned in the present verse not to forget that his first and foremost duty is to God, and that all other duties and loyalties are subordinate to, and proceed from it. He is told that if his duty to parents appears to clash and conflict with his duty to God, his first loyalty is to his Creator. But in disregarding any of the wishes or commands of his parents which clash with his loyalty to God, he must not be arrogant or insolent to them, but should continue to show uniform courtesy, love and kindness to them.
If man’s duty to parents appears to clash and conflict with his duty to God, his first loyalty is to his Creator. But in disregarding any of the wishes or commands of his parents which clash with his loyalty to God he must not be arrogant or insolent to them; but should continue to show uniform courtesy, love and kindness to them.
يَٰبُنَىَّ إِنَّهَآ إِن تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ فَتَكُن فِى صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ أَوْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌ
Commentary:
The verse points to an important law of nature, viz. that no action, good or bad, is in vain. It leaves its permanent imprint. It is to this great truth that reference has also been made in 50:19.
No action, good or bad, goes vain. It leaves its permanent imprint. It is to this great truth that reference has also been made in 50:19.
يَٰبُنَىَّ أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأْمُرْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَٱنْهَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَصَابَكَ ۖ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ ٱلْأُمُورِ
9:71.
Commentary:
After belief in the Oneness of God and in His attributes, becomes firmly rooted, man naturally feels attracted towards Him and wishes to worship Him, which in the form of Prayer is most essential for his spiritual development. And after he himself becomes true and sincere votary of His Creator, man’s next duty lies in reforming his fellow-beings. But as soon as he enters upon this noble but very arduous task difficulties and impediments bar his way. He is told, in the verse, to put up with all sorts of hardships and privations that lie in the way of the discharge of his great duties. This is the significance of Luqman’s exhortation to his son "to endure patiently whatever may befall thee."
وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ
17:38; 25:64.
Important Words:
تصعر (turn in pride) is derived from صعر which means, he had a distortion in the face by reason of pride with a turning of the face on one side. They say فی خدہ صعر i.e. in his cheek is a distortion arising from pride. صعر خدہ means, he turned away his cheek from the people on account of pride and dislike or contempt (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
When a man comes to acquire firm faith in God and His powers and attributes, and engages himself in Prayer, and exhorts other men to do good and right actions, and also patiently puts up with abuse and persecution which he has to face in the discharge of his difficult task, a new world opens up to him. God inspires him with His love and, as a result, people flock to him in large numbers. Then he is likely to become self-conceited and self-centred. Hence Luqman’s warning to his son to be on his guard against this moral lapse.