الٓمٓ
Alif, Lam, Meem.
Agha Ali Puya Commentary
Commentary on Quran 31:1
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:1] Refer to the commentary of Baqarah: 1.
Luqman
31. Luqmān
لقمان
الٓمٓ
Alif, Lam, Meem.
Commentary on Quran 31:1
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:1] Refer to the commentary of Baqarah: 1.
تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْحَكِيمِ
These are the signs of the wise Book,
Commentary on Quran 31:2
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:2] The Quran is a book of wisdom and knowledge. Whoever seeks guidance from it receives it. As its wisdom is complete and perfect its guidance is thorough-leaves no aspect of material or spiritual life, individual as well as collective, unattended, and invariably leads to truth, goodness and salvation-and its practicability depends on the intellect and taqwa (awareness of the laws made by Allah in both the creative and legislative realms and its application in minutest detail in day to day life) of the person who puts it into practice. See commentary of Baqarah: 2 to 5, 177, and Ali Imran: 138. The availability of such an all-encompassing and comprehensive guidance is a mercy from Allah.
هُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّلْمُحْسِنِينَ
a guidance and mercy for the virtuous,
Commentary on Quran 31:3
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:3] (see commentary for verse 2)
الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُم بِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ
who maintain the prayer, pay the zakat, and are certain of the Hereafter.
Commentary on Quran 31:4
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:4] (see commentary for verse 2)
أُولَئِكَ عَلَى هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
Those follow their Lord’s guidance, and it is they who are the felicitous.
Commentary on Quran 31:5
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:5] (see commentary for verse 2)
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا أُولَئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ
Among the people is he who buys diversionary talk that he may lead [people] astray from Allah’s way without any knowledge, and he takes it in derision. For such there is a humiliating punishment.
Commentary on Quran 31:6
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:6] It is related that in the time of the Holy Prophet there was a pagan Nadhr ibn al Harith who went to Syria for trade and brought back stories of Persian heroes, with which he allured the crowds of the Quraysh and persuaded them to believe that his stories were preferable to the word of Allah. Aqa Mahdi Puya says: Lahw means idle or amusing discourse which disengages attention from meaningful thought, field of inquiry or argument. On this basis the Ahl ul Bayt have applied the term "lawh al hadith " to music.
وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا وَلَّى مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَن لَّمْ يَسْمَعْهَا كَأَنَّ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ وَقْرًا فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
When Our signs are recited to him he turns away disdainfully, as if he had not heard them [at all], as if there were a deafness in his ears. So inform him of a painful punishment.
Commentary on Quran 31:7
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:7]
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ النَّعِيمِ
As for those who have faith and do righteous deeds, for them will be gardens of bliss,
Commentary on Quran 31:8
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:8]
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقًّا وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
to remain in them [forever]—a true promise of Allah, and He is the All-mighty, the All-wise.
Commentary on Quran 31:9
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:9]
خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا وَأَلْقَى فِي الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ
He created the heavens without any pillars that you may see, and cast firm mountains in the earth lest it should shake with you, and He has scattered in it every kind of animal. And We sent down water from the sky and caused every splendid kind [of plant] to grow in it.
Commentary on Quran 31:10
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:10] Please refer to the commentary of Baqarah : 164; Rad: 2 and Nahl: 15.
هَذَا خَلْقُ اللَّهِ فَأَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقَ الَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِ بَلِ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ
This is the creation of Allah. Now show Me what others besides Him have created. Indeed, the wrongdoers are in manifest error!
Commentary on Quran 31:11
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:11]
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا لُقْمَانَ الْحِكْمَةَ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ وَمَن يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ
Certainly We gave Luqman wisdom, saying, ‘Give thanks to Allah; and whoever gives thanks, gives thanks only for his own sake. And whoever is ungrateful, [let him know that] Allah is indeed all-sufficient, all-laudable.’
Commentary on Quran 31:12
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:12] Luqman, it is said, was not a prophet of Allah but was blessed with wisdom. He was the nephew of prophet Ayyub. He lived for one thousand years, from the time of Dawud to the time of Yunus. Once, when he was asleep, angels came and asked if he would like to be Allah's deputy on the earth. To this, he replied that if it was a command from Allah, he would accept it, however, if Allah had asked his desire he would like to be excused because it was a great responsibility to dispense justice among men, and he could not bear the burden. Another saying about Luqman is that he was an Ethiopian carpenter whom the Greek called Aesop. He was a very obedient servant of the Lord, extremely pious and modest who mostly remained silent, engrossed in higher thoughts. His fear of sins was such that he never rejoiced over any gain nor grieved over any loss, even at the death of his children. It is said that whenever he passed over any vegetation they used to disclose their respective properties latent in them. He used to visit Dawud and discuss with him complicated issues to find out their solution. Refer to Ibrahim: 8. The basis of the divine laws is man's own good, and not any benefit to Allah who is above all needs. When we obey His will, we bring our position into conformity with our own nature as made by Him.
وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُ يَابُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ
When Luqman said to his son, as he advised him: ‘O my son! Do not ascribe any partners to Allah. Polytheism is indeed a great injustice.’
Commentary on Quran 31:13
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:13] It is said that one of Luqman's wives and some of his children were disbelievers, but he preached unity of Allah to them and ultimately they became believers. Polytheism has been described as the greatest iniquity (zulmun azim). Now refer to Allah's reply to Ibrahim in Baqarah: 124 that He would bestow imamah on his descendants but it would not reach the unjust (zalim). The position of Ali ibn abi Talib and the Imams of the Ahl ul Bayt has been discussed in the commentary of said verses.
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ
We have enjoined man concerning his parents: His mother carried him through weakness upon weakness, and his weaning takes two years. Give thanks to Me and to your parents. To Me is the return.
Commentary on Quran 31:14
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:14] The obedience to parents is compulsory on every one except in case it goes against Allah. Refer to the commentary of Baqarah: 83 and 215; Bani Israil: 23 and Ankabut: 8. Aqa Mahdi Puya says: The assertion of last clause in verse 14 is that thanking Allah is more important than thanking parents, although both are necessary. In verse 15 we are commanded not to follow those parents who do not follow the right path. Instead, one should follow the path of those who constantly seek nearness to Allah. Refer to the commentary of Ankabut: 8.
وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَى أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
But if they urge you to ascribe to Me as partner that of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them. Keep their company honourably in this world and follow the way of those who turn to Me penitently. Then to Me will be your return, whereat I will inform you concerning what you used to do.
Commentary on Quran 31:15
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:15] (see commentary for verse 14)
يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّهَا إِن تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ فَتَكُن فِي صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ أَوْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌ
‘O my son! Even if it should be the weight of a mustard seed, and [even though] it should be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will produce it. Indeed Allah is all-attentive, all-aware.
Commentary on Quran 31:16
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:16] Aqa Mahdi Puya says: This verse refers to total resurrection and to the fact that nothing will escape the attention of Allah. For "latif" refer to the commentary of Hajj: 63.
يَا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا أَصَابَكَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ
O my son! Maintain the prayer and bid what is right and forbid what is wrong, and be patient through whatever may befall you. That is indeed the steadiest of courses.
Commentary on Quran 31:17
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:17]
وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ
Do not turn your cheek away disdainfully from the people, and do not walk exultantly on the earth. Indeed Allah does not like any swaggering braggart.
Commentary on Quran 31:18
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:18]
وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ
Be modest in your bearing, and lower your voice. Indeed the ungainliest of voices is the donkey’s voice.’
Commentary on Quran 31:19
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:19]
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُ ظَاهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يُجَادِلُ فِي اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَابٍ مُّنِيرٍ
Do you not see that Allah has disposed for you whatever there is in the heavens and whatever there is in the earth and He has showered upon you His blessings, the outward, and the inward? Yet among the people are those who dispute concerning Allah without any knowledge or guidance or an illuminating scripture.
Commentary on Quran 31:20
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:20]
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُوا مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُوا بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا أَوَلَوْ كَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ
When they are told, ‘Follow what Allah has sent down,’ they say, ‘No, we will follow what we found our fathers following.’ What! Even if Satan be calling them to the punishment of the Blaze?
Commentary on Quran 31:21
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:21]
وَمَن يُسْلِمْ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى وَإِلَى اللَّهِ عَاقِبَةُ الْأُمُورِ
Whoever surrenders his heart to Allah and is virtuous, has certainly held fast to the firmest handle, and with Allah lies the outcome of all matters.
Commentary on Quran 31:22
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:22] Refer to the commentary of Baqarah: 256 for urwatil wathqa (strongest handle) and Ali Imran: 103 for hablillah (cord of Allah).
وَمَن كَفَرَ فَلَا يَحْزُنكَ كُفْرُهُ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ فَنُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ
As for those who are faithless, let their faithlessness not grieve you. To Us will be their return, and We will inform them about what they have done. Indeed Allah knows best what is in the breasts.
Commentary on Quran 31:23
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:23]
نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَى عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ
We will provide for them for a short time, then We will shove them toward a harsh punishment.
Commentary on Quran 31:24
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:24]
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
If you ask them, ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’ they will surely say, ‘Allah.’ Say, ‘All praise belongs to Allah!’ But most of them do not know.
Commentary on Quran 31:25
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:25]
لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ
To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Indeed Allah is the All-sufficient, the All-laudable.
Commentary on Quran 31:26
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:26]
وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلَامٌ وَالْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَّا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَاتُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
If all the trees on the earth were pens, and the sea replenished with seven more seas [were ink], the words of Allah would not be spent. Indeed Allah is all-mighty, all-wise.
Commentary on Quran 31:27
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:27] Refer to the commentary of Kahf: 109.
مَّا خَلْقُكُمْ وَلَا بَعْثُكُمْ إِلَّا كَنَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ
Your creation and your resurrection are not but as of a single soul. Indeed Allah is all-hearing, all-seeing.
Commentary on Quran 31:28
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:28] Aqa Mahdi Puya says: For the infinite almighty Lord the creation and resurrection of a whole mass is as easy as the creation and resurrection of a single soul. The whole is so well connected with its components that the creation and the resurrection of a component also affects the whole.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ فِي النَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
Have you not regarded that Allah 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 moving for a specified term, and that Allah is well aware of what you do?
Commentary on Quran 31:29
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:29]
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ الْبَاطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ
That is because Allah is the Reality, and whatever they invoke besides Him is nullity, and because Allah is the All-exalted, the All-great.
Commentary on Quran 31:30
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:30]
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ الْفُلْكَ تَجْرِي فِي الْبَحْرِ بِنِعْمَتِ اللَّهِ لِيُرِيَكُم مِّنْ آيَاتِهِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ
Have you not regarded that the ships sail at sea with Allah’s blessing, that He may show you some of His signs? There are indeed signs in that for every patient and grateful [servant].
Commentary on Quran 31:31
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:31]
وَإِذَا غَشِيَهُم مَّوْجٌ كَالظُّلَلِ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ فَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَّا كُلُّ خَتَّارٍ كَفُورٍ
When waves cover them like awnings; they invoke Allah, putting exclusive faith in Him. But when He delivers them towards land, [only] some of them remain unswerving. No one will impugn Our signs except an ungrateful traitor.
Commentary on Quran 31:32
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:32]
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ وَاخْشَوْا يَوْمًا لَّا يَجْزِي وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِ وَلَا مَوْلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَن وَالِدِهِ شَيْئًا إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِاللَّهِ الْغَرُورُ
O mankind! Be wary of your Lord and fear the day when a father will not atone for his child, nor the child will atone for its father in any wise. Indeed Allah’s promise is true. So do not let the life of the world deceive you, nor let the Deceiver deceive you concerning Allah.
Commentary on Quran 31:33
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:33] Imam Ali said: "Your yesterday is past. You have no hold over it. Your tomorrow has not yet come, therefore it is uncertain whether you will be there or not, but your today is the day you must use in the best possible way and act as you are commanded by Allah."
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْأَرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
Indeed the knowledge of the Hour is with Allah. 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. Indeed Allah is all-knowing, all-aware.
Commentary on Quran 31:34
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 31:34] Once a Beduin came to the Holy Prophet and asked: (i) When will the day of judgement come to pass? (ii) When will it rain? Let me know as I have planted seeds in my field. (iii) My wife is pregnant. What will she deliver? A boy or a girl? (iv) Where will they bury me when I die? The Holy Prophet replied that all these matters are known only to Allah, no one else knows about it, and quoted this verse.