31.

Sura Luqman (or The Wise)

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

These are the verses of the Book of Wisdom – a guide and a Mercy to
the righteous people. These are the people who establish regular Prayer, give
regular Charity, and have faith in the Day of Judgement. Such people are on
true guidance of their Lord and it is they who shall be prosperous. But among
men is he with a frivolous turn of mind who prefers idle tales to true Realities
and turn away ignorant men from the preaching of God’s Word. For such
persons shall be ignominious punishment. And when the verses of the Book
are recited to him, he turns away proudly as if he has not heard, or there was
deafness in his both ears. Accordingly announce to him a painful punishment.
Certainly, those who believe and do righteous deeds, it the Promise of God
that they will dwell in the Gardens of Bliss. He is Exalted in Power, and is
Wise. He has created the heavens without any support as you can see, and He
has installed in the earth firm mountains lest it may move about with you, and
has spread therein all sorts of animals in pairs. He sends down rain from the
sky and cause to grow all kinds of attractive vegetation. This all is the creation
of the Lord. What is there which others beside Him have created? Indeed, the
unbelievers are the transgressors and in a clear mistake.

In the past, God bestowed on Luqman wisdom: “Be grateful to God”.

Anyone who is grateful does so for the good of his own soul. If anyone is
ungrateful, God is free of all wants, Self-Sufficient, the Praise-worthy!
Recollect when Luqman said to his son by way of advice: “O my son! Do not
associate in worship others with God: for false worship is indeed the grievous
inequity. And God has enjoined on the mankind concerning his parents: his
mother bears him in travail over travail and his weening takes two years.
express gratitude to God and to your parents, to the Lord is the final return.
Further, God enjoins on the mankind concerning his parents. Express gratitude
to the Lord and to your parents. To the Lord is the final return of the mankind.
However, if the parents press the children to associate partners with the Lord,
do not obey them; but behave with them well in the worldly matters. But
follow the path of those who turn to the Lord patiently. Final return is to Him
and He will apprise everyone what he used to do in the life span. Lukman said
to his son that even if a minute thing is hidden in a rock or anywhere else in
earth or in heavens, God will bring it forth; for he understands and is
acquainted of even the finest of the mysteries, whatsoever. Luqman further
told his son to establish prayer, and enjoin good and forbid evil, and bear
patiently whatever may fall on you; for this is the firmness of the purpose in
the conduct of human affairs. Further, do not swell your cheek (i.e. face) in
pride at people nor walk in insolence on the earth. For God love not any
arrogant boaster. And be moderate in your pace, and lower your voice. Verily,
without doubt, the harshest of sounds is the braying of the ass.
 Do you not observe that God has indeed subjected to you whatever is
in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and that he has completed the
blessings – hidden and manifest – on you? Yet some of them dispute about
God, without any knowledge, guidance and the clearly expressed Scripture!
When the disbelievers are advised to refer to the Divine Scripture and draw
inspiration from it, they outrightly refuse to do so. Nay, they even
vaingloriously say that the precedents and legends of their forefathers are
enough for them to follow. They do not heed the warning that the ancestral
conventions were not authenticated and approved by any documentary
evidence, were unwarranted and illegal being inspired by Satan, and as such
they would pave the way to Hell for their followers. The one who submits
himself to his Lord and do righteous deeds, has a trustworthy hand-hold in his
possession. Everything goes back to God and the decision of all affairs. Let
the Unbelievers enjoy for a while (in life). Then God will apprise them of their
evil deeds. No doubt, God knows the secrets of hearts. He will drive them
helplessly to the severe torment (of Hell). If you ask the infidels (O
Muhammad), that who has created the heavens and the earth; they will
definitely say: God. Praise be to Him. To Him belongs all the things in the
heaven and the earth and He is free from all needs, Worthy of all the praise.
And if there were pens (made) out of all trees on earth, and oceans (were
turned into ink) with seven more oceans to supplement them besides, the Word
of God (His wonderful Signs and Commandments) would not be exhausted.
Lo! God is Mighty, Wise. God’s greatness and infinitude are such that He can
create and cherish not only a whole mass, but each individual soul, and He can
follow its history and doings until the last Judgement. This shows God’s glory,
omniscience and omnipotence. He will easily requite all persons after their
mass resurrection. And God merges Night into Day and Day into Night; and
has subjected sun and the moon to His Law, each running in its defined course
and is well acquainted of the activities of every soul. He is the only Reality
and other than Him, whomsoever the infidels invoke is falsehood.

Don’t you see that by the Grace of God, the ships sail through the
ocean. Certainly, in this are Signs for those who are patient and grateful.
Sometimes when huge waves overwhelm the ship, the patient people keep
balanced and unperturbed. They rely on God’s kindness and they invoke it.
But the disbelievers become paniky. They objure their deities at that time; and
sincerely invoke God to save them. But when the trouble is cleared, some of
them remain steadfast in their faith in God. But the majority of them go back
on their pledges to God and offer thanks to their deities as partners of God.
That is a clear disloyalty and highest of ingratitude on their part. O mankind!
Keep your duty to your Lord and fear the Day when a father shall not atone
his son at all and a son shall not atone his father in aught. Verily the promise of
God is true; hence let not the worldly life beguile you, and let not the
‘deceiver’ deceive you about God. Certainly, the knowledge of the Day is with
God alone. It is He Who sends down rain and He alone knows what is in the
wombs, what one will earn the next day and in what land one will die. Indeed,
God is the Omniscient, the Aware!