(Revealed before Hijrah)

Date of Revelation, Title and Context
By common consent the Surah is considered to have been revealed at Mecca, towards the middle of the Meccan period, or, as some say, in the sixth or seventh year of the Call. The preceding Surah, Al-Rum, had ended on the note that the Qur'an explains fully all those teachings that deal with the spiritual development and progress of man. But the disbelievers have not the eyes to see the truth, their hearts being sealed. They see Sign after Sign and yet go on harping on the tune that the Holy Prophet is a liar and a forger.

The present Surah opens with the solemn affirmation that the Holy Prophet is not a forger or a liar and that this Book, the Qur'an, has been revealed to him by the Wise and AII Knowing God. It is full of wisdom and leads an honest seeker after truth to the right path. It was further mentioned in the preceding Surah that the cause of Islam will continue to prosper and triumph and disbelievers will meet with defeat, disgrace and humiliation. In the present Surah some light is shed on those noble moral principles by acting upon which nations and individuals can achieve success and prosperity and can rise to greatness and eminence.

Subject-Matter
The Surah in its very beginning refers to the sine qua non of success-correct belief and right action-and proceeds to discuss some universal moral principles from the mouth of a non-Arab sage, Luqman, the basic principle being that God is One and that all other noble ideals flow from this belief. The principle, second in importance to Divine Unity, concerns man's obligations to man, the most essential of which are his obligations to his parents. In between these two basic commandments a Muslim is taught to subordinate all his loyalties to God and to allow no other loyalty, not even loyalty to parents, to conflict or clash with his loyalty to His Creator. But under no circumstances should he cease to be kind and considerate and respectful to them.

Next, it is stated that man's duty to God takes practical shape in the observance of Prayers and his obligations to mankind in doing good and abstaining from evil. The Surah says that when a true believer enters upon the noble and arduous task of preaching the truth and calling upon people to live righteously, difficulties and impediments bar his way and he has to put up with opposition, abuse, and persecution. He is told to bear all this opposition and persecution with patience and fortitude. When he is not discouraged or dismayed by the opposition and persecution he has to face in the discharge of his great and noble task, success comes his way and large crowds of people give their allegiance to him. In the hour of public applause and acclamation he should not lose his mental poise and should particularly be on his guard against conceit and arrogance.

The Surah then refers to the laws of nature implying that these laws are working in favour of Islam. It ends on a note of warning to disbelievers that the day of their reckoning when their wealth and their influence, power and prestige, would prove of no avail, is fast approaching. Even their children will accept Islam and spend their wealth to promote its cause.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
[31:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

الم
[31:2] Alif Lam Mim.

تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْحَكِيمِ
[31:3] These are verses of the Book of Wisdom[2301],

هُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِلْمُحْسِنِينَ
[31:4] A guidance and a mercy for those who do good,

الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ بالآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ
[31:5] Those who observe Prayer and pay the Zakat and who have firm faith in the Hereafter.

أُوْلَئِكَ عَلَى هُدًى مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
[31:6] It is they who follow guidance from their Lord, and it is they who shall prosper.

وَمِنْ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا أُولَئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ

[31:7] And of men is he who takes idle tales in exchange for guidance[2302] to lead men astray from the path of Allah, without knowledge, and to make fun of it. For such there will be humiliating punishment.

وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا وَلَّى مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْهَا كَأَنَّ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ وَقْرًا فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

[31:8] And when Our Signs are recited to him, he turns proudly away, as though he heard them not, as if there were a heaviness in both his ears. So announce to him a painful punishment.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ النَّعِيمِ
[31:9] Surely those who believe and do good works — they will have Gardens of Delight,

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقًّا وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
[31:10] Wherein they will abide. Allah has made a true promise; and He is the Mighty, the Wise.

خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا وَأَلْقَى فِي الأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَنْ تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنْ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَنْبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ

[31:11] He has created the heavens without any pillars that you can see, and He has placed[2303] in the earth firm mountains that it may not quake with you, and He has scattered therein all kinds of creatures; and We have sent down water from the clouds, and caused to grow therein every noble species.

هَذَا خَلْقُ اللَّهِ فَأَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ دُونِهِ بَلْ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي ضَلاَلٍ مُبِينٍ
[31:12] This is the creation of Allah. Now show me what others beside Him have created. Nay, but the wrongdoers are in manifest error.

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا لُقْمَانَ الْحِكْمَةَ أَنْ اشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ وَمَنْ يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ

[31:13] And We bestowed wisdom on Luqman, saying, ‘Be grateful to Allah:’ and whoso is grateful, is grateful only for the good of his own soul. And whoso is ungrateful, then surely Allah is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.

وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَانُ ِلأَبْنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُ يَابُنَيَّ لاَ تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ
[31:14] And remember when Luqman[2304] said to his son while exhorting him, ‘O my dear son! associate not partners with Allah. Surely, associating partners with God is a grievous wrong.[2305]’

وَوَصَّيْنَا الإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنْ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ

[31:15] And We have enjoined on man concerning his parents[2306] — his mother bears him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning takes two years[2306A] — ‘Give thanks to Me and to thy parents. Unto Me is the final return.

وَإِنْ جَاهَدَاكَ عَلى أَنْ تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلاَ تُطِعْهُمَا وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

[31:16] ‘And if they contend with thee to make thee set up equals with Me concerning which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not, but be a kind companion to them in all worldly affairs[2307]; and in spiritual matters follow the way of him who turns to Me. Then unto Me will be your return and I shall inform you of what you used to do.’

يَابُنَيَّ إِنَّهَا إِنْ تَكُنْ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ فَتَكُنْ فِي صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ أَوْ فِي الأَرْضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌ

[31:17] ‘O my dear son! even though it be the weight of a grain of mustard seed, and even though it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will surely bring it out[2308]; verily Allah is the Knower of all subtleties, All-Aware.

يَابُنَيَّ أَقِمْ الصَّلاَةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنْ الْمُنكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا أَصَابَكَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الأُمُورِ

[31:18] ‘O my dear son! observe Prayer, and enjoin good, and forbid evil, and endure patiently whatever may befall thee. Surely this is of those matters which require firm resolve.

وَلاَ تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلاَ تَمْشِ فِي الأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ
[31:19] ‘And turn not thy cheek away from men in pride nor walk in the earth haughtily[2309]; Surely, Allah loves not any arrogant boaster.

وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ
[31:20] ‘And walk thou at a moderate pace, and lower thy voice; verily, the most disagreeable of voices is the voice of the ass.’

أَلَمْ تَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُ ظَاهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً وَمِنْ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُجَادِلُ فِي اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلاَ هُدًى وَلاَ كِتَابٍ مُنِيرٍ

[31:21] Have you not seen that Allah has pressed for you into service whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and has completed His favours on you, both externally and internally[2310]? And among men there are some who dispute concerning Allah, without knowledge or guidance or an illuminating Book[2311].

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ اتَّبِعُوا مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُوا بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا أَوَلَوْ كَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ

[31:22] And when it is said to them, ‘Follow that which Allah has revealed,’ they say, ‘Nay, we shall follow that which we found our fathers following.[2312]’ What! even though Satan was inviting them to the punishment of the burning fire?

وَمَنْ يُسْلِمْ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى وَإِلَى اللَّهِ عَاقِبَةُ الأُمُورِ

[31:23] And he who submits himself completely to Allah, and is a doer of good, he has surely grasped a strong handle. And with Allah rests the end of all affairs[2313].

وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَلاَ يَحْزُنْكَ كُفْرُهُ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ فَنُنَبِّئُهُمْ بِمَا عَمِلُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ
[31:24] And as for him who disbelieves, let not his disbelief grieve thee. Unto Us is their return and We shall tell them what they did; surely Allah knows full well what is in the breasts.

نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلاً ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَى عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ
[31:25] We shall let them enjoy themselves a little; then We shall drive them to a severe torment.

وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ قُلْ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
[31:26] And if thou ask them, ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’, they will surely answer, ‘Allah.[2314]’ Say, ‘All praise belongs to Allah.’ But most of them know not.

لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ
[31:27] To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Verily, Allah is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.

وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلاَمٌ وَالْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَاتُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

[31:28] And if all the trees that are in the earth were pens, and the ocean were ink, with seven[2315] oceans swelling it thereafter, the words of Allah would not be exhausted. Surely, Allah is Mighty, Wise.

مَا خَلْقُكُمْ وَلاَ بَعْثُكُمْ إِلاَّ كَنَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ
[31:29] Your creation and your resurrection are only like the creation and resurrection of a single soul[2315A]. Verily Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

أَلَمْ تَرَى أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ فِي النَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ

[31:30] Hast thou not seen that Allah makes the night pass into[2316] the day, and makes the day pass into the night, and He has pressed the sun and the moon into service; each pursuing its course till an appointed term, and that Allah is well aware of what you do?

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ الْبَاطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ
[31:31] That is because it is Allah alone Who is the True God, and whatever they call upon beside Him is falsehood, and because it is Allah alone Who is the Most High, the Incomparably Great

أَلَمْ تَرَى أَنَّ الْفُلْكَ تَجْرِي فِي الْبَحْرِ بِنِعْمَةِ اللَّهِ لِيُرِيَكُمْ مِنْ آيَاتِهِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآياتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ.

[31:32] Dost thou not see that the ships sail on the sea by the favour of Allah[2317], that He may show you of His Signs? Therein surely are Signs for everyone who is patient and grateful.

وَإِذَا غَشِيَهُمْ مَوْجٌ كَالظُّلَلِ دَعَوْا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ فَمِنْهُمْ مُقْتَصِدٌ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلاَّ كُلُّ خَتَّارٍ كَفُورٍ

[31:33] And when waves engulf them like so many coverings, they call upon Allah, being sincere to Him in faith; but when He brings them safe to land, then some of them take the right course[2318]. And none denies Our Signs save every perfidous and ungrateful person.

يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ وَاخْشَوْا يَوْمًا لاَ يَجْزِي وَالِدٌ عَنْ وَلَدِهِ وَلاَ مَوْلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَنْ وَالِدِهِ شَيْئًا إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ فَلاَ تَغُرَّنَّكُمْ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَلاَ يَغُرَّنَّكُمْ بِاللَّهِ الْغَرُورُ

[31:34] O men, seek protection with your Lord and fear the day when the father will not be of any avail to his son, nor will the son at all be of any avail to his father. Allah’s promise is surely true. So let not worldly life beguile you, nor let the Deceiver deceive you concerning Allah

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الأَرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ مَاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ

[31:35] Verily, with Allah alone is the knowledge of the Hour. And He sends down the rain, and He knows what is in the wombs. And no soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware[2319].

2301. 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.

2302.  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).

2303. 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.

2304. 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.

2305. 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.

2306. 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.

2306A. 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.

2307. 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.

2308. 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.

2309.  Sa'aara Khadda-hu means, he turned away his cheek from the people on account of pride or contempt (Lane).

2310.  The words may signify all needs of man-physical and spiritual; material and intellectual; known and unknown.

2311. The combined testimony of human reason and commonsense of observation and experience and of Divine revelation, goes to show that belief in plurality of gods is a false and foolish belief. This is the significance of the words, without knowledge or guidance or an illuminating Book.

2312. Man is so constituted that he is not easily persuaded to give up his old ideas and beliefs. The one constant obstacle that the Prophets of God have had to meet from disbelievers is that the latter would not give up their old ancestral ways and beliefs. Old superstitions indeed die hard.

2313. God alone causes all actions to produce their results.

2314.  An intelligent study of the creation of the universe and of the perfect design and order that pervade and permeate it, leads to the one inescapable inference that there must be a Creator of this universe. The expression la-Yaqulunna signifies that disbelievers will have no option but to admit that it is Allah Who has brought the universe into being.

2315. Numbers "7" and "70" are used in Arabic to denote a large number, and not exactly "seven" and "seventy" as ordinary numerals.

2315A. The verse signifies that all human beings are subject to the same laws of nature. It also points to the fact that the rise or fall of nations and communities is subject to the same laws of nature as is the progress or degradation of individuals.

2316. The natural law of the day following the night, and vice versa, operates with equal force in regard to the fate of nations as well as individuals.

2317. The sailing of ships is indeed a great Divine boon. Much of the prosperity of mankind depends on it. The greatest sea-power is generally the richest and the most powerful country in the world.

2318. The verse refers to a very common characteristic of a Mushrik (polytheist). He is weak of faith and is very superstitious. Even a small misfortune is sufficient to frighten and upset him because his faith is only a jumble of make-beliefs and hearsays and superstitions.

2319. The Surah ends by reverting to its basic theme-the ultimate triumph of Islam; and mentions some important facts concerning it: (1) With God alone rests the knowledge of the hour of the final overthrow of disbelief and the triumph of Islam. (2) He alone knows when the condition of a people demands the sending down of Divine revelation and so He has revealed the Qur'an in the fullness of time. (3) To Him alone belongs the knowledge whether the generations yet unborn will accept Islam or stick to disbelief, i.e., whether the sons and grandsons of the leaders of disbelief, who are now fighting Islam tooth and nail, will enter its fold and will willingly give their lives to safeguard it and further its cause. (4) The disbelievers do not know that all their efforts against Islam will prove futile and abortive. (5) The leaders of disbelief, who have turned the Holy Prophet and Muslims out of their hearths and homes, will themselves meet death away from their homes.