Surah Luqman

Luqmaan

Introduction

Name of Chapter and Reason for its Name

The name of the wise “Luqmaan” has been mentioned twice in the Quran, both times in this chapter. This chapter also mentions Luqmaan’s advice to his son; and as a result this chapter was named Luqmaan.

Chapter Number of Number of Verses

Surah Luqmaan is the 31st chapter of the Quran, and it contains 34 verses.

City of Revelation

While many exegetes believe the entire chapter to be revealed in Mecca, some others believe verses 27-29, 33, and 34 to be revealed in Medina.

Content

Important Concepts in this Chapter

Verses 12-19

Luqmaan’s advice to his son. In these verses, Luqmaan’s wisdom is introduced in the form of advice and life lessons presented to his son.

Verses 20, and 25-34

Proofs for the Oneness of Allah. These verses first explain the complete control of the heavens and the earth, as well as the plentiful blessings of Allah in order to direct the attention of the idol worshippers to the creative aspect of Allah, which can be recognized as the foundation of worship. The misguidance of the idol worshippers was then criticized, as their belief was based on adopting the customs of the previous generations. The verses later mention a clear example to display the encompassing knowledge of Allah. The final example, Tawheed fitri, manifests itself during times of trial and tribulation.

Verses 33-34

A brief mention of the Hereafter. This chapter ends with a brief and powerful mention of the Hereafter, or life after death. These final verses caution human beings to not be arrogant towards this mundane world, but rather to focus on the eternal afterlife.

According to the Sunni Traditions

Benefits of Reciting this Surah عن رسول‌الله صلی‌الله علیه و سلم : من قرأ سورة لقمان کان له لقمان رفیقا یوم القیامة و أعطی من الحسنات عشرا عشرا بعدد من عمل بالمعروف و نهی عن المنکر

It has been narrated from the Prophet that: “A person who recites the chapter of Luqmaan, Luqmaan will be acquainted with him on the Day of Judgement; and that person will be given tens and tens of goodness multiplied to the number of people who enjoin the good and forbid the evil.”

Verse 6: “But there are among men, those who purchase idle tales without knowledge (or meaning), to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah, and throw (on the Path): for such there will be a humiliating penalty.”

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشۡتَرِي لَهۡوَ ٱلۡحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًاۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ مُّهِينٞ ٦ فی حدیث النبی صلی‌الله علیه و سلم «لا یحل بیع المغنیات و لا شراؤهن و لا التجارة فیهنّ و لا أثمانهنّ»

It has been narrated from the Messenger that: “It is not permissible to sell women who sing, buy them, nor be part of any transaction involving them or what is paid in return of them.”

Verse 16 (quotes Luqmaan as saying): “O my son! If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed and it was (hidden) in a rock, or (anywhere) in the heavens or on earth, Allah will bring it forth - for Allah understands the finest mysteries, (and) is well-acquainted (with them).”

يَٰبُنَيَّ إِنَّهَآ إِن تَكُ مِثۡقَالَ حَبَّةٖ مِّنۡ خَرۡدَلٖ فَتَكُن فِي صَخۡرَةٍ أَوۡ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ أَوۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ يَأۡتِ بِهَا ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٞ ١٦ قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا حسن بن موسی، حدثنا ابن لهیعة، حدثنا دراج عن أبی الهیثم، عن أبی سعید الخدری عن رسول‌الله صلی‌الله علیه و سلم قال «لو أن أحدکم یعمل فی صخرة صماء لیس لها باب و لا کوة لخرج عمله للناس کائنا ما کان»

Imam Ahmad narrates from Hasan ibn Musa, from ibn Lahiah, from Darraj, from Abu al-Haytham, from Abu Saeed al-Khudri, from the Prophet of Allah who said: “If any one of you was to perform an action (hidden) in a sealed rock with no door or opening for light, his action will be revealed to the people, wherever he is (on the Day of Judgement).”

According to the Shia Traditions

Benefits of Reciting this Surah

روی محمد بن جبیر العزرمی عن أبیه عن أبی جعفر قال مَنْ قَرَأَ سُورَةَ لُقْمَانَ فِی کلِّ لَیلَةٍ وَکلَ الله بِهِ ثَلَاثِینَ مَلَکاً یحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ إِبْلِیسَ وَ جُنُودِهِ حَتَّی یصْبِحَ فَإِنْ قَرَأَهَا بِالنَّهَارِ لَمْ یزَالُوا یحْفَظُونَهُ حَتَّی یمْسِی

Muhammad ibn Jubayr al-Azrami narrates from his father, from Abu Jafar (Muhammad al-Baqir) to have said: “One who recites Surah Luqmaan every single night, Allah will assign thirty angels to protect him from Iblis and his army until the next morning; and if one recites it during the day, then the [angels] will not leave his protection until the night.

Verse 6: “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.”

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشۡتَرِي لَهۡوَ ٱلۡحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًاۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ مُّهِينٞ ٦ رُوِی أَیضاً عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ الله أَنَّهُ قَالَ هُوَ الطَّعْنُ بِالْحَقِّ وَ الِاسْتِهْزَاءُ بِهِ وَ مَا کانَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ وَ أَصْحَابُهُ یجِیئُونَ بِهِ إِذْ قَالَ یا مَعْشَرَ قُرَیشٍ أَ لَا أَطْعَمَکمُ مِنْ الزَّقُّومِ الَّذِی یخوفکم بِهِ صَاحِبکمْ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَی زَبَداً وَ تَمْراً فَقَالَ هَذَا هُوَ الزَّقُّومِ الَّذِی یخوفکم بِهِ قَالَ وَ مِنْهُ الْغِنَاءُ

It has been narrated from Abu Abdillah who said: “What is meant by this verse is scorning those who follow the truth and ridiculing them. Abu Jahl and his companions would exhort [this behaviour] when they said: ‘O community of Quraysh! Should I feed you from the zaqqum that this comrade of yours scares you from?!’ He later sent for butter and dates and then said: ‘This is the zaqqum that he scares you from. Ghina (singing in ways compatible with corrupt gatherings) is also one of them (too).’”

Verse 12: “Certainly We gave Luqmaan 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.’”

وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا لُقۡمَٰنَ ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ أَنِ ٱشۡكُرۡ لِلَّهِۚ وَمَن يَشۡكُرۡ فَإِنَّمَا يَشۡكُرُ لِنَفۡسِهِۦۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٞ ١٢ هِشَامُ فِی الْکافِی عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا رَفَعَهُ إِلَی هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَکمِ قَالَ قَالَ لِی أَبُو الْحَسَنِ مُوسَی بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ یا إِنَّ الله قَالَ وَ لَقَدْ آتَینَا لُقْمَان الْحِکمَةَ قَالَ الْفَهْمَ وَ الْعَقْلَ

The book Al-Kafi narrates from several companions who narrated indirectly from Hisham ibn Hakam who said that Abu al-Hasan, Musa ibn Jafar told me: “Oh Hisham! When Allah said that ‘We bestowed (in the past) wisdom to Luqmaan’ it means understanding and intellect.”

Verse 16: “‘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.”

يَٰبُنَيَّ إِنَّهَآ إِن تَكُ مِثۡقَالَ حَبَّةٖ مِّنۡ خَرۡدَلٖ فَتَكُن فِي صَخۡرَةٍ أَوۡ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ أَوۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ يَأۡتِ بِهَا ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٞ ١٦ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْکانَ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ الله قَالَ اتَّقُوا الْمُحَقَّرَاتِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ فَإِنَّ لَهَا طَالِباً لَا یقُولَنَّ أَحَدُکمْ أُذْنِبُ وَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ الله إِنَّ الله تَعَالَی یقُولُ إِنْ تَک مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ الْآیةَ

It has been narrated from Ibn Muskan from Abu Abdillah who said: “Abstain from the minor sins - for there is someone who will seek them and ask you about them. One should not say: ‘I have sinned but I will seek forgiveness from Allah (later).’ Allah says: ‘If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed…’”

Verse 20: “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.”

أَلَمۡ تَرَوۡاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَأَسۡبَغَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعَمَهُۥ ظَٰهِرَةٗ وَبَاطِنَةٗۗ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَٰدِلُ فِي ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖ وَلَا هُدٗى وَلَا كِتَٰبٖ مُّنِيرٖ ٢٠ حماد بن أبی زیاد قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ سَیدِی مُوسَی بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَ جَلَ وَ أَسْبَغَ عَلَیکمْ نِعَمَهُ ظاهِرَةً وَ باطِنَةً فَقَالَ النِّعْمَة الظَّاهِرَةُ الْإِمَامُ الظَّاهِرُ وَ الْبَاطِنَةُ الْإِمَامُ الْغَائِب

Hammaad ibn Abu Zayd said: “I asked my master Musa ibn Jafar regarding the verse of Allah: ‘And has made His bounties flow to you in exceeding measure, (both) visible and unseen?’ He replied: ‘The visible bounty is the visible leader (Imam); and the unseen bounty is the unseen leader (Imam).’”

Verse 25: “If you ask them, ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’ they will surely say, ‘Allah.’ Say, ‘All praise belongs to Allah!’ Yet most of them do not know.”

وَلَئِن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۚ قُلِ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِۚ بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٢٥ عن عمر بن أذینة عن أبی جعفر فی حدیث قَالَ رسول‌الله ص کلُّ مَوْلُودٍ یولَدُ عَلَی الْفِطْرَةِ یعْنِی عَلَی الْمَعْرِفَةِ بِأَنَّ الله عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ خَالِقُهُ فَذَلِک قَوْلهُ- وَ لَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ لَیقُولُنَّ الله

It has been narrated from Umar ibn Udhaynah from Abu Jafar regarding a tradition by the Prophet of Allah: “Every individual who is born, is born with the fitrah. This means they are born with the understanding that Allah is the Creator. This is what is meant by His saying: ‘If you ask them, who is it that created the heavens and the earth? They will certainly say, Allah.’”