Surah Luqman , 31....Epilogue

THE SURAH GOES ON TO EXPOUND GOD'S grace for which humans should be grateful. It says:

See ye not how Allah hath made serviceable unto you whatsoever is in the skies and whatsoever is in the earth and hath loaded you with His favours both without and within? Yet of mankind is he who disputeth concerning Allah, without knowledge or guidance or a scripture giving light. (20)

It continues in this vein until it says:

Hast thou not seen how the ships glide on the sea by Allah's grace, that He may show you of His wonders? Lo! therein indeed are portents for every steadfast, grateful (heart). (31) 

The surah ends with an affirmation of individual human accountability. It says:

O mankind! Keep your duty to your Lord and fear a Day when the parent will not be able to avail the child in aught, nor the child to avail the parent. Lo! Allah's promise is the very truth. Let not the life of the world beguile you, nor let the deceiver beguile you, in regard to Allah. (33)

The fact of the matter is that every man is a maker of his own destiny; if saved it will be because of his good deeds, or else his evil deeds will bring about his downfall. We read elsewhere in the Qur'an that: " And no burdened soul can bear another's burden, and if one heavy laden crieth for (help with) his load, naught of it will be lifted even though he (unto whom he crieth) be of kin. Thou warnest only those who fear their Lord in secret, and have established worship. He who groweth (in goodness), groweth only for himself, (he cannot by his merit redeem others). Unto Allah is the journeying. "(al-Fatir : 18) 

The surah then goes on to deny that any soothsayer or oracle can see in the future or have prior knowledge of what is to come. It says:

Lo! Allah! With Him is knowledge of the Hour. He sendeth down the rain, and knoweth that which is in the wombs. No soul knoweth what it will earn to-morrow, and no soul knoweth in what land it will die. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware. (34)

Weather forecasting, for example, would not be classified as soothsaying because it is the result of inferences based on the intelligent study of certain physical and meteorological phenomena. Neither would other scientific and medical processes such as ultrasonic scanners to determine the sex of a baby during pregnancy. What the surah refers to is the ability to encompass full and total knowledge of what the female creatures all over the world are likely to carry in their wombs, for all time everywhere.


" A Thematic Commentary On The Qur'an "
Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazal





Commentary by Shaykh Tawfique Chowdhury
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xwrZ65cqSE




Commentary by Ustaz Asim Khan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5kT8Z3VBgk&spfreload=5

Surah Luqman , 31.......Part 2 [ ayat 20 onwards ]

Recitation with  by Shaykh Ahmed al Omrany
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA8P6q2_E-o

Commentary of ayat 21 to ayat 24 by Ustaz Asim Khan :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMN8NhMGNsI

Surah Luqman , 31....Part 1

Recitation with  by Shaykh Ahmed al Omrany
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA8P6q2_E-o

The surah speaks at length of God's power and glory. As Creator and Provider, He takes full charge of world affairs, directly governing the lives, fortunes, and destinies of all creation. He guides and controls the activities of billions of human beings, multitudes of animals, plants, and other creatures, and countless numbers of planets, stars, and other mysterious heavenly bodies floating in space. The surah says: " And if all the trees in the earth were pens, and the sea, with seven more seas to help it, (were ink), the words of Allah could not be exhausted. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise. "(27)

None of that is beyond God's power. " Your creation and your raising (from the dead) are only as (the creation and the raising of) a single soul. Lo! Allah is Hearer, Knower. "(28) 

Those who submit to God and venerate Him deserve full commendation for recognizing the truth and differentiating between God's power and the powers of His subservient creation.

The surah derives its title from a sage mentioned by name in verse 12. We learn that when Prophet Muhammad was asked about Luqman he gave the Arabs of Makkah an account of a set of succinct but powerful instructions Luqman had given his son, which are rich in wisdom and sensible advice. Luqman's sagacity stands in total contrast to ancient Greek philosophy which was shrouded in ambiguities and idle speculation.

Luqman's acconut begins with God urging him to be thankful to Him. Human beings tend to not appreciate the good things they receive and always crave for more. Many a person would accept what one does for them but turn away without even a word of thanks. They are just ungrateful towards God Almighty, the origin of their existence and sustenance.

The surah says: "And verily We gave Luqman wisdom, saying: Give thanks unto Allah; and whosoever giveth thanks, he giveth thanks for (the good of) his soul. And whosoever refuseth - Lo! Allah is Absolute, Owner of Praise  "(12). God has no need for man's praise or glorification; those who acknowledge God's grace and give thanks do so for their own benefit, otherwise they would lose out.

Luqman's advice to his son begins thus: "And (remember) when Luqman said unto his son, when he was exhorting him: O my dear son! Ascribe no partners unto Allah. Lo! to ascribe partners (unto Him) is a tremendous wrong [ shirk]  "(13). This is followed by a bidding to be kind to one's parents who are, apart from God, immediately responsible for one's existence. It is interesting to note that modern society does not care very much for the welfare of parents. The majority of them in their old age find themselves leading lonely lives in old people's homes. But this is to be expected in a society which has all but forgotten God altogether.

The advice continues: " O my dear son! Establish worship and enjoin kindness and forbid iniquity, and persevere whatever may befall thee. Lo! that is of the steadfast heart of things. (17) Turn not thy cheek in scorn toward folk, nor walk with pertness in the land. Lo! Allah loveth not each braggart boaster." (18)

It closes with the statement: "' Be modest in thy bearing and subdue thy voice. Lo! the harshest of all voices is the voice of the ass "' (19). The testament is a wonderful collection of profound wisdom and high religious  and moral principles, which people of all generations ought to learn and observe.





" A Thematic Commentary On The Qur'an "
Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali
[ 1917 - 1998 ]



Reflection and commentary by Ustaz Asim Khan....

Lecture 1 : ayat 1 to ayat 5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arKUQdwM4SE 



Lecture 2 : ayat 6 to ayat 7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFB9gJc95sQ



Lecture 3 : ayat 8 to ayat 11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZhF4U9Agno

Reflection  and commentary by Shaykh Yasir Qadhi,
verses 12 - 19
Part 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLqOvyLA3DU

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb9zua40blc

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f04Ww_U45Zs


Part 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COhwfUy0Ksk

Part 5:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QK3ratceUw


Part 6:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOvECujDDfc


Part 7:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJXET7zNw5s