31. Surah Luqman

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ...

31:25 [Ali]. If thou ask them, who it is that created the heavens and the earth,

...لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ...

they will certainly say, "Allah."

...قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ...

Say: "Praise be to Allah!"

...بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٢٥﴾

But most of them understand not.

لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ...

31: 26. To Allah, belong all things in heaven and earth:

...إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ ﴿٢٦﴾

verily Allah is He (that is) free of all wants, worthy of all praise.

C3615. Cf. above, 31:12. There was begun the argument about showing gratitude to Allah, introducing Luqman's teaching and philosophy.

Such gratitude is shown by our understanding His love and doing our duty to Him by serving our fellow-men. For Allah Himself is Free from all wants and is in no way dependent on our service.

That argument has been illustrated in various ways. But now we are told that it can never be completed, for no human tongue or human resources can be adequate either to praise him or to expound His Word.

Asad’s Version:

31:25

AND THUS it is [with most people]: if- 22 thou ask them, "Who is it that has created the

heavens and the earth?" - they will surely answer, "God."

Say: "[Then you ought to know that] all praise is due to God!" - for most of them do not know [what this implies]. 23

(31:26) Unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth. Verily, God alone is self-sufficient, the One to whom all praise is due!

[[Asad’s notes -

22 For the above rendering of la'in, see surah 30, note 45.

23 I.e., they give the above answer unthinkingly, following a vague habit of thought, without realizing that a cognition of God as the Ultimate Cause of all existence logically postulates one's full surrender to Him, and to Him alone.