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Guiding Questions
Tafsir by Ibn Kathir
| Ayah 1-9 | Ayah 10-19 | Ayah 20-34 |
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Luqman - 31:1
Allah says:
الم
Alif Lam Mim.
At the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah we discussed the letters such as those that appear at the beginning of this Surah.
From tafsir Ibn Kathir, on surah Al-Baqarah 2:1
The Discussion of the Individual Letters
Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful says;
الم
Alif Lam Mim.
The individual letters in the beginning of some Surahs are among those things whose knowledge Allah has kept only for Himself. This was reported from Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali and Ibn Mas`ud.
It was said that these letters are the names of some of the Surahs.
It was also said that they are the beginnings that Allah chose to start the Surahs of the Qur'an with.
Khasif stated that Mujahid said, "The beginnings of the Surahs, such as Qaf, Sad, Ta Sin Mim and Alif Lam Ra, are just some letters of the alphabet."
Some linguists also stated that; they are letters of the alphabet and that Allah simply did not cite the entire alphabet of twenty-eight letters.
For instance, they said, one might say, "My son recites Alif, Ba, Ta, Tha..." he means the entire alphabet although he stops before mentioning the rest of it.
This opinion was mentioned by Ibn Jarir.
The Letters at the Beginning of Surahs
If one removes the repetitive letters, then the number of letters mentioned at the beginning of the Surahs is fourteen:
Alif, Lam, Mim, Sad, Ra, Kaf, Ha, Ya, Ayn, Ta, Sin, Ha, Qaf, Nun.
So glorious is He Who made everything subtly reflect His wisdom.
Moreover, the scholars said, "There is no doubt that Allah did not reveal these letters for jest and play."
Some ignorant people said that; some of the Qur'an does not mean anything, (meaning, such as these letters) thus committing a major mistake.
On the contrary, these letters carry a specific meaning. Further, if we find an authentic narration leading to the Prophet that explains these letters, we will embrace the Prophet's statement. Otherwise, we will stop where we were made to stop and will proclaim,
امَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا
(We believe in it; all of it (clear and unclear verses) is from our Lord), (3:7).
The scholars did not agree on one opinion or explanation regarding this subject. Therefore, whoever thinks that one scholar's opinion is correct, he is obliged to follow it, otherwise it is better to refrain from making any judgment on this matter. Allah knows best.
Luqman - 31:2
تِلْكَ ايَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْحَكِيمِ
These are Ayat of the Wise Book.
Luqman - 31:3
هُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّلْمُحْسِنِينَ
A guide and a mercy for the Muhsinin.
Luqman - 31:4
الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَةَ وَيُوْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُم بِالاْخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ
Those who perform the Salah and give Zakah and they have faith in the Hereafter with certainty.
Allah has made the Qur'an a guidance and healing and a mercy for the Muhsinin, who are those who do good deeds in accordance with the Shariah. They establish the obligatory prayers in the proper manner and at the correct times, and follow that with regular, optional and supererogatory prayers; they pay the Zakah to those who deserve it; they uphold the ties of kinship with their relatives; they have certain faith that there will be rewards and punishments in the Hereafter, and they seek the reward with Allah; they do not show off or seek a reward or thanks from other people. Whoever does this is one of those of whom Allah says
Luqman - 31:5
أُوْلَيِكَ عَلَى هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ
Such are on guidance from their Lord, meaning, they follow His guidance with clear understanding.
وَأُوْلَيِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
and such are the successful.
in this world and in the Hereafter
Luqman - 31:6
The Doomed are preoccupied with Idle Talk and They turn away from the Ayat of Allah
Allah says:
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ
And of mankind is he who purchases idle talk (Lahw Al-Hadith) to mislead from the path of Allah without knowledge,
When Allah mentions the blessed -- who are those who are guided by the Book of Allah and benefit from hearing it, as He says:
اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَـباً مُّتَشَـبِهاً مَّثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
Allah has sent down the Best Statement, a Book, its parts resembling each other (and) oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it. Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah. (39:23)
He connect that with mention of the doomed, those who turn away from the Qur'an and do not benefit from hearing the Words of Allah. Instead, they turn to listening to flutes and singing accompanied by musical instruments. As Ibn Mas`ud commented about the Ayah:
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
And of mankind is he who purchases Lahu Al-Hadith to mislead (men) from the path of Allah, he said, "This by Allah refers to singing."
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ
And of mankind is he who purchases Lahw Al-Hadith to mislead (men) from the path of Allah without knowledge,
Qatadah said: "By Allah, he may not spend money on it, but his purchasing it means he likes it, and the more misguided he is, the more he likes it and the more he prefers falsehood to the truth and harmful things over beneficial things."
It was said that what is meant by the words
يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيث
(purchases idle talks) is buying singing servant girls.
Ibn Jarir said that it means all speech that hinders people from seeing the signs of Allah and following His path.
His saying:
لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّه
(to mislead (men) from the path of Allah) means, he does this to oppose Islam and its followers.
وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا
and takes it by way of mockery.
Mujahid said, "This means mocking the path of Allah and making fun of it."
أُولَيِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ
For such there will be a humiliating torment.
Just as they showed no respect to the signs and path of Allah, so they will be shown no respect on the Day of Resurrection, and they will be subjected to a painful, ongoing torment.
Luqman - 31:7
Then Allah says
وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ ايَاتُنَا وَلَّى مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَن لَّمْ يَسْمَعْهَا كَأَنَّ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ وَقْرًا
And when Our Ayat are recited to such a one, he turns away in pride, as if he heard them not as if there were deafness in his ear.
Means, when these Qur'anic verses are recited to one who is fond of idleness and play, he turns away from them and does not want to hear them. He turns a deaf ear to them as if he can hear nothing, because it annoys him to hear them since he gains no benefit from them and has no interest in them.
فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
So announce to him a painful torment.
i.e., on the Day of Resurrection, which will hurt him just as much as listening to the Book of Allah and its verses hurt him
Luqman - 31:8
The Good Destiny of the Believers
Allah says:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ امَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ
Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them are Gardens of Delight.
Here Allah mentions the destiny of the righteous in the Hereafter, those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and do righteous deeds in accordance with the Laws of Allah.
لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ النَّعِيم
for them are Gardens of Delight.
Luqman - 31:9
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا
To abide therein.
Means, there they will enjoy all kinds of delights and pleasures, food, drink, clothing, dwelling-places, means of transportation, women, a light of beauty and delightful sounds, which have never crossed the mind of any human being. They will stay there forever, never leaving and never desiring change.
وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقًّا
It is a promise of Allah in truth.
Meaning, this will undoubtedly come to pass, for it is a promise from Allah, and Allah never breaks His promise, because He is the Most Generous Bestower Who does what He wills and is able to do all things.
وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ
And He is the All-Mighty,
Who has subjugated all things and to Whom all things submit,
الْحَكِيمُ
the All-Wise.
In what He says and what He does, Who has made this Qur'an a guidance to the believers.
قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ هُدًى وَشِفَأءٌ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يُوْمِنُونَ فِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى
Say:"It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it is blindness for them. (41:44)
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَأءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُوْمِنِينَ وَلَا يَزِيدُ الظَّـلِمِينَ إَلاَّ خَسَارًا
And We send down of the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe, and it increases the wrongdoers nothing but loss. (17:82)
