The surah that mentions the judicious and poignant admonitions of Luqmān (whom some call Lokman, the Wise, a man of faith) as he spoke them to his beloved son. It is named after Luqmān, whose account is given in verse 12. The surah opens with a description of the believers, and it condemns those who attempt to lead others away from guidance. It extols God’s power and warns the disbelievers of the consequences of their actions. The Prophet is told not to be saddened by their disbelief.The surah is also known as: Lokman, Luqmaan, Luqman (The Wise).
1
الم
a-l-m (ʾalif lām mīm)
Alif, Lām, Mīm.
2
تِلكَ آياتُ الكِتابِ الحَكيمِ
tilka ʾāyātu l-kitābi l-ḥakīmi
These are the signs of the Definitive Book,
3
هُدًى وَرَحمَةً لِلمُحسِنينَ
hudan wa-raḥmatan li-l-muḥsinīna
a guidance and mercy for the virtuous,
4
الَّذينَ يُقيمونَ الصَّلاةَ وَيُؤتونَ الزَّكاةَ وَهُم بِالآخِرَةِ هُم يوقِنونَ
alladhīna yuqīmūna ṣ-ṣalāta wa-yuʾtūna z-zakāta wa-hum bi-l-ʾākhirati hum yūqinūna
who maintain the prayer, and pay the zakāt, and are certain of the Hereafter.
5
أُولٰئِكَ عَلىٰ هُدًى مِن رَبِّهِم ۖ وَأُولٰئِكَ هُمُ المُفلِحونَ
ʾulāʾika ʿalā hudan min rabbihim wa-ʾulāʾika humu l-mufliḥūna
Those follow their Lord’s guidance, and it is they who are the felicitous.
6
وَمِنَ النّاسِ مَن يَشتَري لَهوَ الحَديثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيرِ عِلمٍ وَيَتَّخِذَها هُزُوًا ۚ أُولٰئِكَ لَهُم عَذابٌ مُهينٌ
wa-mina n-nāsi man yashtarī lahwa l-ḥadīthi li-yuḍilla ʿan sabīli llāhi bi-ghayri ʿilmin wa-yattakhidhahā huzuwan ʾulāʾika lahum ʿadhābun muhīnun
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.
7
وَإِذا تُتلىٰ عَلَيهِ آياتُنا وَلّىٰ مُستَكبِرًا كَأَن لَم يَسمَعها كَأَنَّ في أُذُنَيهِ وَقرًا ۖ فَبَشِّرهُ بِعَذابٍ أَليمٍ
wa-ʾidhā tutlā ʿalayhi ʾāyātunā wallā mustakbiran ka-ʾan lam yasmaʿhā ka-ʾanna fī ʾudhunayhi waqran fa-bashshirhu bi-ʿadhābin ʾalīmin
And when Our signs are recited to him he turns away disdainfully as if he had not heard them [at all], as if there were a deafness in his ears. So inform him of a painful punishment.
8
إِنَّ الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ لَهُم جَنّاتُ النَّعيمِ
ʾinna lladhīna ʾāmanū wa-ʿamilū ṣ-ṣāliḥāti lahum jannātu n-naʿīmi
As for those who have faith and do righteous deeds, for them will be gardens of bliss,
9
خالِدينَ فيها ۖ وَعدَ اللَّهِ حَقًّا ۚ وَهُوَ العَزيزُ الحَكيمُ
khālidīna fīhā waʿda llāhi ḥaqqan wa-huwa l-ʿazīzu l-ḥakīmu
to remain in them [forever] —a true promise of Allah, and He is the All-mighty, the All-wise.
10
خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ بِغَيرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَونَها ۖ وَأَلقىٰ فِي الأَرضِ رَواسِيَ أَن تَميدَ بِكُم وَبَثَّ فيها مِن كُلِّ دابَّةٍ ۚ وَأَنزَلنا مِنَ السَّماءِ ماءً فَأَنبَتنا فيها مِن كُلِّ زَوجٍ كَريمٍ
khalaqa s-samāwāti bi-ghayri ʿamadin tarawnahā wa-ʾalqā fī l-ʾarḍi rawāsiya ʾan tamīda bikum wa-baththa fīhā min kulli dābbatin wa-ʾanzalnā mina s-samāʾi māʾan fa-ʾanbatnā fīhā min kulli zawjin karīmin
He created the heavens without any pillars that you may see, and cast firm mountains in the earth lest it should shake with you, and He has scattered in it every kind of animal. And We sent down water from the sky and caused every splendid kind [of plant] to grow in it.
11
هٰذا خَلقُ اللَّهِ فَأَروني ماذا خَلَقَ الَّذينَ مِن دونِهِ ۚ بَلِ الظّالِمونَ في ضَلالٍ مُبينٍ
hādhā khalqu llāhi fa-ʾarūnī mādhā khalaqa lladhīna min dūnihī bali ẓ-ẓālimūna fī ḍalālin mubīnin
This is the creation of Allah. Now show Me what others besides Him have created. Rather the wrongdoers are in manifest error!
12
وَلَقَد آتَينا لُقمانَ الحِكمَةَ أَنِ اشكُر لِلَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَشكُر فَإِنَّما يَشكُرُ لِنَفسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَميدٌ
wa-la-qad ʾātaynā luqmāna l-ḥikmata ʾani shkur li-llāhi wa-man yashkur fa-ʾinnamā yashkuru li-nafsihī wa-man kafara fa-ʾinna llāha ghaniyyun ḥamīdun
Certainly We gave Luqman 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.’
13
وَإِذ قالَ لُقمانُ لِابنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُ يا بُنَيَّ لا تُشرِك بِاللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ الشِّركَ لَظُلمٌ عَظيمٌ
wa-ʾidh qāla luqmānu li-bnihī wa-huwa yaʿiẓuhū yā-bunayya lā tushrik bi-llāhi ʾinna sh-shirka la-ẓulmun ʿaẓīmun
When Luqman said to his son, as he advised him: ‘O my son! Do not ascribe any partners to Allah. Polytheism is indeed a great injustice.’
14
وَوَصَّينَا الإِنسانَ بِوالِدَيهِ حَمَلَتهُ أُمُّهُ وَهنًا عَلىٰ وَهنٍ وَفِصالُهُ في عامَينِ أَنِ اشكُر لي وَلِوالِدَيكَ إِلَيَّ المَصيرُ
wa-waṣṣaynā l-ʾinsāna bi-wālidayhi ḥamalathu ʾummuhū wahnan ʿalā wahnin wa-fiṣāluhū fī ʿāmayni ʾani shkur lī wa-li-wālidayka ʾilayya l-maṣīru
We have enjoined man concerning his parents: His mother carried him through weakness upon weakness, and his weaning takes two years. Give thanks to Me and to your parents. To Me is the return.
15
وَإِن جاهَداكَ عَلىٰ أَن تُشرِكَ بي ما لَيسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلمٌ فَلا تُطِعهُما ۖ وَصاحِبهُما فِي الدُّنيا مَعروفًا ۖ وَاتَّبِع سَبيلَ مَن أَنابَ إِلَيَّ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرجِعُكُم فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِما كُنتُم تَعمَلونَ
wa-ʾin jāhadāka ʿalā ʾan tushrika bī mā laysa laka bihī ʿilmun fa-lā tuṭiʿhumā wa-ṣāḥibhumā fī d-dunyā maʿrūfan wa-ttabiʿ sabīla man ʾanāba ʾilayya thumma ʾilayya marjiʿukum fa-ʾunabbiʾukum bi-mā kuntum taʿmalūna
But if they urge you to ascribe to Me as partner that of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them. Keep their company honourably in this world and follow the way of him who turns to Me penitently. Then to Me will be your return, whereat I will inform you concerning what you used to do.
16
يا بُنَيَّ إِنَّها إِن تَكُ مِثقالَ حَبَّةٍ مِن خَردَلٍ فَتَكُن في صَخرَةٍ أَو فِي السَّماواتِ أَو فِي الأَرضِ يَأتِ بِهَا اللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَطيفٌ خَبيرٌ
yā-bunayya ʾinnahā ʾin taku mithqāla ḥabbatin min khardalin fa-takun fī ṣakhratin ʾaw fī s-samāwāti ʾaw fī l-ʾarḍi yaʾti bihā llāhu ʾinna llāha laṭīfun khabīrun
‘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.
17
يا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ وَأمُر بِالمَعروفِ وَانهَ عَنِ المُنكَرِ وَاصبِر عَلىٰ ما أَصابَكَ ۖ إِنَّ ذٰلِكَ مِن عَزمِ الأُمورِ
yā-bunayya ʾaqimi ṣ-ṣalāta wa-ʾmur bi-l-maʿrūfi wa-nha ʿani l-munkari wa-ṣbir ʿalā mā ʾaṣābaka ʾinna dhālika min ʿazmi l-ʾumūri
O my son! Maintain the prayer and bid what is right and forbid what is wrong, and be patient through whatever may visit you. That is indeed the steadiest of courses.
18
وَلا تُصَعِّر خَدَّكَ لِلنّاسِ وَلا تَمشِ فِي الأَرضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُختالٍ فَخورٍ
wa-lā tuṣaʿʿir khaddaka li-n-nāsi wa-lā tamshi fī l-ʾarḍi maraḥan ʾinna llāha lā yuḥibbu kulla mukhtālin fakhūrin
Do not turn your cheek disdainfully from the people, and do not walk exultantly on the earth. Indeed Allah does not like any swaggering braggart.
19
وَاقصِد في مَشيِكَ وَاغضُض مِن صَوتِكَ ۚ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الأَصواتِ لَصَوتُ الحَميرِ
wa-qṣid fī mashyika wa-ghḍuḍ min ṣawtika ʾinna ʾankara l-ʾaṣwāti la-ṣawtu l-ḥamīri
Be modest in your bearing, and lower your voice. Indeed the ungainliest of voices is the donkey’s voice.’
20
أَلَم تَرَوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم ما فِي السَّماواتِ وَما فِي الأَرضِ وَأَسبَغَ عَلَيكُم نِعَمَهُ ظاهِرَةً وَباطِنَةً ۗ وَمِنَ النّاسِ مَن يُجادِلُ فِي اللَّهِ بِغَيرِ عِلمٍ وَلا هُدًى وَلا كِتابٍ مُنيرٍ
ʾa-lam taraw ʾanna llāha sakhkhara lakum mā fī s-samāwāti wa-mā fī l-ʾarḍi wa-ʾasbagha ʿalaykum niʿamahū ẓāhiratan wa-bāṭinatan wa-mina n-nāsi man yujādilu fī llāhi bi-ghayri ʿilmin wa-lā hudan wa-lā kitābin munīrin
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.
21
وَإِذا قيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعوا ما أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ قالوا بَل نَتَّبِعُ ما وَجَدنا عَلَيهِ آباءَنا ۚ أَوَلَو كانَ الشَّيطانُ يَدعوهُم إِلىٰ عَذابِ السَّعيرِ
wa-ʾidhā qīla lahumu ttabiʿū mā ʾanzala llāhu qālū bal nattabiʿu mā wajadnā ʿalayhi ʾābāʾanā ʾa-wa-law kāna sh-shayṭānu yadʿūhum ʾilā ʿadhābi s-saʿīri
When they are told, ‘Follow what Allah has sent down,’ they say, ‘We will rather follow what we found our fathers following.’ What! Even if Satan be calling them to the punishment of the Blaze?
22
۞ وَمَن يُسلِم وَجهَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحسِنٌ فَقَدِ استَمسَكَ بِالعُروَةِ الوُثقىٰ ۗ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ عاقِبَةُ الأُمورِ
wa-man yuslim wajhahū ʾilā llāhi wa-huwa muḥsinun fa-qadi stamsaka bi-l-ʿurwati l-wuthqā wa-ʾilā llāhi ʿāqibatu l-ʾumūri
Whoever surrenders his heart to Allah and is virtuous, has certainly held fast to the firmest handle, and with Allah lies the outcome of all matters.
23
وَمَن كَفَرَ فَلا يَحزُنكَ كُفرُهُ ۚ إِلَينا مَرجِعُهُم فَنُنَبِّئُهُم بِما عَمِلوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَليمٌ بِذاتِ الصُّدورِ
wa-man kafara fa-lā yaḥzunka kufruhū ʾilaynā marjiʿuhum fa-nunabbiʾuhum bi-mā ʿamilū ʾinna llāha ʿalīmun bi-dhāti ṣ-ṣudūri
As for those who are faithless, let their faithlessness not grieve you. To Us will be their return, and We will inform them about what they have done. Indeed Allah knows best what is in the breasts.
24
نُمَتِّعُهُم قَليلًا ثُمَّ نَضطَرُّهُم إِلىٰ عَذابٍ غَليظٍ
numattiʿuhum qalīlan thumma naḍṭarruhum ʾilā ʿadhābin ghalīẓin
We will provide for them for a short time, then We will shove them toward a harsh punishment.
25
وَلَئِن سَأَلتَهُم مَن خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضَ لَيَقولُنَّ اللَّهُ ۚ قُلِ الحَمدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَل أَكثَرُهُم لا يَعلَمونَ
wa-la-ʾin saʾaltahum man khalaqa s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍa la-yaqūlunna llāhu quli l-ḥamdu li-llāhi bal ʾaktharuhum lā yaʿlamūna
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.
26
لِلَّهِ ما فِي السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الغَنِيُّ الحَميدُ
li-llāhi mā fī s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi ʾinna llāha huwa l-ghaniyyu l-ḥamīdu
To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Indeed Allah is the All-sufficient, the All-laudable.
27
وَلَو أَنَّما فِي الأَرضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقلامٌ وَالبَحرُ يَمُدُّهُ مِن بَعدِهِ سَبعَةُ أَبحُرٍ ما نَفِدَت كَلِماتُ اللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزيزٌ حَكيمٌ
wa-law ʾannamā fī l-ʾarḍi min shajaratin ʾaqlāmun wa-l-baḥru yamudduhū min baʿdihī sabʿatu ʾabḥurin mā nafidat kalimātu llāhi ʾinna llāha ʿazīzun ḥakīmun
If all the trees on the earth were pens, and the sea replenished with seven more seas [were ink], the words of Allah would not be spent. Indeed Allah is all-mighty, all-wise.
28
ما خَلقُكُم وَلا بَعثُكُم إِلّا كَنَفسٍ واحِدَةٍ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَميعٌ بَصيرٌ
mā khalqukum wa-lā baʿthukum ʾillā ka-nafsin wāḥidatin ʾinna llāha samīʿun baṣīrun
Your creation and your resurrection are not but as of a single soul. Indeed Allah is all-hearing, all-seeing.
29
أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يولِجُ اللَّيلَ فِي النَّهارِ وَيولِجُ النَّهارَ فِي اللَّيلِ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمسَ وَالقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجري إِلىٰ أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ بِما تَعمَلونَ خَبيرٌ
ʾa-lam tara ʾanna llāha yūliju l-layla fī n-nahāri wa-yūliju n-nahāra fī l-layli wa-sakhkhara sh-shamsa wa-l-qamara kullun yajrī ʾilā ʾajalin musamman wa-ʾanna llāha bi-mā taʿmalūna khabīrun
Have you not regarded that Allah makes the night pass into the day and makes the day pass into the night; and He has disposed the sun and the moon, each moving for a specified term, and that Allah is well aware of what you do?
30
ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الحَقُّ وَأَنَّ ما يَدعونَ مِن دونِهِ الباطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ العَلِيُّ الكَبيرُ
dhālika bi-ʾanna llāha huwa l-ḥaqqu wa-ʾanna mā yadʿūna min dūnihi l-bāṭilu wa-ʾanna llāha huwa l-ʿaliyyu l-kabīru
That is because Allah is the Reality,1 and whatever they invoke besides Him is nullity,2 and because Allah is the All-exalted, the All-great.Or ‘That is because Allah is the Truth.’Or ‘what they invoke besides Him is falsehood.’
31
أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الفُلكَ تَجري فِي البَحرِ بِنِعمَتِ اللَّهِ لِيُرِيَكُم مِن آياتِهِ ۚ إِنَّ في ذٰلِكَ لَآياتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبّارٍ شَكورٍ
ʾa-lam tara ʾanna l-fulka tajrī fī l-baḥri bi-niʿmati llāhi li-yuriyakum min ʾāyātihī ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyātin li-kulli ṣabbārin shakūrin
Have you not regarded that the ships sail at sea by Allah’s blessing, that He may show you some of His signs? There are indeed signs in that for every patient and grateful [servant].
32
وَإِذا غَشِيَهُم مَوجٌ كَالظُّلَلِ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخلِصينَ لَهُ الدّينَ فَلَمّا نَجّاهُم إِلَى البَرِّ فَمِنهُم مُقتَصِدٌ ۚ وَما يَجحَدُ بِآياتِنا إِلّا كُلُّ خَتّارٍ كَفورٍ
wa-ʾidhā ghashiyahum mawjun ka-ẓ-ẓulali daʿawu llāha mukhliṣīna lahu d-dīna fa-lammā najjāhum ʾilā l-barri fa-minhum muqtaṣidun wa-mā yajḥadu bi-ʾāyātinā ʾillā kullu khattārin kafūrin
When waves cover them like awnings, they invoke Allah, putting exclusive faith in Him. But when He delivers them towards land, [only] some of them remain unswerving. And no one will impugn Our signs except an ungrateful traitor.
33
يا أَيُّهَا النّاسُ اتَّقوا رَبَّكُم وَاخشَوا يَومًا لا يَجزي والِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِ وَلا مَولودٌ هُوَ جازٍ عَن والِدِهِ شَيئًا ۚ إِنَّ وَعدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ ۖ فَلا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ الحَياةُ الدُّنيا وَلا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِاللَّهِ الغَرورُ
yā-ʾayyuhā n-nāsu ttaqū rabbakum wa-khshaw yawman lā yajzī wālidun ʿan waladihī wa-lā mawlūdun huwa jāzin ʿan wālidihī shayʾan ʾinna waʿda llāhi ḥaqqun fa-lā taghurrannakumu l-ḥayātu d-dunyā wa-lā yaghurrannakum bi-llāhi l-gharūru
O mankind! Be wary of your Lord and fear the day when a father shall not atone for his child, nor the child shall atone for its father in any wise. Indeed Allah’s promise is true. So do not let the life of the world deceive you, nor let the Deceiver1 deceive you concerning Allah.That is, Satan, or anything that diverts a human being from the path of Allah.
34
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلمُ السّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الغَيثَ وَيَعلَمُ ما فِي الأَرحامِ ۖ وَما تَدري نَفسٌ ماذا تَكسِبُ غَدًا ۖ وَما تَدري نَفسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرضٍ تَموتُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَليمٌ خَبيرٌ
ʾinna llāha ʿindahū ʿilmu s-sāʿati wa-yunazzilu l-ghaytha wa-yaʿlamu mā fī l-ʾarḥāmi wa-mā tadrī nafsun mādhā taksibu ghadan wa-mā tadrī nafsun bi-ʾayyi ʾarḍin tamūtu ʾinna llāha ʿalīmun khabīrun
Indeed the knowledge of the Hour is with Allah. He sends down the rain, and He knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Indeed Allah is all-knowing, all-aware.