Luqmān

Luqmān: the cards as text

Qur'an and Tafsir, Surah 31. Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review.

  1. Card 1

    Makkah wanted better stories. This surah answers with a father talking to his son.

  2. Card 2

    A contest for the crowd

    People are curious about the Qur'an. Some listen in secret.

    A merchant comes home with tales of Persian kings, and draws them away.

    Those who stay away say: we follow what our fathers did.

  3. Card 3

    The reply, in seven moves

    1. 1-11: The wise Book and the bought distraction. Guidance for those who do good. Then a man who buys idle talk to lead people away, and turns his back as if deaf. Then the sky and the earth: show Me what the others have made.
    2. 12-13: Luqman. A man is given wisdom and told to be grateful. His first words to his son: do not set up anything beside Allah.
    3. 14-15: Another voice cuts in. Allah speaks about parents: the mother who carried you, thanks owed to her and to Him. If parents push you to idolatry, do not obey, and stay kind.
    4. 16-19: The rest of the advice. A mustard seed inside a rock. Pray, speak up for what is right, be patient. Do not turn your cheek away. Walk steadily. Lower your voice.
    5. 20-26: What Makkah's fathers handed down. Everything was put at your service. Still they say: we follow our fathers. Ask them who made the heavens and they will say Allah.
    6. 27-32: Ink, seas and a storm. Every tree a pen and seven seas of ink would not be enough. Night slides into day. A ship in a storm: everyone prays, and then they reach land.
    7. 33-34: No father, no son. A day when a father cannot stand in for his son, nor a son for his father. Five things only Allah knows.
  4. Card 4

    Luqmān 31:6: After the wise Book, the man who buys distraction.

    وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشۡتَرِي لَهۡوَ ٱلۡحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمࣲ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًاۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابࣰ مُّهِينࣰ ۝٦

    6 And of the people is he who buys the amusement of speech to mislead [others] from the way of Allāh without knowledge and who takes it [i.e., His way] in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment.

  5. Card 5

    The merchant with better stories

    Reports name the merchant: al-Nadr ibn al-Harith. Muhammad tells you of lost Arab tribes, he says. I will tell you of Rustam and the kings of Persia. His tales ask nothing of anyone.

  6. Card 6

    Luqmān 31:11: After the sky and the earth, a challenge to Makkah.

    هَٰذَا خَلۡقُ ٱللَّهِ فَأَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِۦۚ بَلِ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ فِي ضَلَٰلࣲ مُّبِينࣲ ۝١١

    11 This is the creation of Allāh. So show Me what those other than Him have created. Rather, the wrongdoers are in clear error.

  7. Card 7

    Luqmān 31:12: Then the surah brings a storyteller of its own.

    وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا لُقۡمَٰنَ ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ أَنِ ٱشۡكُرۡ لِلَّهِۚ وَمَن يَشۡكُرۡ فَإِنَّمَا يَشۡكُرُ لِنَفۡسِهِۦۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدࣰ ۝١٢

    12 And We had certainly given Luqmān wisdom [and said], "Be grateful to Allāh." And whoever is grateful is grateful for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever denies [His favor] - then indeed, Allāh is Free of need and Praiseworthy.

  8. Card 8

    Who was Luqman?

    The Qur'an gives only his name. Most early scholars said: a wise man, not a prophet. Reports make him a black African, several a slave. Some say he was a judge among the Children of Israel.

  9. Card 9

    The best pieces and the worst

    His master asks for the two best parts of a sheep. Luqman brings the tongue and the heart. Later: the two worst. The tongue and the heart again. Nothing is better when good, he says, or worse when bad.

  10. Card 10

    Luqmān 31:13: His first words to his son.

    وَإِذۡ قَالَ لُقۡمَٰنُ لِٱبۡنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَٰبُنَيَّ لَا تُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرۡكَ لَظُلۡمٌ عَظِيمࣰ ۝١٣

    13 And [mention, O Muḥammad], when Luqmān said to his son while he was instructing him, "O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allāh. Indeed, association [with Him] is great injustice."

  11. Card 11

    The Prophet ﷺ quoted him

    Another ayah promised safety to those who never mix faith with wrong. The Companions worried: who has never done wrong? The Prophet ﷺ answered with Luqman's line. The wrong meant is worshipping others beside Allah.

  12. Card 12

    Luqmān 31:14: Then Allah's own voice cuts in, about parents.

    وَوَصَّيۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيۡهِ حَمَلَتۡهُ أُمُّهُۥ وَهۡنًا عَلَىٰ وَهۡنࣲ وَفِصَٰلُهُۥ فِي عَامَيۡنِ أَنِ ٱشۡكُرۡ لِي وَلِوَٰلِدَيۡكَ إِلَيَّ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ ۝١٤

    14 And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.

  13. Card 13

    A mother stops eating

    Sa'd becomes a Muslim. His mother refuses food until he gives it up. Two days pass. He will not, and tells her so. She eats. The ayah sent about him says: do not obey in this, and stay kind.

  14. Card 14

    Luqmān 31:16: Luqman takes up his advice again.

    يَٰبُنَيَّ إِنَّهَآ إِن تَكُ مِثۡقَالَ حَبَّةࣲ مِّنۡ خَرۡدَلࣲ فَتَكُن فِي صَخۡرَةٍ أَوۡ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ أَوۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ يَأۡتِ بِهَا ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرࣰ ۝١٦

    16 [And Luqmān said], "O my son, indeed if it [i.e., a wrong] should be the weight of a mustard seed and should be within a rock or [anywhere] in the heavens or in the earth, Allāh will bring it forth. Indeed, Allāh is Subtle and Aware.

  15. Card 15

    A seed of what?

    The Arabic says only "it". One translation adds "a wrong", the other "a deed". Read one way, nothing bad stays hidden. Read the other way, no small good done unseen is lost.

  16. Card 16

    Luqmān 31:17: Four instructions. The last is to be patient.

    يَٰبُنَيَّ أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأۡمُرۡ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَٱنۡهَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَٱصۡبِرۡ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَصَابَكَۖ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ عَزۡمِ ٱلۡأُمُورِ ۝١٧

    17 O my son, establish prayer, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, [all] that is of the matters [requiring] resolve.

  17. Card 17

    Why patience comes last

    Ibn Kathir: Luqman knew that anyone who tells people to do right and stop doing wrong will get trouble for it. So he told his son, in the same breath, to bear it.

  18. Card 18

    Luqmān 31:18: Then the advice comes down to the face and the feet.

    وَلَا تُصَعِّرۡ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمۡشِ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَرَحًاۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخۡتَالࣲ فَخُورࣲ ۝١٨

    18 And do not turn your cheek [in contempt] toward people and do not walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allāh does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful.

  19. Card 19

    A camel's twisted neck

    A disease locks a camel's neck to one side. The verb for turning the cheek comes from it. It pictures someone who meets people with his face turned off at an angle.

  20. Card 20

    Luqmān 31:19: The advice ends with the walk and the voice.

    وَٱقۡصِدۡ فِي مَشۡيِكَ وَٱغۡضُضۡ مِن صَوۡتِكَۚ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ ٱلۡأَصۡوَٰتِ لَصَوۡتُ ٱلۡحَمِيرِ ۝١٩

    19 And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; indeed, the most disagreeable of sounds is the voice of donkeys."

  21. Card 21

    Luqmān 31:21: Back to Makkah, and what its own fathers handed down.

    وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُواْ بَلۡ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ ءَابَآءَنَآۚ أَوَلَوۡ كَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ يَدۡعُوهُمۡ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ۝٢١

    21 And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allāh has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that upon which we found our fathers." Even if Satan was inviting them to the punishment of the Blaze?

  22. Card 22

    Luqmān 31:25: The idol worshippers of Makkah were not strangers to Allah.

    وَلَئِن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۚ قُلِ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِۚ بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٢٥

    25 And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "[All] praise is [due] to Allāh"; but most of them do not know.

  23. Card 23

    They already believed in Allah

    Makkah's idol worshippers agreed that Allah made the heavens and the earth. The argument was never whether there is a Creator. It was why anything else was worshipped beside Him.

  24. Card 24

    Luqmān 31:27: How far does His knowledge reach? One image.

    وَلَوۡ أَنَّمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقۡلَٰمࣰ وَٱلۡبَحۡرُ يَمُدُّهُۥ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ سَبۡعَةُ أَبۡحُرࣲ مَّا نَفِدَتۡ كَلِمَٰتُ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمࣰ ۝٢٧

    27 And if whatever trees upon the earth were pens and the sea [was ink], replenished thereafter by seven [more] seas, the words of Allāh would not be exhausted. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.

  25. Card 25

    Seven is not a count

    Seven more seas of ink. Ibn Kathir: seven here means a great many, not seven oceans on a map. The pens would break and the ink run dry. What people know is small beside what there is to know.

  26. Card 26

    Everyone prays in the storm

    Waves rise over the ship like canopies. Everyone on board calls on Allah alone. Then they reach land. Only some keep to a middle course, ayah 32 says. On what that means, the commentators differ.

  27. Card 27

    Luqmān 31:33: The surah of a father and son ends here.

    يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ وَٱخۡشَوۡاْ يَوۡمࣱا لَّا يَجۡزِي وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِۦ وَلَا مَوۡلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَن وَالِدِهِۦ شَيۡـًٔاۚ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقࣰّۖ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡغَرُورُ ۝٣٣

    33 O mankind, fear your Lord and fear a Day when no father will avail his son, nor will a son avail his father at all. Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allāh by the Deceiver [i.e., Satan].

  28. Card 28

    His own child

    Arabic has a word for child that includes grandchildren. This ayah uses another: "the one born to him". Ma'ariful Qur'an: if even he cannot help, nobody further off will.

  29. Card 29

    Luqmān 31:34: The last ayah: five things.

    إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عِندَهُۥ عِلۡمُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ ٱلۡغَيۡثَ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡحَامِۖ وَمَا تَدۡرِي نَفۡسࣰ مَّاذَا تَكۡسِبُ غَدࣱاۖ وَمَا تَدۡرِي نَفۡسُۢ بِأَيِّ أَرۡضࣲ تَمُوتُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرُۢ ۝٣٤

    34 Indeed, Allāh [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing and Aware.

  30. Card 30

    What about forecasts and scans?

    The ayah says He sends the rain and knows what is in the wombs. Commentators separate complete knowledge, held by Allah alone, from partial information reached through some means.

  31. Card 31

    Reflect: In ayah 15, what is a child told to do if parents press for idol worship?

    Answer: Refuse, and stay kind to them. The ayah says not to obey them in that, and in the same sentence to keep them company in this world with kindness.

  32. Card 32

    The end of Luqmān.

Read the full sheet or swipe the cards.