Surah Luqman Ayat 20 in Arabic Text
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 20
Do you not see that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and unapparent? But of the people is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book [from Him].
Do ye not see that Allah has subjected to your (use) all things in the heavens and on earth, and has made his bounties flow to you in exceeding measure, (both) seen and unseen? Yet there are among men those who dispute about Allah, without knowledge and without guidance, and without a Book to enlighten them!
Have you not seen that Allah has subjected to your service all that is in the heavens and on the earth and has abundantly bestowed upon you all His bounties, both visible and invisible? Yet some persons dispute regarding Allah without having any knowledge or guidance or any illuminating Book.
See you not (O men) that Allah has subjected for you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and has completed and perfected His Graces upon you, (both) apparent (i.e. Islamic Monotheism, and the lawful pleasures of this world, including health, good looks, etc.) and hidden [i.e. One’s Faith in Allah (of Islamic Monotheism) knowledge, wisdom, guidance for doing righteous deeds, and also the pleasures and delights of the Hereafter in Paradise, etc.]? Yet of mankind is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or a Book giving light!
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.
Have you not seen that Allah has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He has conferred upon you His favors, outward and inward. And of mankind is he who disputed concerning Allah without knowledge, nor guidance, nor an enlightening Book.
[People], do you not see how God has made what is in the heavens and on the earth useful to you, and has lavished His bless-ings on you both outwardly and inwardly? Yet some people argue about God, without knowledge or guidance or an illuminating scripture.
کیا تم نہیں دیکھتے کہ اللہ تعالیٰ نے زمین وآسمان کی ہر چیز کو ہمارے کام میں لگا رکھا ہے اور تمہیں اپنی ﻇاہری وباطنی نعمتیں بھرپور دے رکھی ہیں، بعض لوگ اللہ کے بارے میں بغیر علم کے اور بغیر ہدایت کے اور بغیر روشن کتاب کے جھگڑا کرتے ہیں
Quran 31 Verse 20 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Luqman ayat 20, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-Maududi
(31:20) Have you not seen that Allah has subjected to your service all that is in the heavens[35] and on the earth and has abundantly bestowed upon you all His bounties, both visible and invisible?[36] Yet some persons dispute regarding Allah[37] without having any knowledge or guidance or any illuminating Book.[38]
35. “Apparent favors” imply those favors which are perceived by man in one way or the other, or are known to him. And the “hidden favors” are those which are neither perceived by him nor are known to him. There are countless things in man’s own body and in the world outside him, which are working in his interest, but man is utterly unaware of the means which his Creator has provided for his protection and safety, for his development and provision of sustenance to him, and for his well-being and happiness. Research of man in the different branches of science is revealing many such favors of God as were hidden from him before. And the favors and blessings which have so far been revealed are insignificant as against those which are still hidden from man.
36. “Who disputes about Allah”: Who wrangle and dispute about questions such as these: Does Allah exist or not? Is He One God alone, or are there other gods also? What are His attributes and what is their nature? What is the nature of His relationship with His creations etc.?
37. That is, they neither have any means of knowledge by which they might themselves have observed or experienced the reality directly, nor do they have the guidance of a guide available to them, who might have guided them after observing the reality, nor do they possess a divine Book, which might be the basis of their belief.
38. That is, it is not at all necessary that the forefathers of every person and every family and nation should have been on the right path. The mere argument that a particular way of life had been bequeathed by the elders cannot be a proof of its being right also. No sane person can commit the folly that he should blindly go on following the way of his forefathers even if they were not rightly guided, and should never bother to find out where the way is leading him.
Ibn-Kathir
20. See you not that Allah has subjected for you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth, and has completed and perfected His graces upon you, apparent and hidden Yet of mankind is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or a Book giving light! 21. And when it is said to them: “Follow that which Allah has sent down,” they say: “Nay, we shall follow that which we found our fathers (following).” Even if Shaytan invites them to the torment of the Fire
Allah reminds His creation of the blessings He bestows upon them in this world and the Hereafter. In the heavens He has subjugated for them the stars which give them light during the night and during the day, and He has created clouds, rain, snow and hail, and made the heavens a canopy which covers and protects them. On earth He has created for them stability and rivers, trees, crops and fruits; He has completed and perfected His graces upon them, apparent and hidden, by sending Messengers, revealing Books and removing doubts and excuses. Yet despite all this, not all the people believe, and indeed there are those who dispute concerning Allah, that is, His Tawhid, and His sending the Messengers. Their dispute is without knowledge and they have no sound evidence or valid inherited Book. Allah says:
(And among men is he who disputes about Allah, without knowledge or guidance, or a Book giving light (from Allah).) (22:8) meaning clear and unambiguous.
(And when it is said to them) means, to these people who dispute about the Oneness of Allah.
(“Follow that which Allah has sent down,”) means, the pure Divine Laws that He has sent down to His Messengers,
(they say: “Nay, we shall follow that which we found our fathers (following).”) means, they have no other proof except the fact that they are following their forefathers. Allah says:
(Even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided) (2:170) meaning, `what do you think, you who take the forefathers’ deeds as proof, that they were misguided and you are following in their footsteps’ Allah says:
(Even if Shaytan invites them to the torment of the Fire)
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