Commentary of the Noble Quran - Chapter 31 - Surah Luqman - Part 18

1. Commentary of
the Noble Quran
Surah Luqman - Chapter 31
Session 18 - Verse 21

2. Verse 21 of 34
َ
‫ل‬َ‫ز‬
ْ
‫ن‬
َ
‫أ‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬ ‫وا‬ُ‫ع‬ِ‫ب‬
َّ
‫ات‬ ُ‫م‬ُ‫ه‬
َ
‫ل‬
َ
‫ِيل‬‫ق‬ ‫ا‬
َ
‫ِإَوذ‬ُ َّ
‫اّلل‬
َ
‫ن‬
َ
‫َك‬ ْ‫و‬
َ
‫ل‬َ‫و‬
َ
‫أ‬ ۚ ‫ا‬
َ
‫ن‬َ‫اء‬َ‫آب‬ ِ‫ه‬ْ‫ي‬
َ
‫ل‬
َ
‫ع‬ ‫ا‬
َ
‫ن‬
ْ
‫د‬َ‫ج‬َ‫و‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬ ُ‫ع‬ِ‫ب‬
َّ
‫ت‬
َ
‫ن‬
ْ
‫ل‬َ‫ب‬ ‫وا‬
ُ
‫ال‬
َ
‫ق‬
ُ
‫ان‬ َ‫ط‬ْ‫ي‬
َّ
‫الش‬‫ى‬ َ
‫ل‬ِ‫إ‬ ْ‫م‬
ُ
‫وه‬ُ‫ع‬
ْ
‫د‬َ‫ي‬
ِ‫ي‬ِ‫ع‬ َّ‫الس‬ ِ‫اب‬
َ
‫ذ‬
َ
‫ع‬
And when it is said to them, `Follow that which God has revealed.´ They
say, `We would rather follow that which we found our fore-fathers
following.´ (Would they do so) even though Satan was inviting them (by
that means) to the punishment of the flaming Fire?

3. Change
Yourselves!
َّ
‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬َ َّ
‫اّلل‬‫ى‬ َّ‫َّت‬َ‫ح‬ ٍ‫م‬ْ‫و‬
َ
‫ق‬ِ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬ ُ
ِ
ِ‫ي‬
َ
‫غ‬ُ‫ي‬
َ
‫َل‬‫وا‬ُ
ِ
ِ‫ي‬
َ
‫غ‬ُ‫ي‬ۗ ْ‫م‬ِ‫ه‬ِ‫س‬
ُ
‫ف‬
ْ
‫ن‬
َ
‫أ‬ِ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬
“Thus, GOD does not change the condition of any
people unless they themselves make the decision to
change.” (13:11)

4. Break free
from ‘customs’
ِ‫ن‬ َ‫س‬َْ
‫اْل‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ب‬
َ
‫أ‬
َّ
‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬‫ى‬َ َ
‫َت‬
ْ
‫اش‬ُ‫ار‬َّ‫ادل‬ ِ‫ه‬ِ‫ذ‬
َ
‫ه‬
ْ
‫ت‬
َ
‫أ‬َ‫ز‬
ْ
‫ج‬
َ
‫أ‬
ْ
‫د‬
َ
‫ق‬
َ
‫ال‬
َ
‫ق‬
َ
‫ف‬ ٌ‫ق‬ِ
ِ‫ي‬
َ
‫ض‬
َ
‫ك‬
َ
‫ل‬ِ
ْ
‫ْن‬َ‫م‬
َّ
‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬
َ
‫ال‬
َ
‫ق‬ َ‫و‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ه‬ْ َ
‫َل‬ِ‫إ‬
ُ
‫ل‬َّ‫و‬َ‫ح‬َ‫ت‬َ‫ي‬ ُ َ
‫َل‬
ً
‫ًل‬ْ‫و‬َ‫م‬ َ‫ر‬َ‫م‬
َ
‫أ‬ َ‫و‬
ً
‫ارا‬
َ
‫د‬
َ
ِ‫ل‬ِ‫ن‬ َ‫س‬َْ
‫اْل‬ ‫و‬ُ‫ب‬
َ
‫أ‬
َ
‫ال‬
َ
‫ق‬
َ
‫ف‬ ِ‫ف يِب‬ُ‫ه‬
َ
‫ل‬
ْ
‫ِث‬‫م‬
َ
‫ون‬
ُ
‫ك‬
َ
‫ت‬
ْ
‫ن‬
َ
‫أ‬ ِ‫ِغ‬ْ‫ب‬َ‫ت‬
َ
‫ف‬ َ‫ق‬َ ْ
‫ْح‬
َ
‫أ‬ َ‫وك‬ُ‫ب‬
َ
‫أ‬
َ
‫ن‬
َ
‫َك‬
ْ
‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬
Imam al-Riḍā, peace be upon him, once purchased a house and then ordered one of his
servants/followers to leave his old house and move into this new one and said to him:
“Your current house is too small (so leave it and move here).” The man said to
the Imām: “But my dad built this house.” Abu’l Hasan , peace be upon him,
said to him: “So what!? If your dad was a fool does that mean that you should
be like him!?”

5. Lessons to Learn
from Verse 21
1. An example of inappropriate arguments which people sometimes get involved in
relates to the bigotry and prejudice which they display when speaking about their
forefathers. ( ‫یجادل‬‫فى‬‫ه‬ّ‫للا‬‫بغیر‬‫علم‬...‫قالوا‬‫بل‬‫بع‬ّ‫ت‬‫ن‬‫ما‬‫وجدنا‬‫علیه‬‫آبائنا‬ )
2. There are two paths for the human being to choose – that of God ( ‫ما‬‫انزل‬‫ه‬ّ‫للا‬ ) or that of
the Devil ( ‫یطان‬ّ‫ش‬‫ال‬‫یدعوهم‬‫الى‬‫عذاب‬‫عیر‬ّ‫س‬‫ال‬ )
3. The beliefs of one’s predecessors have an impact on the beliefs of their future
generations. ( ‫وجدنا‬‫علیه‬‫آباءنا‬ )

6. Lessons to Learn
from Verse 21
4. One’s surroundings, general society and the era one lives in all have a role to play on
the path one chooses in life. ( ‫وجدنا‬‫علیه‬‫آباءنا‬ ) The human being must move forth in life with
the light of knowledge, intellect and Divine revelation so that in which ever environment,
society or era he lives in, he will be able to distinguish corruption and keep away from it.
5. The first truth and reality is clear logic – not nationalism nor the beliefs or actions of
past generations. ( ‫أولو‬‫كان‬‫یطان‬ّ‫ش‬‫ال‬ )
6. Satan continuously invites people towards falsehood. ( ‫أولو‬‫كان‬‫یطان‬ّ‫ش‬‫ال‬ )

7. To Be Continued, Inshallah