CHAPTER XXXI.

ENTITLED SURAT LUQMÁN (LOKMAN).

Revealed at Makkah.

INTRODUCTION.

SOME account of Luqmán, from whom this chapter is named, is given by Sale under ver. 11. It is probable that Muhammad introduced this personage, who was regarded as a sage of special notoriety by the Arabs of his day, representing him as a true believer, in order to gain credit for his new religion. A similar case was noticed in chap. xviii. 82 seq., where Alexander the Great is introduced as a true Muslim.

In regard to Luqmán's discourses, it is worthy of note that they correspond almost to the letter with many of Muhammad's own discourses found in other chapters of the Qurán. This, however, is in accord with his habit of making the sayings of the prophets of olden time to appear as the facsimiles of his own. (See introduction to chap. xxvi.)

Vers. 13 and 14 are evidently misplaced, as Weil has pointed out, and should be placed immediately after ver. 18. Noëldeke thinks something is wanting before ver. 15, as innahá requires a substantive to which it must refer.

Probable Date of the Revelations.

Ver. 3 is thought by some authors, as Baidháwi, Jaláluddín, and Syúti, to be Madínic, because of the supposed mention of the law of alms, but the mention of that subject is too general to warrant that conclusion.

Vers. 31, 32, have been supposed by some authors, as Baidháwi and Zamakhshari, to refer to the Jews, and for this reason they are referred to Madína; but this interpretation is not well founded, and even if So, the inference would by no means be just.

The whole chapter may then be regarded as belonging to Makkah. It may be fixed at about the beginning of the third stage of Muhammad's mission.

Principal Subjects.

The Qurán a direction and mercy to the righteous
The righteous described

An unbeliever rebuked for his contempt for the Qurán
Blessed rewards of the righteous

God the Creator of heaven and earth

Luqmán gifted with wisdom

Luqmán's discourse to his son

Parenthesis on the duty of children to their parents

Modesty and humility enjoined

God's favour to mankind.

The unreasonableness of infidel contention

19, 20

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

(1) A. L. M. These are the signs of the wise book,
(2) a direction and a mercy unto the righteous, (3) who
observe the appointed times of prayer, and give alms, and
have firm assurance in the life to come: (4) these are
directed by their LORD, and they shall prosper.
(5) There
is a man who purchaseth a ludicrous story, that he may

(1) A. L. M. See Prelim. Disc., p. 101, and note on chap. ii. I.
(3) See note on chap. ii. 42.

(5) A man who purchaseth a ludicrous story, &c., i.e., "vain and
silly fables. The passage was revealed, it is said, on occasion of al
Nudhár Ibn al Hárith, who having brought from Persia the romance
of Rustam and Isfandiyár, the two heroes of that country, recited it
in the assemblies of the Quraish, highly extolling the power and
splendour of the ancient Persian kings, and preferring their stories

seduce men from the way of GOD, without knowledge, and may laugh the same to scorn: these shall suffer a shameful punishment. (6) And when our signs are rehearsed unto him he disdainfully turneth his back as though he heard them not, as though there were a deafness in his ears: wherefore denounce unto him a grievous punishment. (7) But they who shall believe and work righteousness shall enjoy gardens of pleasure; (8) they shall continue therein for ever: this is the certain promise of GOD, and he is the mighty, the wise. (9) He hath created the heavens without visible pillars to sustain them, and thrown on the earth mountains firmly rooted, lest it should move with you; and he hath replenished the same with all kinds of beasts; and we send down rain from heaven, and cause every kind of noble vegetable to spring forth therein. (10) This is the creation of GOD; show me now what they have created, who are worshipped besides him? verily the ungodly are in a manifest error. (11) We heretofore be

to those of Ad and Thamúd, David and Solomon, and the rest which are told in the Qurán. Some say that al Nudhár bought singinggirls, and carried them to those who were inclined to become Muslims, to divert them from their purpose by songs and tales."Sale, Baidhawi.

Laugh the same to scorn, viz., by showing the superiority of the style of the Persian romance to that of the Qurán.

(9) Mountains firmly rooted. See note on chap. xvi. 15.

A learned writer (Golius), in his notes on this passage, says the original word rawásiya, which the commentators in general will have to signify 'stable mountains,' seems properly to express the Hebrew word mechonim, i.e., ' bases' or 'foundations,' and therefore he thinks the Qurán has here translated that passage of the Psalms, 'He laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved for ever' (Ps. civ. 5). This is not the only instance which might be given that the Muhammadan doctors are not always the best interpreters of their own Scriptures.”—Sale.

The thought of Muhammad is essentially different from that of the Psalmist. The former conceives of the earth as anchored in the ocean, and weighted down as with ballast by the mountains piled here and there on the earth. The latter regards it as based upon a solid foundation, as a house built on a rock. The words fil ardhi could not by any means be made to comport with the idea of foundations, as Golius suggests. See Tafsir-i-Raufi in loco.

stowed wisdom on Luqmán, and commanded him, saying, Be thou thankful unto GOD, for whoever is thankful shall be thankful to the advantage of his own soul; and if any shall be unthankful, verily GOD is self-sufficient and worthy to be praised. (12) And remember when Luqmán said unto his son, as he admonished him, O my son, give not a partner unto GOD, for polytheism is a great impiety.

(11) Luqmán. "The Arab writers say that Luqmán was the son of Baúrá, who was the son or grandson of a sister or aunt of Job, and that he lived several centuries, and to the time of David, with whom he was conversant in Palestine. According to the description they give of his person, he must have been deformed enough, for they say he was of a black complexion (whence some call him an Ethiopian), with thick lips and splay feet; but in return he received from God wisdom and eloquence in a great degree, which some pretend were given him in a vision, on his making choice of wisdom preferably to the gift of prophecy, either of which were offered him. The generality of the Muhammadans, therefore, hold him to have been no prophet, but only a wise man. As to his condition, they say he was a slave, but obtained his liberty on the following occasion: His master having one day given him a bitter melon to eat, he paid him such exact obedience as to eat it all, at which his master being surprised, asked him how he could eat so nauseous a fruit. To which he replied, it was no wonder that he should for once accept a bitter fruit from the same hand from which he had received so many favours. The commentators mention several quick repartees of Luqmán, which, together with the circumstances above mentioned, agree so well with what Maximus Planudes has written of Æsop, that from thence, and from the fables attributed to Luqmán by the Orientals, the latter has been generally thought to have been no other than the Æsop of the Greeks. However that be (for I think the matter will bear a dispute), I am of opinion that Planudes borrowed great part of his life of Æsop from the traditions he met with in the East concerning Luqmán, concluding them to have been the same person, because they were both slaves, and supposed to be the writers of those fables which go under their respective names, and bear a great resemblance to one another, for it has long since been observed by learned men that the greater part of that monk's performance is an absurd romance, and supported by no evidence of the ancient writers."-Sale, Baidhawi, &c.

(12) Luqmán said to his son. "Whom some name Anám (which comes pretty near the Ennus of Planudes), some Asákam, and others Mathán."-Sale.

The Tafsir-i-Raufi gives his names as follows:-" Náam, or Mathán, or Iskam, or Mashkúr.”

Observe that Luqmán uses the same language as that used constantly by Muhammad.

(13) We have commanded man concerning his parents (his mother carrieth him in her womb with weakness and faintness, and he is weaned in two years), saying, Be grateful unto me and to thy parents. Unto me shall all

come to be judged.

NISF.

|| (14) But if thy parents endeavour to prevail on thee R to associate with me that concerning which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; bear them company in this world in what shall be reasonable, but follow the way of him who sincerely turneth unto me. Hereafter unto me shall ye return, and then will I declare unto you that which ye have done. (15) O my son, verily every matter, whether good or bad, though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and be hidden in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, GOD will bring the same to light; for GOD is clear-sighted and knowing. (16) O my son, be constant at prayer, and command that which is just, and forbid that which is evil, and be patient under the afflictions which shall befall thee, for this is a duty absolutely incumbent on all men. (17) Distort not thy face out of contempt to men, neither walk in the earth with insolence, for GOD loveth no arrogant, vainglorious person. (18) And be moderate in thy pace, and lower thy voice, for the most ungrateful of all voices surely is the voice of asses.

(13, 14) "These two verses are no part of Luqman's advice to his son, but are inserted by way of parenthesis, as very pertinent and proper to be repeated here, to show the heinousness of idolatry; they are to be read (excepting some additions) in the twenty-ninth chapter (ver. 7; see also note there)."—Sale.

Wahl thinks these verses should follow ver. 18 of this chapter. (14) What shall be reasonable. "That is, show them all deference and obedience so far as may be consistent with thy duty towards God."-Sale.

This duty is enforced by the parenthesis in ver. 13.

The way of him, &c. The commentators understand Abu Baqr to be particularly meant here, at whose persuasion Saad Ibn Waqqas became a Muslim; but the meaning is general. It is better to obey any true Muslim than to obey parents who would lead their children away from Islám. See note on chap. xxix. 7.

(18) The voice of asses. "To the braying of which animal the Arabs liken a loud and disagreeable voice."-Sale.

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