The Clear Quran: A Thematic English Translation: English Only

by Anonymous

See then the impact of God’s mercy: how He gives life to the earth after its death! Surely That ˹same God˺ can raise the dead. For He is Most Capable of everything.

This Meccan chapter is named after Luqmân, a wise African man who is quoted giving pieces of advice to his son (verses 12–19) on one’s relationship with God and the people.

“Be grateful to God, for whoever is grateful, it is only for their own good. And whoever is ungrateful, then surely God is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.”

14. And We have commanded people to ˹honour˺ their parents. Their mothers bore them through hardship upon hardship, and their weaning takes two years. So be grateful to Me and your parents.

Establish prayer, encourage what is good and forbid what is evil, and endure patiently whatever befalls you. Surely this is a resolve to aspire to.

Amazong summary

“And do not turn your nose up to people, nor walk pridefully upon the earth. Surely God does not like whoever is arrogant, boastful. 19. Be moderate in your pace. And lower your voice, for the ugliest of all voices is certainly the braying of donkeys.”

When it is said to them, “Follow what God has revealed,” they reply, “No! We ˹only˺ follow what we found our forefathers practicing.” ˹Would they still do so˺ even if Satan is inviting them to the torment of the Blaze?

We allow them enjoyment for a little while, then ˹in time˺ We will force them into a harsh torment.

Do you not see that God causes the night to merge into the day and the day into the night, and has subjected the sun and the moon, each orbiting for an appointed term, and that God is All-Aware of what you do? 30. That

So do not let the life of this world deceive you, nor let the Chief Deceiver827 deceive you about God.

34. Indeed, God ˹alone˺ has the knowledge of the Hour. He sends down the rain,829 and knows what is in the wombs.830 No soul knows what it will earn for tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Surely God is All-Knowing, All-Aware.

He made his descendants from an extract of a humble fluid, 9. then He fashioned them and had a spirit of His Own ˹creation˺ breathed into them. And He gave you hearing, sight, and intellect. ˹Yet˺ you hardly give any thanks.

10. ˹Still˺ they ask ˹mockingly˺, “When we are disintegrated into the earth, will we really be raised as a new creation?” In fact, they are in denial of the meeting with their Lord. 11. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Your soul will be taken by the Angel of Death, who is in charge of you. Then to your Lord you will ˹all˺ be returned.”

17. No soul can imagine what delights are kept in store for them as a reward for what they used to do.

“Fleeing will not benefit you if you ˹try to˺ escape a natural or violent death. ˹If it is not your time,˺ you will only be allowed enjoyment for a little while.”845

“Who can put you out of God’s reach if He intends to harm you or show you mercy?” They can never find any protector or helper besides God.

Indeed, in the Messenger of God you have an excellent example for whoever has hope in God and the Last Day, and remembers God often.

And He brought down those from the People of the Book847 who supported the enemy alliance from their own strongholds, and cast horror into their hearts. You ˹believers˺ killed some, and took others captive. 27. He has also caused you to take over their lands, homes, and wealth, as well as lands you have not yet set foot on. And God is Most Capable of everything.

You are not like any other women: if you are mindful ˹of God˺, then do not be overly effeminate in speech ˹with men˺ or those with sickness in their hearts may be tempted, but speak in a moderate tone.

do not display yourselves as women did in the days of ˹pre-Islamic˺ ignorance. Establish

35. Surely ˹for˺ Muslim men and women, believing men and women,849 devout men and women, truthful men and women, patient men and women, humble men and women, charitable men and women, fasting men and women, men and women who guard their chastity, and men and women who remember God often—for ˹all of˺ them God has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.

For God is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs.

And ˹you are allowed to marry˺ the daughters of your paternal uncles and aunts, and the daughters of your maternal uncles and aunts, who have emigrated like you.

O Prophet! Ask your wives, daughters, and believing women to draw their cloaks over their bodies. In this way it is more likely that they will be recognized ˹as virtuous˺ and not be harassed. And God is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.863

But humanity assumed it, ˹for˺ they are truly wrongful ˹to themselves˺ and ignorant ˹of the consequences˺,

They are criticized for calling the Prophet ‘insane’ and are warned of punishment in this life and the next.

The disbelievers say ˹mockingly to one another˺, “Shall we show you a man who claims that when you have been utterly disintegrated you will be raised as a new creation? 8. Has he fabricated a lie against God or is he insane?” In fact, those who do not believe in the Hereafter are bound for torment and have strayed farthest ˹from the truth˺. 9. Have they not then seen all that surrounds them of the heavens and the earth? If We willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause ˹deadly˺ pieces of the sky to fall upon them. Surely in this is a sign for every servant who turns ˹to God˺.

20. Indeed, Iblîs’ assumption about them has come true,875 so they ˹all˺ follow him, except a group of ˹true˺ believers.

It is not your wealth or children that bring you closer to Us. But those who believe and do good—it is they who will have a multiplied reward for what they did, and they will be secure in ˹elevated˺ mansions.

O humanity! Indeed, God’s promise is true. So do not let the life of this world deceive you,

And ˹it is˺ God ˹Who˺ created you from dust,883 then ˹developed you˺ from a sperm-drop, then made you into pairs.884 No female ever conceives or delivers without His knowledge. And no one’s life is made long or cut short but is ˹written˺ in a Record.885 That is certainly easy for God.

Whoever purifies themselves, they only do so for their own good. And to God is the final return.

There is no community that has not had a warner.

Do you not see that God sends down rain from the sky with which We bring forth fruits of different colours? And in the mountains are streaks of varying shades of white, red, and raven black; 28. just as people, living beings, and cattle are of various colours as well. Of all of God’s servants, only the knowledgeable ˹of His might˺ are ˹truly˺ in awe of Him.

Some of them wrong themselves, some follow a middle course, and some are foremost in good deeds by God’s Will. That is ˹truly˺ the greatest bounty.

In fact, the wrongdoers promise each other nothing but delusion.”

But evil plotting only backfires on those who plot. Are they awaiting anything but the fate of those ˹destroyed˺ before? You will find no change in the way of God, nor will you find it diverted ˹to someone else˺. 44. Have they not travelled throughout the land to see what was the end of those ˹destroyed˺ before them? They were far superior in might. But there is nothing that can escape God in the heavens or the earth. He is certainly All-Knowing, Most Capable.

Follow those who ask no reward of you, and are ˹rightly˺ guided. 22. And why should I not worship the One Who has originated me, and to Whom you will be returned.

˹But they killed him, then˺ he was told ˹by the angels˺, “Enter Paradise!” He said, “If only my people knew 27. of how my Lord has forgiven me, and made me one of the honourable.”

He was alone

There is a sign for them in the dead earth: We give it life, producing grain from it for them to eat.

Glory be to the One Who created all ˹things in˺ pairs—

There is also a sign for them in the night: We strip from it daylight, then—behold!—they are in darkness.

Night is tge absence of daylight

The sun travels for its fixed term. That is the design of the Almighty, All-Knowing.

It is not for the sun to catch up with the moon,894 nor does the night outrun the day. Each is travelling in an orbit of their own.

And when it is said to them, “Donate from what God has provided for you,” the disbelievers say to the believers, “Why should we feed those whom God could have fed if He wanted to? You are clearly astray!”

And they argue with Us—forgetting they were created—saying, “Who will give life to decayed bones?” 79. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “They will be revived by the One Who produced them the first time, for He has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of every created being.

All it takes, when He wills something ˹to be˺, is simply to say to it: “Be!” And it is! 83. So glory be to the One in Whose Hands is the authority over all things, and to Whom ˹alone˺ you will ˹all˺ be returned.

11. So ask them ˹O Prophet˺, which is harder to create: them or other marvels of Our creation?

When we are dead and reduced to dust and bones, will we really be resurrected? 17. And our forefathers as well?” 18. Say, “Yes! And you will be fully humbled.”

For whenever it was said to them ˹in the world˺, “There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except God,” they acted arrogantly 36. and argued, “Should we really abandon our gods for a mad poet?” 37. In fact, he came