31:1  Alif, Lam, Mim. (Only Allah and the Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] know the real meaning.

31:2  These are Verses of the Book of Wisdom

31:3  Guidance and mercy for the pious

31:4  Who establish Prayer and pay Zakat (the Alms-due) and those who believe in the Hereafter

31:5  It is they who are following guidance from their Lord and it is they who will prosper

31:6  And of people there are those who buy absurd narrations to make the people lacking in knowledge lose the path of Allah and to mock this (path). It is they for whom there is painful torment

31:7  And when Our Revelations are recited to such a one, he turns his face away showing arrogance as though he had not heard it at all, as if there were weight (of deafness) in his ears. So give him the news of an agonizing torment

31:8  Undoubtedly, those who believe and keep doing good deeds, for them are Gardens of Bliss

31:9  (They) will live in them forever. The promise of Allah is true. And He is Almighty, Most Wise

31:10  He created the heavens without pillars (as) you see them and He placed firm mountains in the earth so that it might not quake carrying you (during rotation) and He spread in it all kinds of animals. And We sent down water from the heaven, and We caused to grow in it all kinds of fine and useful vegetation

31:11  This is Allah’s Creation. So, (O polytheists,) show Me what others, apart from Allah, have created. In truth, the wrongdoers are in open error

31:12  And surely, We blessed Luqman with wisdom and sound judgment (and said to him:) ‘Be grateful to Allah. And whoever gives thanks gives thanks for his own good; and whoever shows ingratitude, then surely Allah is Self-Sufficient, Worthy of all praise.

31:13  And (recall) when Luqman said to his son as he was advising him: ‘O my son, do not set up partners with Allah. Verily, associating partners with Allah is a very grave injustice.

31:14  And We emphatically enjoined upon man (to do good) to his parents—whose mother bore him (in her reproductive system) in pain after pain, and whose weaning also takes two years (and commanded him:) ‘Give thanks to Me and to your parents. (You) shall return to Me alone.

31:15  And if both of them contend with you that you should associate (others) with Me, of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them. And cooperate with them in worldly affairs in a decent manner. But (in the matter of faith and the Last Hour and the related affairs) follow someone who adopts the path of turning to Me in repentance and submitting to My injunctions. Then you are to return to Me alone. So I shall inform you about the works that you used to do.

31:16  (Luqman said:) ‘O my son, if there is a thing equal to the grain of a mustard seed (hidden) inside a rock or in the heavens or in the earth, (even then) Allah will bring it forth (for reckoning on the Day of Judgment). Surely, Allah is the Subtle Knower of the minutest matters, All-Aware and Most Vigilant (as well)

31:17  O my son! Establish Prayer and enjoin good and forbid evil, and patiently endure every suffering that touches you. Verily, these are matters of great courage and high resolve

31:18  And do not turn your face away from the people (in arrogance), nor walk haughtily on earth. Surely, Allah does not love the arrogant one who walks gloatingly in self-conceit

31:19  And adopt moderation whilst walking and keep your voice low. Surely, the worst voice is the bray of a donkey.

31:20  (O people!) Have you not seen that Allah has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He has completed upon you His blessings outwardly as well as inwardly? And amongst people there are (also) those who dispute about Allah without knowledge and without guidance and without (any evidence from) the enlightening Book

31:21  And when it is said to them: ‘Follow this Book which Allah has revealed,’ they say: ‘Nay, we shall follow (that) way which we found our fathers following,’ even though Satan should be inviting them to the torment of Hell

31:22  And whoever bows his face in obedience to Allah, and is also a man of spiritual excellence (in action and state of mind), has firmly grasped a strong handhold. And the end of all deeds returns to Allah alone

31:23  And whoever disbelieves, (O Esteemed Beloved,) let not his disbelief grieve you. They (too) are to return to Us. We shall inform them of the deeds which they used to do. Surely, Allah knows best the (hidden) contents of the breasts

31:24  We shall provide them a little benefit (in the world) then, making them helpless, We shall drive them towards the severe torment

31:25  And if you ask them: ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’ they shall answer: ‘Allah.’ Say: ‘All praise belongs to Allah alone.’ But most of them do not know

31:26  Whatever is in the heavens and the earth (all) belongs to Allah alone. Surely, Allah is Self-Sufficient, Worthy of all praise (by Himself)

31:27  And if (all) the trees on earth were pens, and the ocean reinforced by seven more oceans were ink, even then the Words of Allah would never be exhausted. Surely, Allah is Almighty, Most Wise

31:28  Creating you all and raising you all (after death) is (in Allah’s power) like (creating and raising) a single person. Surely, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing

31:29  Have you not seen that Allah makes the night pass into the day and makes the day pass into the night; and (He is the One Who) has made the sun and the moon subservient, each rotating for an appointed term and that Allah is Aware of (all) the deeds that you do

31:30  That is because Allah alone is the truth and those whom these people worship besides Allah are false and because Allah is Most High, the Supreme

31:31  Have you not seen that vessels sail on the sea by Allah’s bounty so that He shows you some of His signs? Surely, there are signs in it for every greatly steadfast and grateful person

31:32  And when the sea wave engulfs them like (clouds or towering mountains or) canopies, they (the disbelievers and polytheists) start calling upon Allah, dedicating their most sincere devotion to Him alone. But when rescuing them He brings them back to land, then only a few of them remain on the moderate path (i.e., the path of guidance). And none but every deceptive and ungrateful person denies Our signs

31:33  O people! Fear your Lord and fear that Day when no father will be able to expiate for his son, nor will a son be able to atone for his father. Surely, the promise of Allah is true. So let not the worldly life deceive you, nor let the Arch-Deceiver (Satan) deceive you concerning Allah

31:34  Surely, Allah is the One with Whom is the knowledge of the Last Hour. And He is the One Who sends down rain and knows whatever is in the wombs. And no one knows what (deed) he will earn the next day, nor does anyone know in what land he will die. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware (i.e., Self-Knowing and fully Aware of everything besides Him. He Himself knows everything and also informs him whom He likes)