Luqman 31:30

"That is because Allāh is the True Reality, and that what they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allāh is the Most High, the Grand."

The Might and Power of Allah Allah tells us that He

يُولِجُ الَّيْلَ فِى النَّهَارِ

(merges the night into the day,) meaning, He takes from the night and adds to the day, so that the day becomes longer and the night shorter, which is what happens in summer when the days are longest; then the day starts to become shorter and the night longer, which is what happens in winter.

وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى

(and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running its course for a term appointed;) It was said that this means, each runs within its set limits, or it means until the Day of Resurrection; both meanings are correct. The first view is supported by the Hadith of Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, in the Two Sahihs, according to which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«يَا أَبَا ذَرَ أَتَدْرِي أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ هَذِهِ الشَّمْسُ؟»

(O Abu Dharr! Do you know where this sun goes) I (Abu Dharr) said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said:

«فَإِنَّهَا تَذْهَبُ فَتَسْجُدُ تَحْتَ الْعَرْشِ، ثُمَّ تَسْتَأْذِنُ رَبَّهَا فَيُوشِكُ أَنْ يُقَالَ لَهَا: ارْجِعِي مِنْ حَيْثُ جِئْت»

(It goes and prostrates beneath the Throne, then it seeks permission from its Lord, and soon it will be said: "Go back from whence you came.") Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "The sun is like flowing water, running in its course in the sky during the day. When it sets, it travels in its course beneath the earth until it rises in the east." He said, "The same is true in the case of the moon." Its chain of narration is Sahih.

وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ

(and that Allah is All-Aware of what you do.) This is like the Ayah,

أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(Know you not that Allah knows all that is in the heaven and the earth) (22:70). The meaning is that Allah is the Creator Who knows all things, as He says:

اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ وَمِنَ الاٌّرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ

(It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof) (65:12).

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ الْبَـطِلُ

(That is because Allah, He is the Truth, and that which they invoke besides Him is falsehood;) means, He shows you His Signs so that you may know from them that He is the Truth, i.e., He truly exists and is truly divine, and that all else besides Him is falsehood. He has no need of anything else, but everything else is dependent on Him, because everything in heaven and on earth is created by Him and is enslaved by Him; none of them could move even an atom's weight except with His permission. If all the people of heaven and earth were to come together to create a fly, they would not be able to do so. Allah says:

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ الْبَـطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْكَبِيرُ

(That is because Allah, He is the Truth, and that which they invoke besides Him is falsehood; and that Allah, He is the Most High, the Most Great.) meaning, He is the Most High and there is none higher than Him, and He is the Most Great Who is greater than everything. Everything is subjugated and insignificant in comparison to Him.

Аллах поведал вам о своих божественных качествах и своем величии, потому что Аллах есть истина. Его божественная сущность - истина, Его совершенные качества - истина, Его религия - истина, Его посланники - истина, Его обещание - истина, Его предупреждение - истина, и поклонение Ему - также истина. Что же касается вымышленных богов, которым люди поклоняются наряду с Аллахом, то они являются ложью. Их божественная сущность лжива, также как и лживы их божественные качества. Если бы Аллах не сотворил эти существа, то они никогда бы не возникли. И если бы Аллах не пожелал их существования, то они никогда бы не смогли просуществовать самостоятельно. И если эти существа являются настолько беспомощными, то и поклонения им является тщетным и бесполезным. А среди прекрасных имен Аллаха - Возвышенный, Большой. Его божественная сущность находится над всеми творениями, а безупречные качества превосходят качества творений. Он превознесся над Своими рабами и подчинил их своей воле. А наряду с этим божественная сущность и качества Аллаха являются великими, и души всех обитателей небес и земли переполнены почтением к Нему.

This has been stated in the verse: وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ مِن شَجَرَ‌ةٍ أَقْلَامٌ (27) through a similitude. Says the similitude: 'If all trees that are on the earth were to be pens (or pens were to be made of all branches on them) and the ocean (converted into ink) is supported by seven seas following it, the words of Allah would (still) not come to an end.' The expression: کلمات اللہ (kalimatul-lah, i.e. the words of Allah) means His knowledge and wisdom (Ruh ul-Maani and Mazhari) which includes the manifestations of Divine power and Divine blessings. Then, the 'seven seas', referred to here, do not mean that there are seven seas present elsewhere. Instead of that, this is a manner of saying: Suppose if this ocean were to be replenished with seven more oceans, still then, all these words of Allah could not be committed to writing. Even the number of 'seven' appears here as a part of the example. No restriction is intended. Another verse of the Qur'an proves it. There it was said:

قُل لَّوْ كَانَ الْبَحْرُ‌ مِدَادًا لِّكَلِمَاتِ رَ‌بِّي لَنَفِدَ الْبَحْرُ‌ قَبْلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَاتُ رَ‌بِّي وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِ مَدَدًا

Say, 'If the ocean were to be ink for the Words of my Lord, the ocean would have been consumed before the Words of my Lord are exhausted, even though we were to bring another one, like it, in addition' - Al-Kahf, 18:109.

In this verse, by saying: بِمِثْلِهِ (bimithlihi: like it), a clear hint has been given that, no matter how many oceans are supposed, their collective writing fluid cannot circumscribe the Words of Allah. Rationally, the reason is obvious. The oceans may be added one after the other and be they seven or seven thousand, they shall still remain limited while the Words of Allah (knowledge) are unlimited. How, then, can something limited make an all-encompassing coverage of what is unlimited?

As it appears in some narratives, this verse was revealed in response to a question posed by Jewish priests. The reason which prompted them to ask this question was the verse of the Qur'an where it has been said: وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا (and you are not given but a little from the knowledge - A1-'Isra', 17:85). When the Holy Prophet ﷺ came to the blessed city of Madinah, some Jewish priests visited him and it was about this verse that they confronted him by saying, "You say that you have been given a little from the knowledge. Is this what you are saying about your people, or have you included us too therein?" The Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "I mean all," that is, 'our people and the Jews and Christians as well.' Thereupon, increasing the tempo of their opposition, they said, "To us, Allah Ta’ ala has given the Torah which stands out as: تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ (an explanation of everything)." He said, "That too is but a little as compared to Divine Knowledge. Then, even the total knowledge contained in the Torah is not known to you either - what you go by is no more than a certain measure of what you need. Therefore, as compared to the Divine Knowledge, the collective knowledge of all Scriptures and Prophets is also nothing but a little." It was to support this statement that the verse: وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ مِن شَجَرَ‌ةٍ أَقْلَامٌ (And if all trees that are on the earth were to be pens... - 27) was revealed. (Ibn Kathir)

Other English translations

Tafsīr · classical commentary

The Might and Power of Allah Allah tells us that He