CHAPTER 31.  LUQMAN                                                                     SECTION 1.  PART XX1

IN THE NAME OF GOD
THE MOST GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL GOD

1  I, GOD, AM THE BEST KNOWER

2  THESE ARE THE VERSES OF THE BOOK THAT MAKES THINGS CLEAR

3  A GUIDE AND A MERCY
FOR THOSE WHO ACT RIGHTEOUSLY

4  THOSE WHO ESTABLISH PRAYERS REGULARLY
AND THOSE WHO GIVE REGULAR CHARITY 
AND HAVE FAITH IN THE HEREAFTER WITH CERTAINTY

5  THESE ARE ON TRUE GUIDANCE FROM THEIR MAKER
AND THESE ARE THE ONES WHO WILL PROSPER

6  BUT THERE ARE THOSE AMONG MEN WHO PURCHASE FRIVOLITY
WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE TO MISLEAD MEN AND MAKE MOCKERY
FOR THEM THERE WILL BE A HUMILIATING PENALTY

7  WHEN OUR MESSAGES ARE RECITED TO SUCH A ONE
HE TURNS AWAY IN ARROGANT REJECTION 

AS IF THERE WAS DEAFNESS IN HIS EARS 
ANNOUNCE TO HIM A PUNISHMENT THAT IS SEVERE

8  FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE 
AND WORK RIGHTEOUS DEEDS 
THERE WILL BE GARDENS OF ETERNITY

9  TO DWELL THEREIN, THE PROMISE OF GOD IS SURE
AND HE IS ALL WISE AND EXALTED IN POWER

10  AND HE CREATED THE HEAVENS WITHOUT ANY PILLARS IN IT 
HE SET ON THE EARTH MOUNTAINS STANDING FIRMLY ON IT
OR ELSE IT WOULD SHAKE WITH YOU ON IT
AND HE SCATTERED BEASTS OF ALL KINDS THROUGH IT 

AND WE SEND DOWN RAIN FROM THE AIR 
AND PRODUCE EVERY KIND OF CREATURE IN PAIRS

11  THIS IS THE CREATION OF GOD, THE CREATOR 
NOW SHOW ME WHAT HAS BEEN CREATED BY OTHERS 
NO, BUT THE TRANSGRESSORS ARE IN MANIFEST ERROR

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CHAPTER 31.  LUQMAN                                                                     SECTION 2.  PART XXI

12  WE BESTOWED WISDOM ON LUQMAN TO ACT GRATEFULLY
AND ANY WHO TO GOD DOES ACT GRATEFULLY
DOES SO FOR HIMSELF AS THE BENEFICIARY 
BUT IF ANY ACTS UNGRATEFULLY 
GOD IS FREE OF ALL WANTS AND IS PRAISEWORTHY

13  LUQMAN SAID TO HIS SON BY WAY OF INSTRUCTION
JOIN NOT IN WORSHIP ANY OTHERS WITH GOD, MY SON
FOR FALSE WORSHIP IS THE HIGHEST TRANSGRESSION

14  FOR MAN WE ENJOINED KINDNESS TO HIS PARENTS ON HIM
FOR IN HARDSHIP DID HIS MOTHER BEAR HIM 
AND IN TWO YEARS WAS THE WEANING OF HIM
SO HEAR GOD'S COMMAND AND SHOW GRATITUDE TO HIM
AND ALSO TO YOUR PARENTS AND YOUR FINAL GOAL IS TO HIM  

15  BUT IF THEY SHOULD STRIVE TO MAKE YOU WORSHIP BESIDES ME 
THINGS OF WHICH YOU HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF CERTAINTY 
DO NOT OBEY THEM AND KEEP KINDLY COMPANY 
WITH THEM IN THIS LIFE CONSIDERATELY
AND FOLLOW THE WAY OF THOSE WHO LOVE ME 
FOR IN THE END THE RETURN OF YOU ALL IS TO ME 
AND I WILL THEN TELL YOU WHAT YOU DID TRUTHFULLY  

16  LUQMAN SAID, OH MY SON, IF THERE BE 
BUT THE WEIGHT OF A MUSTARD SEED 
AND IF IT WERE HIDDEN IN A ROCK SECRETLY
OR ANYWHERE HEAVENLY OR EARTHLY
GOD WILL BRING IT FORTH MANIFESTLY
FOR HE UNDERSTANDS THE FINEST MYSTERIES 
AND WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THEM IS HE

17  OH MY SON, ESTABLISH REGULAR PRAYER 
ENJOIN WHAT IS JUST AND FORBID WHAT IS IN ERROR
AND BEAR WITH PATIENT CONSTANCY WHATEVER 
BEFALLS YOU FOR THIS IS FIRMNESS IN AFFAIRS

18  AND TURN NOT YOUR FACE FROM PEOPLE CONTEMPTUOUSLY 
NOR GO ABOUT IN THE LAND EXULTANTLY
FOR GOD LOVES NOT ANYONE WHO BOASTS ARROGANTLY 

19  AND LOWER YOUR VOICE AND BE MODERATE IN YOUR PACES
FOR THE HARSHEST OF SOUNDS IS THE BRAYING OF ASSES

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CHAPTER 31.  LUQMAN                                                                      SECTION 3.  PART XX1

20  DO YOU NOT SEE THAT GOD HAS MADE FOR YOUR PLEASURE
ALL THINGS THAT ARE IN THE HEAVENS AND ON THE EARTH ? 
AND HAS GIVEN YOU BOUNTIES EXCEEDING IN MEASURE 
BOTH SEEN AND UNSEEN YET AMONG YOU CREATURES

THERE ARE MEN WHO DISPUTE WITH NO KNOWLEDGE GIVEN THEM 
AND WITHOUT ANY GUIDANCE GIVEN TO THEM
AND WITHOUT A BOOK TO ENLIGHTEN THEM 

21  WHEN THEY ARE TOLD TO FOLLOW GOD'S REVELATION 
THEY SAY, NO, WE FOLLOW OUR FATHER'S RELIGION

22  EVEN IF IT IS SATAN BECKONING THEM TO THE FIRE
AND WHOEVER SUBMITS HIMSELF TO HIS MAKER
AND IS A DOER OF GOOD TO OTHERS
HAS GRASPED THE HAND HOLD THAT IS STRONGER
AND WITH GOD RESTS THE END OF ALL ENDEAVORS

23  IF ANY REJECT FAITH, LET NOT HIS REJECTION
GRIEVE YOU FOR TO US IS THEIR FINAL DESTINATION
AND WE WILL INFORM THEM OF ALL OF THEIR ACTIONS 
YOUR LORD IS THE KNOWER OF ALL THINGS IN CREATION 

24  FOR A WHILE THEIR PLEASURES WE GRANT THEM 
BUT IN THE END WE WILL SURELY DRIVE THEM 
TO A SEVERE CHASTISEMENT FOR THEM

25  IF YOU ASK THEM WHO CREATED EARTH AND HEAVEN 
THEY WILL SAY GOD IS THE AUTHOR OF ALL CREATION

SAY TO THEM, PRAISE BE TO GOD
BUT MOST OF THEM HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF GOD

26  TO GOD BELONG ALL THINGS HEAVENLY AND EARTHLY 
AND HE IS FREE OF ALL WANTS AND IS PRAISEWORTHY 

27  AND IF ALL THE TREES ON EARTH WERE PENS 
AND THE OCEANS WERE INK WITH SEVEN OCEANS 

BEHIND IT TO AID IT
THE WORDS OF GOD WOULD NOT BE EXHAUSTED 
IN THE PROCESS OF THE WRITING OF IT 
AND OF ALL THINGS GOD HAS POWER OVER IT

28  AND YOUR CREATION OR RESURRECTION 
IS BUT AS A SINGLE PERSON
FOR GOD KNOWS ALL THINGS IN CREATION

SEE YOU NOT THAT GOD MAKES THE NIGHT
ENTER INTO THE DAY AND THE DAY TO ENTER INTO THE NIGHT?

29  HE HAS MADE THE SUN AND THE MOON SUBSERVIENT TO YOU
ITS COURSE FOR AN APPOINTED TIME EACH ONE DOES PURSUE
AND YOUR LORD IS AWARE OF ALL THAT YOU DO

30  THAT IS BECAUSE GOD IS THE ONLY REALITY 
WHAT THEY WORSHIP BESIDES HIM IS FALSITY
AND MOST HIGH AND MOST GREAT IS HE

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CHAPTER 31.  LUQMAN                                                                     SECTION 4.  PART XX1

31  DO YOU NOT SEE 
THAT THE SHIPS SAIL BY GOD'S GRACE THROUGH THE SEA
THAT HE MAY SHOW YOU HIS SIGNS CLEARLY? 
IN THIS ARE SIGNS FOR ALL WHO PERSEVERE CONSTANTLY 

32  WHEN A WAVE COVERS THEM LIKE A CANOPY
THEY THEN DO CALL ON THEIR LORD IN SINCERITY
BUT WHEN HE HAS DELIVERED THEM TO LAND SAFELY 
THERE ARE AMONG THEM THOSE THAT UNGRATEFULLY
HALT BETWEEN DOING WRONG AND ACTING RIGHTEOUSLY
BUT OUR SIGNS ARE REJECTED ONLY 
BY A PERFIDIOUS WRETCH THAT ACTS UNGRATEFULLY

33  DO YOUR DUTY TO GOD AND FEAR 
THE COMING OF A DAY WHEN NO FATHER 
CAN HELP HIS SON NOR CAN A SON HELP HIS FATHER

FOR SURELY THE PROMISE OF GOD IS TRUE 
LET NOT THEN THIS PRESENT LIFE DECEIVE YOU 

34  NOR LET THE CHIEF DECEIVER DECEIVE YOU ABOUT GOD
SURELY THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOUR IS WITH GOD 

IT IS HE WHO SENDS DOWN THE RAIN AND HE KNOWS 
WHAT IS IN THE WOMBS NOR DOES ANYONE KNOW 
WHAT IT IS THAT HE WILL EARN TOMORROW 
AND NEITHER DOES ANY ONE KNOW 
IN WHAT LAND HE WILL DIE BUT GOD KNOWS
FOR ALL THINGS HE INDEED DOES KNOW

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