سُوْرَةُ لُقْمَانَ
Surah Luqman (31) — Ayah 13
وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَـٰنُ لِٱبْنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَـٰبُنَىَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿13﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (remember) when Luqmân said to his son when he was advising him: "O my son! Join not in worship others with Allâh. Verily joining others in worship with Allâh is a great Zûlm (wrong) indeed.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذْ
wa-idh
And when
قَالَ
qāla
said
لُقْمَـٰنُ
luq'mānu
Luqman
لِٱبْنِهِۦ
li-ib'nihi
to his son
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
while he
يَعِظُهُۥ
yaʿiẓuhu
(was) instructing him
يَـٰبُنَىَّ
yābunayya
O my son
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تُشْرِكْ
tush'rik
associate partners
بِٱللَّهِ ۖ
bil-lahi
with Allah
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلشِّرْكَ
l-shir'ka
associating partners
لَظُلْمٌ
laẓul'mun
(is) surely an injustice
عَظِيمٌۭ
ʿaẓīmun
great
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
13. And (remember) when Luqman said to his son while advising him: "O my dear son! Do not associate anything [15] with Allah. Surely, associating partners with Allah is a great injustice."
[15]
The First Advice to the Son: Do Not Associate Partners with Allah.
Once, Luqman gave some pieces of advice to his son which were so important that Allah Almighty mentioned them in the Quran. In this world, the relationship of children is such that a person shows utmost sincerity regarding it and cannot be hypocritical. And it is only concerning children that one may wish for them to surpass oneself in every good matter. Such a wish cannot even be made for one's real siblings or friends. Thus, the first advice that Luqman gave to his son was that he should never associate anyone with Allah. Because the greatest injustice and darkness in the world is indeed shirk. Shirk is manifest oppression and the greatest of all oppressions. As is also made clear by the following hadith: Abdullah bin Mas'ud ؓ says that when this verse (of Surah An'am) was revealed: ﴿اَلَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوْٓا اِيْمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ﴾ it was very hard on the Companions ؓ. They said, "Who among us has not committed some injustice (i.e., some sin) along with faith?" The Prophet ﷺ explained to them that in this verse, injustice does not mean every sin (rather, shirk is meant). "Have you not heard the saying of Luqman, which he said to his son: ﴿إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ﴾" [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
The Right of Allah over His Servants and the Right of Servants over Allah.
Here, it is worth noting that the people of Makkah, on the one hand, acknowledged Luqman the Wise as a sage and wise man, but on the other hand, were deeply involved in shirk. They are being told that among the pieces of advice Luqman gave to his son, foremost was his hatred and aversion to shirk. Because the greatest right of Allah over His servant is that he should not associate anyone with Allah. As is made clear by the following hadith: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Mu'adh bin Jabal ؓ: "Do you know what Allah's right is over His servants and what the servants' right is over Allah?" Mu'adh ؓ says, "I replied, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.'" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Allah's right over His servants is that they worship Him alone and do not associate anything with Him. And the servants' right over Allah is that He does not punish the one who does not commit shirk" (i.e., does not keep him in Hell forever). I said, "O Messenger of Allah! Should I not give this glad tidings to the people?" He said, "Do not do so, lest they rely on it." [بخاری۔ کتاب الجہاد والسیر۔ باب اسم الفرس والحمار]
[15]
The First Advice to the Son: Do Not Associate Partners with Allah.
Once, Luqman gave some pieces of advice to his son which were so important that Allah Almighty mentioned them in the Quran. In this world, the relationship of children is such that a person shows utmost sincerity regarding it and cannot be hypocritical. And it is only concerning children that one may wish for them to surpass oneself in every good matter. Such a wish cannot even be made for one's real siblings or friends. Thus, the first advice that Luqman gave to his son was that he should never associate anyone with Allah. Because the greatest injustice and darkness in the world is indeed shirk. Shirk is manifest oppression and the greatest of all oppressions. As is also made clear by the following hadith: Abdullah bin Mas'ud ؓ says that when this verse (of Surah An'am) was revealed: ﴿اَلَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوْٓا اِيْمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ﴾ it was very hard on the Companions ؓ. They said, "Who among us has not committed some injustice (i.e., some sin) along with faith?" The Prophet ﷺ explained to them that in this verse, injustice does not mean every sin (rather, shirk is meant). "Have you not heard the saying of Luqman, which he said to his son: ﴿إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ﴾" [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
The Right of Allah over His Servants and the Right of Servants over Allah.
Here, it is worth noting that the people of Makkah, on the one hand, acknowledged Luqman the Wise as a sage and wise man, but on the other hand, were deeply involved in shirk. They are being told that among the pieces of advice Luqman gave to his son, foremost was his hatred and aversion to shirk. Because the greatest right of Allah over His servant is that he should not associate anyone with Allah. As is made clear by the following hadith: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Mu'adh bin Jabal ؓ: "Do you know what Allah's right is over His servants and what the servants' right is over Allah?" Mu'adh ؓ says, "I replied, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.'" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Allah's right over His servants is that they worship Him alone and do not associate anything with Him. And the servants' right over Allah is that He does not punish the one who does not commit shirk" (i.e., does not keep him in Hell forever). I said, "O Messenger of Allah! Should I not give this glad tidings to the people?" He said, "Do not do so, lest they rely on it." [بخاری۔ کتاب الجہاد والسیر۔ باب اسم الفرس والحمار]
