Tafsir of Luqman 31:25

Surah Luqman (31): Verse 25

"And if you ask them, 'Who created the heavens and the earth?' they will surely say, 'Allah.' Say, 'Praise be to Allah.' But most of them do not know."

The verse is connected to the preceding verses in two ways:

First Connection:

1. Allah (SWT) established proof by mentioning the creation of the heavens without pillars and by detailing His manifest and hidden bounties.
2. This necessitates that all praise belongs to Allah, as everything in the heavens and the earth is dependent upon the Creator of the heavens and the earth.
3. The fact that all praise belongs to Allah implies that none other should be worshipped. However, they (the disbelievers) do not grasp this implication.

Second Connection:

1. Allah (SWT) consoled the heart of the Prophet (PBUH) by saying: "{So let not their disbelief grieve you. To Us is their return, and We will inform them...}" (referring to the preceding context). This means: Do not be saddened by their denial, for the truth of your message and the falsehood of their denial will soon become clear upon their return to Us.
2. Al-Razi notes that this clarification is not limited to the Day of Judgment; it is evident even before it, because they confess that Allah is the Creator of the heavens and the earth.
3. This confession affirms your claim of Tawhid (Oneness of God) and exposes the falsehood of their Shirk (polytheism).
4. Therefore, the command is: "{Say, 'Praise be to Allah'}" for the manifestation of your truth and the exposure of those who deny you.
5. "{But most of them do not know}": This means they possess no knowledge that would prevent them from denying you, despite their admission of the very proof that necessitates your affirmation.

Regarding the phrase "But most of them do not know" (بل أكثرهم لا يعلمون):

There are two interpretations for the usage of the verb "to know" (يعلمون):

1. Absolute Usage: The verb is used without an explicit object, similar to saying, "So-and-so gives and withholds," where the implied meaning is that he possesses the attribute of giving and withholding, rather than specifying what he gives or withholds. Similarly here, "they do not know" means they possess no knowledge whatsoever.
2. Implied Object: The implied object is that "they do not know that all praise belongs to Allah."

The second interpretation is stronger (ablagh), because saying, "So-and-so has no knowledge of such-and-such," is more emphatic than simply saying, "So-and-so has no knowledge." Likewise, saying, "So-and-so neither benefits nor harms Zayd," is stronger than saying, "So-and-so neither harms nor benefits."

"{To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Indeed, Allah is the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy.}"