Tafsir of Luqman 31:3-5

Surah Luqman (3-5): Guidance and Mercy for the Doers of Good

His saying: {Guidance}

This means clarification and a criterion (Furqan). The interpretation is similar to that of His saying: {Alif, Lam, Mim. That is the Book, wherein is no doubt, a guidance...} (Al-Baqarah: 1-2). Just as it was said there that "That" refers to the Quran, similarly, it is said here that "That" refers to this [Book/Revelation].

Alternatively, as we mentioned there, since dhalika (That) refers to the absent, it signifies the verses of the Quran, the verses of the Wise Book. When these verses were revealed alongside {Alif, Lam, Mim. Those are the verses of the Wise Book}, not all verses had been revealed yet. Thus, dhalika referred to the entirety of the Quranic verses, meaning: "Those [all the verses] are the verses."

There are several issues concerning this:

In Surah Al-Baqarah, He said: {That is the Book} (Al-Baqarah: 1) and did not mention "Wise." Here, He said: {the Wise}.

When the attribute "Wise" was added to the Book here, an additional description of its effects was added: {Guidance and Mercy}. In Al-Baqarah, He said: {Guidance for the God-fearing (Muttaqin)}.

The word {Guidance} here corresponds to the word {the Book}, and the word {and Mercy} corresponds to the word {the Wise}. Describing the Book as Hakim (Wise) means possessing wisdom, similar to His saying: {in a pleasing life} (Al-Haqqah: 21), meaning a life characterized by pleasure.

In Al-Baqarah, He said: {for the God-fearing}. Here, He said: {for the Doers of Good}.

When only guidance was mentioned, He said: {for the God-fearing}, meaning those who avoid polytheism, obstinacy, and fanaticism, and who look into the Book without prejudice, will be guided by it.

However, since Mercy was added here, He said: {for the Doers of Good}. The Muttaqi is the one who avoids polytheism and obstinacy, while the Muhsin is the one who brings forth the word of excellence (Ihsan). The Muhsin is the one who brings forth faith, and the Muttaqi is the one who abandons disbelief. This is supported by His saying: {Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Allah and those who are doers of good} (An-Nahl: 128).

From the perspective of abandoning disbelief, one is Muttaqi and deserves Paradise. But one who brings the reality of faith is Muhsin, and he deserves an increase, according to His saying: {For those who do good is the best [reward] and even more} (Yunus: 26). Furthermore, because He mentioned that it is a Mercy, He specified {for the Doers of Good}, as the Mercy of Allah is near to the Muhsinin.

In Al-Baqarah, He said: {Those who believe in the Unseen and establish the prayer...} (Al-Baqarah: 3). Here, He said: {those who establish the prayer} and did not mention belief in the Unseen.

This is because, as we explained, the Muttaqi (God-fearing) implies the abandonment of disbelief, which necessitates being a believer. The Muhsin (Doer of Good) implies bringing forth the reality of faith, which necessitates not being a disbeliever.

Therefore, since Muttaqi implies belief in the context of commitment (in Al-Baqarah), belief was explicitly stated for clarification. But since Muhsin implies belief explicitly through its very nature, belief was not explicitly mentioned here.

Regarding His saying: {those who establish the prayer}, we have repeatedly discussed what is in prayer and its establishment, and what is in Zakah (charity) and fulfilling it.

We also mentioned in the exegesis of Surah Al-Anfal at its beginning that Prayer is abandoning imitation of the Master (Allah), as it is worship in form and reality. Allah Almighty deserves worship, and worship is not permissible for Him. Abandoning imitation is also obligatory upon the servant in various matters; for instance, a servant does not sit when his Master sits, nor does he recline when his Master reclines.

Zakah is imitation of the Master, as it involves giving what others need, and Allah is the Giver of needs. Abandoning imitation is also obligatory upon the servant in certain matters, just as the servant of a scholar does not wear the attire of soldiers, and the servant of a soldier does not wear the attire of ascetics. Through both these aspects (Prayer and Zakah), true servitude is completed.

{And among people is he who buys the diversion of talk to mislead [others] from the way of Allah without knowledge and takes it in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment.} (7)