From the translation by
Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss)
About the translator:
Muhammad Asad, Leopold Weiss,
was born of Jewish parents in Livow, Austria (later
Poland) in 1900, and at the age of 22 made his first
visit to the Middle East. He later became an outstanding
foreign correspondent for the Franfurter Zeitung,
and after his conversion to Islam travelled and
worked throughout the Muslim world, from North Africa
to as far east as Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.
After years of devoted study he became one of the
leading Muslim scholars of our age. His translation
of the Holy Qur'an is one of the most lucid and
well-referenced works in this category, dedicated
to “li-qawmin yatafakkaroon” (For people
who think).
Chapter 31, verses 13 - 15
And, lo, Luqman spoke thus to his son, admonishing
him: :O my dear son! Do not ascribe divine powers
to aught besides God: for, behold, such [a false]
ascribing of divinity is indeed an awesome wrong!
“And [God says:] ‘We have enjoined upon
man goodness towards his parents: his mother bore
him by bearing strain, and his utter dependence
on her lasted two years: [hence, O man,] be grateful
towards Me and towards thy parents, [and remember
that] with Me is all journey’s end.
“[Revere thy parents;] yet should they endeavor
to make thee ascribe divinity, side by side with
Me, to something which thy mind cannot accept [as
divine], obey them not; but [even then] bear them
company in this world’s life with kindness,
and follow the path of those who turn towards Me.
In the end, unto Me you all must return; and thereupon
I shall make you [truly] understand all that you
were doing [in life].’
Chapter 31, verses 17-19
“O my dear son! Be constant in prayer, and
enjoin the doing of what s right and forbid the
doing of what is wrong, and bear in patience whatever
[ill] may befall thee: this, behold, is something
to set one’s heart upon!”
“And turn not thy cheek away from people in
[false] pride, and walk not haughtily on earth:
for, behold, God does not love anyone who, out of
self conceit, acts in a boastful manner.
“Hence, be modest in thy bearing, and lower
thy voice: for, behold, the ugliest of all voices
is the [loud] voice of asses.”
Chapter 31, verse 22
Now whoever surrenders his whole being unto God,
and is a doer of good withal, has indeed taken hold
of a support most unfailing: for with God rests
the final outcome of all events.
Chapter 31, verse 32
For [thus it is with most men:] when the waves engulf
them like shadows [of death], they call unto God,
sincere [at that moment] in their faith in Him alone:
but as soon as He has brought them safe ashore,
some of them stop half-way [between belief and unbelief].
Yet none could knowingly reject Our messages unless
he be utterly perfidious, ingrate.
