The Ocean of the Quran

A verse by verse explanation of The Ultimate Scripture

Luqmān – Verse 16

يا بُنَيَّ إِنَّها إِن تَكُ مِثقالَ حَبَّةٍ مِن خَردَلٍ فَتَكُن في صَخرَةٍ أَو فِي السَّماواتِ أَو فِي الأَرضِ يَأتِ بِهَا اللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَطيفٌ خَبيرٌ

‘O my son! Even if it should be the weight of a mustard seed, and [even though] it should be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will produce it. Indeed, Allah is subtle, all-aware.

EXEGESIS

Mithqāl means a weight‎[1] in the sense of a quantity that equals another thing in weight;‎[2] a heaviness;‎[3] something placed as an equipoise on the scales.‎[4]

Khardal (mustard) is a plant which has very small black seeds.‎[5] It is also identified as the mustard plant.‎[6] The phrase ḥabbatun min khardalin translates as ‘a seed/grain of such a plant’; a mustard seed.‎[7] A simile is struck using its smallness.‎[8]

Al-laṭīf is an intensive active participle and means most subtle,‎[9] most fine, as fine, subtle, perfect and pure as to be imperceptible and incomprehensible to human faculties. It also means most discerning.‎[10] As an attribute of God it means He is the most discerning‎[11] and therefore a being whose knowledge reaches every hidden, obscure thing;‎[12] one who encompasses all subtleties.‎[13]

Al-khabīr is an intensive active participle,‎[14] derived from al-khubr.‎[15] The latter means knowledge of the internal secret state (18:91).‎[16] Al-khabīr therefore means one who has knowledge of the essence of things‎[17] and of their realities;‎[18] the all-aware.‎[19]

EXPOSITION

Luqmān began his educational programme with the teaching of monotheism and combating polytheism (verse 13). He now moves to the topic of belief in resurrection and the Day of Recompense. This is because these two matters – monotheism and resurrection – are two important pillars in all heavenly religions. The cancellation of resurrection from a religion renders that religion a human programme with no connection to God. This is because the basis of every heavenly religion rests on belief in one God and the Day of Recompense.‎[20] Consequently, Luqmān mentions in his counsel that every deed that ensues from a responsible agent, even if it is as small as the weight of a mustard seed and even if the responsible agent hides it deep into the middle of a rock, or even if it is a dot in the heavens and the earth, God will bring it forth for reckoning and recompense.‎[21] This is while the creation of the heavens and the earth is far greater than the creation of the human being but most people do not know (40:57).‎[22]

The exemplary teacher Luqmān teaches his son as follows: O my son! Even if it, where the pronoun it refers to evil or goodness,‎[23] should be the weight of a mustard seed, which serves as a figure of speech for a small, tiny deed,‎[24] and [even though] it should be in a rock, meaning deep in the middle of it,‎[25] i.e. most hidden and most difficult to extract,‎[26] or in the heavens, or in the earth, meaning in any region from the regions of the heavens and the earth,‎[27] however high/distant or low/near it may be respectively,‎[28] and the human being endeavours to hide it,‎[29] Allah will produce it, He shall fetch it or produce it‎[30] on the Day of Resurrection when He shall place the scales for reckoning and recompense,‎[31] and subject it to reckoning.‎[32] This is because nothing is hidden from Him and it is not difficult for Him to bring it forth, whatever it may be and wherever it may be, for He is powerful in Himself and all-knowing in Himself, and nothing is hidden from Him.‎[33] Ṭūsī emphasises that the phrase Allah will produce it means He will recompense or requite for it, for He is well-cognisant of it.‎[34] We shall set up the scales of justice on the Day of Resurrection, and no soul will be wronged in the least. Even if it be the weight of a mustard seed We shall produce it and We suffice as reckoners (21:47).

Allah will produce it may also hint at the embodiment of deeds and that every good or bad deed will be brought forth by God on the Day of Resurrection in a form which is suitable for its existence on that day. This is something that is repeated in the Quran such as in 3:30, 18:49, and 99:7-8.‎[35]

Thereafter, God explains how this will happen, saying Indeed Allah is subtle, meaning He knows the hidden and what is most hidden, including the minutest details.‎[36] His subtlety is that His knowledge penetrates the depths of things and reaches every hidden thing.‎[37] And He is all-aware, in that He knows its place and location,‎[38] and knows the essence of everything at every moment.‎[39] So this verse contains the utmost threat and an encouragement to be resolute.‎[40]

Thus the meaning of this verse is that God knows the intentions of the human being, his utterances, and his acts, those which are hidden and those that are apparent, whether good or evil. Nothing of these things misses Him, whether small or big, save that He is aware of them and shall bring them forth for reckoning.‎[41] The purpose of this verse, in light of the context, is to warn those who have strayed and lead others astray, those whose tongues are with the people but whose hearts are against God and humanity, that their ultimate fate is disgraceful and evil.‎[42]

Finally, the expression Indeed Allah is subtle, all-aware is apparently the continuation of Luqmān’s speech where he chose those of God’s names which are most suitable in light of the content of his advice here.‎[43] Therefore, He who deserves worship is the one whose knowledge penetrates everything and He knows the places of things, and He is Allah, glorious is His prestige and standing.‎[44]

This piece of advice, which is based on the notion of the extent of God’s knowledge of everything, whether small or big, proves that Luqmān was wise and deeply knowledgeable of the divine such that he was able to describe God akin to the manner in which God describes Himself in numerous verses, such as in 34:3, 6:59, 3:5,‎[45] and 10:61.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

  1. Abū Baṣīr relates that he heard Imam al-Bāqir (a) admonish as follows: ‘Beware of the small sins [or sins held in light estimation or looked down upon as insignificant (al-muḥaqqarāt min al-dhunūb)] for they surely have someone who will hold to account for them. [This is when] one of you says: “I shall sin and I shall seek forgiveness.” God, the mighty and majestic, has said: Indeed it is We who … write what they have sent ahead and their effects [which they left behind], and We have figured everything in a manifest Imam [36:12]. And He, the mighty and majestic, said: O my son! Even if it should be the weight of a mustard seed, and [even though] it should be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will produce it. Indeed Allah is subtle, all-aware.’‎[46]

Note: The same report with a little variance has been transmitted by ʿAbd-Allāh ibn Miskān from Imam al-Ṣādiq (a).‎[47]

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Rāzī makes an interesting point about the verse’s use of the phrase Allah will produce it. He writes that there is a subtle but significant difference between saying Allah will produce it and saying ‘Allah knows it’. A being may know something since it is clear and manifest, but may be incapable of manifesting it to others. However, when a being is capable of producing something, it means it knows it and is capable of manifesting it to others so that they may witness it.‎[48] 

[1] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 145.
[2] Tibyan, 8/279.
[3] Munyah, 21/130.
[4] Hans-Wehr, pp. 125-126.
[5] Munyah, 21/130.
[6] Hans-Wehr, p. 272.
[7] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 245.
[8] Munyah, 21/130.
[9] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 841.
[10] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 841.
[11] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 841.
[12] Safi, 4/145; Munyah, 21/130.
[13] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 841.
[14] Tibyan, 8/279; Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 252.
[15] Tibyan, 8/279.
[16] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 252.
[17] Munyah, 21/130; Safi, 4/145.
[18] Munyah, 21/130.
[19] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 253.
[20] Munyah, 21/136.
[21] Munyah, 21/136: Mizan, 16/217-218.
[22] Munyah, 21/136.
[23] Mizan, 16/217; Safi, 4/145; Tibyan, 8/278; Tabrisi, 8/498; Munyah, 21/136.
[24] Safi, 4/145; Razi, 25/120; Mizan, 16/218; Kashif, 6/162.
[25] Munyah, 21/136; Mizan, 16/217.
[26] Tabrisi, 8/499; Razi, 25/120; Safi, 4/145.
[27] Munyah, 21/136; Razi, 25/121.
[28] Safi, 4/145.
[29] Munyah, 21/136.
[30] Safi, 4/145; Munyah, 21/136.
[31] Tabrisi, 8/499; Mizan, 16/217; Munyah, 21/136.
[32] Safi, 4/145.
[33] Tibyan, 8/278.
[34] Tibyan, 8/278.
[35] Munyah, 21/137.
[36] Munyah, 21/136.
[37] Mizan, 16/218.
[38] Munyah, 21/136.
[39] Mizan, 16/218.
[40] Tibyan, 8/278.
[41] Kashif, 6/162.
[42] Kashif, 6/162.
[43] Munyah, 21/137.
[44] Munyah, 21/137.
[45] Munyah, 21/136-137.
[46] Mizan, 16/220.
[47] Tabrisi, 8/499; Safi, 4/145.
[48] Razi, 25/121.