أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ …

Quran 31:20 is ayah 20 of Surah Luqman (“Luqman”), a Meccan surah of 34 ayahs. It is in Juz 21, on page 413 of the Madani Mushaf.

Juz 21
Hizb 41
Page 413
Ruku 3
Revealed Mecca

31:20

أَلَمْتَرَوْا۟أَنَّٱللَّهَسَخَّرَلَكُممَّافِىٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِوَمَافِىٱلْأَرْضِوَأَسْبَغَعَلَيْكُمْنِعَمَهُۥظَٰهِرَةًوَبَاطِنَةً ۗوَمِنَٱلنَّاسِمَنيُجَٰدِلُفِىٱللَّهِبِغَيْرِعِلْمٍوَلَاهُدًىوَلَاكِتَٰبٍمُّنِيرٍ٢٠

alam taraw anna l-laha sakhara lakum mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi wa-asbagha ʿalaykum niʿamahu ẓāhiratan wabāṭinatan wamina l-nāsi man yujādilu fī l-lahi bighayri ʿil'min walā hudan walā kitābin munīrin

Do you not see that Allāh has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and unapparent? But of the people is he who disputes about Allāh without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book [from Him].(20)

Word by word

أَلَمْalamDo not
تَرَوْا۟tarawyou see
أَنَّannathat
ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
سَخَّرَsakharahas subjected
لَكُمlakumto you
مَّاmāwhatever
فِىfī(is) in
ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِl-samāwātithe heavens
وَمَاwamāand whatever
فِىfī(is) in
ٱلْأَرْضِl-arḍithe earth
وَأَسْبَغَwa-asbaghaand amply bestowed
عَلَيْكُمْʿalaykumupon you
نِعَمَهُۥniʿamahuHis Bounties
ظَٰهِرَةًẓāhiratanapparent
وَبَاطِنَةً ۗwabāṭinatanand hidden
وَمِنَwaminaBut of
ٱلنَّاسِl-nāsithe people
مَنman(is he) who
يُجَٰدِلُyujādiludisputes
فِىfīabout
ٱللَّهِl-lahiAllah
بِغَيْرِbighayriwithout
عِلْمٍʿil'minknowledge
وَلَاwalāand not
هُدًىhudanguidance
وَلَاwalāand not
كِتَٰبٍkitābina book
مُّنِيرٍmunīrinenlightening

Tafsir (commentary) of 31:20

Available in English, Bengali, Urdu, Arabic, Russian.

English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 31:20–21 together.

Reminder of Blessings Here

Allah reminds His creation of the blessings He bestows upon them in this world and the Hereafter. In the heavens He has subjugated for them the stars which give them light during the night and during the day, and He has created clouds, rain, snow and hail, and made the heavens a canopy which covers and protects them. On earth He has created for them stability and rivers, trees, crops and fruits; He has completed and perfected His graces upon them, apparent and hidden, by sending Messengers, revealing Books and removing doubts and excuses. Yet despite all this, not all the people believe, and indeed there are those who dispute concerning Allah, that is, His Tawhid, and His sending the Messengers. Their dispute is without knowledge and they have no sound evidence or valid inherited Book. Allah says:

ومِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يُجَـدِلُ فِى اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلاَ هُدًى وَلاَ كِتَـبٍ مُّنِيرٍ

(And among men is he who disputes about Allah, without knowledge or guidance, or a Book giving light (from Allah).) (22:8) meaning clear and unambiguous.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ

(And when it is said to them) means, to these people who dispute about the Oneness of Allah.

اتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ

("Follow that which Allah has sent down,") means, the pure Divine Laws that He has sent down to His Messengers,

قَالُواْ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَا

(they say: "Nay, we shall follow that which we found our fathers (following).") means, they have no other proof except the fact that they are following their forefathers. Allah says:

أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ءَابَاؤُهُمْ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ

(Even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided) (2:170) meaning, `what do you think, you who take the forefathers' deeds as proof, that they were misguided and you are following in their footsteps' Allah says:

أَوَلَوْ كَانَ الشَّيْطَـنُ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ

(Even if Shaytan invites them to the torment of the Fire)

Read the full Surah Luqman