وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا لُقْمَـٰنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ أَنِ ٱشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ 12
Translations
And We had certainly given Luqmān wisdom [and said], "Be grateful to Allāh." And whoever is grateful is grateful for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever denies [His favor] - then indeed, Allāh is Free of need and Praiseworthy.
Transliteration
Wa-laqad ātaynā Luqmāna al-ḥikmata an-i-shkur lillāh. Wa-man yashkur fa-innamā yashkuru li-nafsih. Wa-man kafara fa-inna Allāha ghaniyyun ḥamīd.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah granted Luqman wisdom and commanded him to be grateful to Allah, establishing gratitude as a cornerstone of the prophetic teachings he would impart to his son. The ayah emphasizes that gratitude benefits the grateful person themselves, not Allah, while ingratitude does not diminish Allah's perfection, as He is Self-Sufficient (Al-Ghani) and Praiseworthy (Al-Hamid). Ibn Kathir notes that Luqman's wisdom was not prophethood but rather moral and spiritual understanding, and this verse sets the foundation for his moral legacy recorded in Surah Luqman.
Revelation Context
This ayah opens the instruction section of Surah Luqman (a Meccan surah), establishing Luqman as a exemplary figure of moral wisdom rather than a prophet. The surah presents Luqman's teachings to his son as a model for believers, with gratitude to Allah positioned as the fundamental principle underlying all righteous conduct and wisdom.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Tirmidhi 3895), relating to Luqman's role as moral guide. Additionally, 'Whoever is not grateful to people is not grateful to Allah' (Tirmidhi 1954) connects gratitude as a moral principle.
Themes
Key Lesson
Gratitude is not merely a courtesy to Allah but a transformative practice that elevates the soul and leads to wisdom; ingratitude stems from spiritual poverty of heart, while recognizing Allah's Self-Sufficiency should inspire humility and thankfulness in all circumstances.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَآ ۚ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allāh has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that upon which we found our fathers." Even if Satan was inviting them to the punishment of the Blaze?
مَّا خَلْقُكُمْ وَلَا بَعْثُكُمْ إِلَّا كَنَفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ
Your creation and your resurrection will not be but as that of a single soul. Indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Seeing.
لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ
To Allāh belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth. Indeed, Allāh is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَـٰنُ لِٱبْنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَـٰبُنَىَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when Luqmān said to his son while he was instructing him, "O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allāh. Indeed, association [with Him] is great injustice."