SURAH LUQMAN, VERSES 10–12

We Look at the Sky, but What Do We See?

I want to ask you something.

Have you ever gone outside at night and gazed at the sky for a long time?

Not just for a second or two. Have you really looked, without picking up your phone or doing something else?

There are stars in the sky. There is the moon. Far away, there are planets and galaxies we cannot see.

And amid all of this, we live on a tiny world.

Now think.

What do we do when we want to hang a chandelier in our home? We attach a fitting to the ceiling. We use a screw. We use a wall plug. Because if we do not attach the chandelier to something, it will fall.

When we build a bridge, we calculate its supports. When we build a building, we calculate its columns and foundations.

So what do we see when we lift our heads and look at the sky?

There is no pillar we can see with our eyes.

There is no column.

There is no chain.

Yet there is an immense universe containing billions of stars.

This is where Allah draws our attention in verse 10 of Surah Luqman.

“He created the heavens without any pillars that you can see.”

Let us pause over this expression.

In Arabic, the expression bi-ghayri ‘amadin tarawnaha appears.

This expression draws attention to creation without any visible pillars. Qur’anic commentaries have explained it as the heavens having no pillars, or having no support that we can see.

Today, we can study the movements of celestial bodies scientifically.

We know about gravity.

We can calculate the orbits of planets.

We can explain the Earth’s movement around the Sun.

But there is a very important distinction here.

Does learning how something works mean we have answered every question about its existence?

For example, we know how rain forms.

Water evaporates, condenses in the atmosphere, and precipitation occurs under suitable conditions.

But when we learn how rain forms, have we exhausted its value in our lives?

No.

On the contrary, the more we learn, the more there is for us to think about.

The Qur’an does not teach us the equations of planetary motion like a science textbook.

It invites us to reflect on the things we see.

Now let us ask ourselves a question here.

When we look at the sky, do we see only the stars?

Or do we also ask the bigger questions those stars bring to mind?

Sometimes People Mistake Explanation for Complete Understanding

Imagine someone picking up a mobile phone.

They open it up.

They examine its processor.

They examine its battery.

They learn about its electronic circuits.

They even know how every part of the phone works.

Now, because this person has learned how the phone works, do they automatically also know why it was made, who designed it, and for what purpose?

No.

These are different questions.

One asks how it works.

The other asks why it exists and what purpose it was made for.

We need to make this distinction when reflecting on creation as well.

Science offers us very valuable knowledge about how nature works.

The Qur’an asks us to remember Allah, life, and our responsibilities by reflecting on these things.

We do not need to see these two as enemies.

A person can both learn science and ask deeper questions about what they have learned.

In fact, in my view, one of the questions people should ask themselves as they learn is this:

“How much do I really know?”

Because as our knowledge grows, we can also recognize the vastness of what we do not know.

Human beings who once looked at the sky and could see a few thousand stars now use telescopes to study a universe containing billions of galaxies.

So what does all this teach us?

At the very least, it teaches us this:

Human knowledge can develop, but human knowledge is not limitless.

And this is precisely the point that can bring us closer to wisdom.

Because being able to admit what we do not know is also an important form of maturity.

Mountains, the Earth, and the World Human Beings Cannot Control

The verse goes on to speak of mountains.

“He placed firm mountains on the earth so that it would not shake you.”

The word rawasiya appears here.

It is an expression used to mean settled, fixed, firmly standing mountains.

The verse connects mountains with the earth and people’s ability to live there.

Now let us also make a scientific distinction correctly.

The existence of mountains does not mean that there will never be earthquakes in the world, or that mountains prevent all earthquakes.

We know that mountain formation and earthquakes can be related to the same tectonic processes.

So we should try to understand the verse without turning it into a scientifically incorrect claim.

But there is an important issue the verse prompts us to consider.

How much can human beings control the earth they live on?

An earthquake happens.

A volcano becomes active.

A great storm breaks out.

A flood comes.

And suddenly, human beings see the limits of their own power.

Think about it: technology has advanced enormously today.

We send spacecraft into space.

We descend into the depths of the oceans.

We develop artificial intelligence systems.

But sometimes, a few hours of heavy rainfall can bring life in our cities to a halt.

The power goes out.

Roads close.

Communication systems are disrupted.

We are not belittling human technological achievements here.

On the contrary, we should use this knowledge to protect human life.

But we should not forget this either:

Having power in one area does not mean having power over everything.

Sometimes people see their own power as greater than it is.

Then, when they encounter an event they cannot control, they realize how limited they are.

At such times, we need to learn not only to fear, but also to think.

Are we using the knowledge we have to build safer buildings?

Are we planning our cities properly?

Are we taking the workings of nature into account?

Or are we ignoring known truths for our own interests?

Because possessing knowledge and using it properly are not the same thing.

And this will shortly lead us to the wisdom given to Luqman.

What a Drop of Water Makes Us Think About

Now let us look at the rest of the verse.

Allah states that He spread various living creatures across the earth.

Then He says that He sent down water from the sky and, with that water, caused plants of beautiful, valuable kinds to grow.

The expression zawjin karim appears here.

The word zawj has a range of meanings including mate, pair, kind, and variety.

Karim carries the meanings of valuable, beautiful, and precious.

So the verse is not merely speaking of two plants. It also draws attention to the diversity and value of plants.

Now think of a glass of water.

It seems very ordinary to us.

We turn on the tap, and water flows.

We go to the shop and buy bottled water.

But think for a moment.

What would happen if there were no water?

How would farming be possible?

How would animals live?

How would human beings live?

Now think about soil as well.

You take a handful of soil.

You place a seed in it.

When the right temperature, water, and other conditions come together, the seed sprouts.

It takes root.

It grows.

And eventually, a plant emerges.

People can study this process.

They can investigate the structure of the seed.

They can learn how the plant obtains nourishment.

They can even change its growing conditions.

But all this knowledge also shows us something:

Life continues within many interconnected conditions.

And human beings have not brought all these conditions into existence on their own.

Now let us bring this into our daily lives.

When we sit down at the table, sometimes all we see is the food.

A plate of bread, some vegetables, a glass of water.

But what happened before it reached that table?

The soil was cultivated.

The seed was sown.

Rain fell, or irrigation was provided.

The plant grew.

The crop was harvested.

It was transported.

It was prepared.

And it came before us.

What an enormous process lies behind a single bite of bread.

So how much do we think about this?

Perhaps what we call gratitude begins right here.

With not treating what we have as ordinary.

Does Rain Revive Only the Soil?

There is a very beautiful connection in the commentary you shared here.

An analogy is drawn between rain reviving the soil and revelation reviving the human heart.

This is not a sentence the verse states directly; it is an interpretive reflection we can think about.

But it is truly meaningful.

Now imagine a patch of earth.

It has not rained for a long time.

The soil has dried out.

It has cracked.

The plants have withered.

Then rain falls.

The soil meets water.

And, over time, it begins to turn green again.

Could something similar happen in a person’s world of thought?

It could.

A person may live for years with the same mistaken idea.

They may think everything they have been taught is true.

They may never question it.

Then one day, they read a verse.

They hear something.

They experience an event.

And for the first time, they ask themselves this question:

“Could I be thinking wrongly?”

Sometimes the most important change in a person’s life begins with this question.

Because as long as people cannot admit that they are thinking wrongly, they struggle to correct their mistakes.

Here, we can recall the subject of rain and the earth’s revival that we discussed in Surah Ar-Rum.

But this time, let us consider the matter from another angle.

Soil needs water.

So what does human thought need?

Accurate knowledge.

Reflection.

Questioning.

The search for truth.

And sometimes, enough humility to question what we think we know.

Because the human mind, too, can dry out within habits.

Someone who listens to the same things every day, repeats the same ideas, and never considers a different view may gradually begin to think their own view is the absolute truth.

Yet having wisdom is not merely repeating what we know.

It is thinking again when necessary.

Luqman, Verse 11: What Do Human Beings Really Create?

Now let us come to verse 11.

Allah says:

“This is Allah’s creation. Now show Me what those other than Him have created. No, the wrongdoers are clearly astray.”

Notice that Allah asks a very striking question here.

“What I have created is before you. So what have those you accept as gods besides Him created?”

Let us think about this question for a moment.

We look at what human beings make today.

They build airplanes.

They build computers.

They develop artificial intelligence.

They conduct genetic research.

They produce robots.

These are truly great achievements.

So how do human beings do these things?

They use existing materials.

They benefit from existing physical properties.

They learn the laws of nature.

They bring together what they have learned to produce new things.

There is an important distinction here between human production and Allah’s creation.

When people make a machine, they use existing materials and possibilities.

The creation the Qur’an attributes to Allah concerns the ultimate source of existence.

Of course, people may also say in everyday language that they have created something new. But the question the verse asks points to something more fundamental than designing a product.

Now imagine an engineer.

They have developed a highly successful robot.

The robot speaks, moves, and perceives its surroundings.

It can even calculate faster than a human in some areas.

So what did the engineer who developed this robot do?

They used existing materials, energy, knowledge, and physical processes.

We are not belittling this achievement.

But we cannot say that the question of the source of all existence has also been answered.

This is where verse 11 takes us.

A person may work out how something operates. But can they claim to be the owner of that system’s entire existence?

The verse directly addresses attributing divinity to others besides Allah.

By pointing to Allah’s creation, it invites people to question this claim.

And a very important word is used here.

Wrongdoers.

Why wrongdoers?

Because the issue here is not merely having incorrect information, but attributing to someone else what belongs to Allah.

In the commentary you shared, wrongdoing is explained as putting something outside its proper place.

Let us think about this explanation.

What happens when we put something in the wrong place?

Think of medicine, for example.

The right medicine, used in the right dose, can be beneficial.

But if it is used in the wrong situation or in the wrong amount, it can cause harm.

Knowledge is like this too.

So is power.

So is authority.

Everything has its place, its limit, and its responsibility.

Giving other beings the creative divinity that belongs to Allah is one of the fundamental errors criticized by the verse.

We can draw a lesson for our own lives from this as well.

Do we attempt to exercise authority that does not belong to us?

Do we make definitive judgments on matters we do not know?

Do we see our limited knowledge as limitless?

Because one of the greatest human errors is sometimes forgetting one’s own limits.

Luqman, Verse 12: Why Does Knowledge Not Lead Everyone to What Is Right?

Now we have reached a very important part of the surah.

Verse 12.

“We had certainly given Luqman wisdom: Be grateful to Allah. Whoever is grateful is grateful only for their own good. And whoever is ungrateful, surely Allah is in need of nothing, worthy of praise.”

Pay attention.

Allah says that He gave Luqman wisdom.

Then He tells him to be grateful.

But why?

What is the relationship between wisdom and gratitude?

To find the answer to this question, let us first ask another question.

If someone knows a great deal, are they necessarily a righteous person?

They are not.

For example, someone may be an excellent chemist.

They may know a great deal about chemistry.

But they can use this knowledge either to benefit people or to harm them.

Someone may be an excellent programmer.

They can develop programs that make people’s lives easier.

But with the same knowledge, they can also build systems intended to defraud people.

So knowledge alone is not enough.

The purpose for which knowledge is used also matters.

This is where wisdom comes before us.

The commentary you shared offers a very meaningful explanation of wisdom:

Being able to see a part within the whole to which it belongs.

Let us pause over this sentence.

Because it has a very important application in human life.

Imagine a doctor.

If they make a decision based on only one of their patient’s test results, they may be mistaken.

They must also assess the patient’s other findings, history, medications, and general condition.

In other words, they must understand a single part within the whole.

Is life not like this as well?

Sometimes we judge our entire lives by looking at a single event.

Something goes wrong for us.

We say, “Nothing ever goes right for me.”

Someone wrongs us.

We say, “No one can be trusted.”

One of our wishes is not fulfilled.

We say, “Nothing good ever happens in my life.”

But is that really so?

Or are we looking at one part of our lives and making a judgment about the whole?

This is where we need to think wisely.

But let us not forget something very important.

We cannot always see the whole picture.

We cannot know every cause and consequence of an event.

Sometimes, even after years have passed, we may not understand why something happened to us.

So we should not claim that behind every painful event there must be a particular good that we can discover.

Because we do not know.

But acknowledging that we do not know can also be part of wisdom.

This is one of the places where faith and wisdom meet.

A person can say:

“My Allah, I do not know everything. I cannot see everything. But I trust Your knowledge. Give me the reason, patience, and understanding to do what is right.”

This approach does not distance a person from responsibility.

On the contrary, it can lead them to act more carefully in the face of what they do not know.

If Wisdom Has Been Given, Why Is Gratitude Required?

Now let us look again at this expression in the verse:

“Be grateful to Allah.”

It is very meaningful that the command to give thanks follows the wisdom given to Luqman.

Because possessing knowledge can also make people arrogant.

Someone learns a little.

Then they begin to look down on everyone.

“I know; they do not.”

“I understand; they do not.”

“My view is right; the others are wrong.”

But has this person truly gained wisdom?

I think there is a serious problem here.

Because if what they have learned does not make them more careful, more responsible, and more humble, they need to question what effect that knowledge is having on them.

Look, we are not saying that possessing knowledge is bad.

Quite the opposite.

We will learn.

We will research.

We will read.

We will question.

But we will also think about what we use our knowledge for.

For example, Allah may have given someone an excellent ability to speak.

This person can use their speech to turn people against one another.

They can spread lies.

They can deceive people.

But they can also use the same ability to reconcile people, explain accurate information, and encourage goodness.

The ability is the same.

Where is the difference?

In how it is used.

This is one aspect of wisdom.

Using the opportunity we have been given in the right place.

And here, gratitude ceases to be merely a word that comes from our mouths.

It is reflected in our lives.

A person using their reason properly, bearing the responsibility of their knowledge, and not abusing their power can be understood as ways gratitude is reflected in actions.

What Does Gratitude Give Allah?

Now let us come to the final part of the verse.

“Whoever is grateful is grateful for their own good. And whoever is ungrateful, Allah is in need of nothing, worthy of praise.”

A very fundamental truth is explained here.

Allah does not need our gratitude.

When we give thanks, Allah’s greatness does not increase.

When we do not give thanks, Allah’s greatness does not decrease.

So why is gratitude important?

Because gratitude concerns our lives.

Imagine a person.

They have learned a great deal.

They have become very successful.

But now they listen to no one.

They think they cannot learn anything from anyone.

They forget the help they have received.

They forget the people who nurtured them.

They forget those who contributed to their success.

What happens after a while?

They place only themselves at the center of their world.

This helps us understand how ingratitude can distort a person’s thinking.

Gratitude, on the other hand, reminds people of the opportunities they have.

It prompts them to think about where they have come from, the conditions in which they live, whom they have received help from, and the blessings that sustain their lives.

Here we can also recall verse 7 of Surah Ibrahim.

Allah states that He will increase His blessings when people give thanks.

But let us not think of this only as having more money, a larger house, or more possessions.

Because gratitude is not a transaction that guarantees material wealth.

There may be different aspects to an increase in blessings.

Making better use of what one has, using it properly, and recognizing the beautiful things in one’s life can also be considered when reflecting on this subject.

Finally: What Have People Learned, and How Have They Changed?

Now let us consider the three verses together.

In verse 10, Allah showed us the sky.

He showed us the mountains.

He showed us living creatures.

He showed us rain and plants.

In verse 11, He asked:

“What I have created is before you. So what have those you accept as gods besides Me created?”

In verse 12, He described the wisdom given to Luqman and gratitude.

There is a very beautiful flow of thought here.

First, we look at existence.

Then we question the source of existence.

Next, we think about our responsibility toward the knowledge and opportunities we have been given.

Here is the question I want someone who reads these three verses to ask themselves:

Am I merely someone living in this world, or am I also someone trying to think about the meaning of the life I live?

Because living is one thing; being aware that you are living is another.

Knowing is one thing; using what you know properly is another.

Seeing something is one thing; reflecting on what you see is another.

And perhaps most importantly…

Benefiting from Allah’s blessings is one thing; bearing responsibility for those blessings is another.

Every day, we learn new things.

We develop new technologies.

We make new discoveries.

But at the end of all this, can we become more just, more compassionate, and more responsible people?

This is what we need to question.

Because what people do with their knowledge matters as much as how much they know.

After this lesson today, let us look at the sky again.

Let us reflect while drinking a glass of water.

Let us reflect while eating a bite of bread.

Let us reflect when we learn something.

And let us ask ourselves:

“What am I using this opportunity Allah has given me for?”

Perhaps the first thing we need to change in our lives is not the amount of opportunities we have.

It is how we look at them.

Because knowledge shows people what they can do. Wisdom prompts them to consider what they should do, why, and how. Gratitude reminds them of the responsibility they bear toward all these opportunities.

Let us keep this in mind as we move from verse 12 to verse 13 of Surah Luqman.

Allah gives Luqman wisdom.

So how does Luqman use this wisdom?

In the next verse, he begins advising his son.

There is a very beautiful continuity here.

Wisdom does not remain knowledge kept only within a person.

It turns into advice passed on to the next generation.

And now let us ask ourselves one final question:

Will we leave our children and those who come after us only our possessions, or will we also be able to leave them wisdom that helps them live their lives rightly?