Al-Qur'an Surah Luqman Verse 16

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(Luqmān went on saying to his son,) “My dear son, in fact, if there be anything to the measure of a grain of rye, and it be (hidden) in a rock or in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Surely, Allah is All-Fine, All-Aware.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹Luqmân  added,˺ “O my dear son! ˹Even˺ if a deed were the weight of a mustard seed—be it ˹hidden˺ in a rock or in the heavens or the earth—Allah will bring it forth. Surely Allah is Most Subtle, All-Aware.

Ruwwad Translation Center

[Luqmān said], “O my dear son, even if a deed were the weight of a mustard seed – whether in a rock or in the heavens or in the earth – Allah will bring it forth. Indeed, Allah is Most Subtle, All-Aware.

A. J. Arberry

'O my son, if it should be but the weight of one grain of mustard-seed, and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, God shall bring it forth; surely God is All-subtle, All-aware.

Abdul Haleem

[And Luqman continued], ‘My son, if even the weight of a mustard seed were hidden in a rock or anywhere in the heavens or earth, God would bring it [to light], for He is all subtle and all aware.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

O my son! though it be but the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and though it be in a rock or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah shall bring it forth. Verily Allah is subtile, Aware.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"O my son!" (said Luqman), "If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed and it were (hidden) in a rock, or (anywhere) in the heavens or on earth, Allah will bring it forth; for Allah understands the finest mysteries, (and) is well-acquainted (with them).

Abul Ala Maududi

(Luqman said): “Son, Allah will bring forth everything even if it be as small as the grain of a mustard seed even though it be hidden inside a rock or (anywhere) in the heavens or earth. Allah is Most Subtle, All-Aware.

Ahmed Ali

"O my son, whatsoever it may be, even though equal to a mustard seed in weight, or within a rock or in the sky or in the earth, God will bring it forth. Verily God is perceptive, all-aware.

Ahmed Raza Khan

“O my son! If the evil deed is equal to the weight of a mustard-seed, and even if it is in a rock, or in the heavens, or wherever in the earth, Allah will bring it forth; indeed Allah knows all the minutest things, the All Aware.”

Ali Quli Qarai

‘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 all-attentive, all-aware.

Ali Ünal

"My dear son! Whether good or evil, if a deed should have the weight of only a mustard-seed, and though it be kept hidden in a rock, in the heavens or in the earth, God brings it to light (for judgment). Surely God is All-Subtle (penetrating to the most minute dimensions of all things), All-Aware.

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Luqmân continued,) `My dear son! even if it (-the deed, good or bad) be as little as the weight of a grain of a mustard seed and even though it be hidden in (the hard layers of) a rock or in (the lofty heights of) the heavens or in (the dark womb of) the earth, Allâh is sure to bring it (to light and take an account of it). Verily, Allâh is the Knower of all subtleties (and all hidden secrets) and is All-Aware.

English Literal

(Lukman said): "You my son, that it truly is, if (it) be a weight (of) a seed/grain from mustard , so (it) was/be in a rock or in the skies/space or in the earth/Planet Earth, God comes with it, that truly God is kind/courteous , expert/experienced ."

Faridul Haque

“O my son! If the evil deed is equal to the weight of a mustard-seed, and even if it is in a rock, or in the heavens, or wherever in the earth, Allah will bring it forth; indeed Allah knows all the minutest things, the All Aware.”

Hamid S. Aziz

"But if they strive with you to make you ascribe unto Me partners of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. Consort with them in the world with kindness, and follow the way of him who turns repentant unto Me. Then unto Me is your return, and I will inform you of that which you used to do.

Hilali & Khan

"O my son! If it be (anything) equal to the weight of a grain of mustard seed, and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Verily, Allah is Subtle (in bringing out that grain), Well-Aware (of its place).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And We have enjoined on man concerning his parents -- his mother bears him with faintings upon faintings and his weaning takes two years -- saying: Give thanks to Me and to thy parents. To Me is the eventual coming.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

O my son! surely if it is the very weight of the grain of a mustard-seed, even though it is in (the heart of) rock, or (high above) in the heaven or (deep down) in the earth, Allah will bring it (to light); surely Allah is Knower of subtleties, Aware;

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

O my dear son! Lo! though it be but the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Lo! Allah is Subtile, Aware.

Muhammad Sarwar

"My son, God keeps the records of all the good and evil deeds, even if they are as small as a grain of mustard seed, hidden in a rock or in the heavens or the earth. God is subtle and All-aware.

Qaribullah & Darwish

(Lokman said:) 'My son, if it should be but the weight of one grain of mustardseed, and though it be on a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah shall bring it. Surely, Allah is the Subtle, Aware.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"O my son! If it be (anything) equal to the weight of a grain of mustard seed, and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens or on the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Verily, Allah is Subtle, Well-Aware."

Wahiduddin Khan

[Luqman further said,] "O my son! Though it be but the weight of a grain of mustard seed and though it be hidden in a rock, or in the heavens or on the earth, God will bring it forth. Truly, God is the knower of all subtleties and He is aware.

Talal Itani

“O my son, even if it were the weight of a mustard-seed, in a rock, or in the heavens, or on earth, God will bring it to light. God is Kind and Expert.

Tafsir jalalayn

`O my son! Even if it, namely, the evil trait, should be the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and [even if] it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, in other words, in the most concealed place therein, God will bring it forth, and He will call [that person] to account for it. Truly God is Subtle, in bringing it forth, Aware, of its location.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

This is useful advice which Allah tells us Luqman gave, so that people may follow it and take it as a good example.

He said;

يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّهَا إِن تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ

O my son!

If it be (anything) equal to the weight of a grain of mustard seed,

means, if a wrong action or a sin be equal to the size of a grain of mustard seed.

...
فَتَكُن فِي صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ أَوْ فِي الاَْرْضِ

and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens or on the earth, Allah will bring it forth.

...
يَأْتِ بِهَا اللَّهُ

Allah will bring it forth.

means, He will bring it forth on the Day of Resurrection, when it is placed in the Scales of justice and everyone is rewarded or punished for his actions -- if they are good, he will be rewarded and if they are bad he will be punished.

This is like the Ayat;

وَنَضَعُ الْمَوَزِينَ الْقِسْطَ لِيَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ فَلَ تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْياً

And We shall set up Balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. (21;47)

فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْراً يَرَهُ

وَمَن يَعْـمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرّاً يَرَهُ

So, whosoever does good equal to the weight of a speck of dust shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of a speck of dust shall see it. (99;7-8)

Even if this tiny thing were to be hidden inside a solid rock or anywhere in the heavens and the earth, Allah will bring it forth, because nothing is hidden from Him, not even the weight of a speck of dust in the heavens or on the earth.

Allah says;

...
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌ

Verily, Allah is Subtle, Well-Aware.

meaning, His knowledge is subtle, for nothing is hidden from Him, no matter how small, subtle and minute.

خَبِيرٌ
(Well-Aware), even of the footsteps of an ant in the darkest night.

Then he (Luqman) said;