Quran Universe
31:20

أَلَمۡ تَرَوۡاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَأَسۡبَغَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعَمَهُۥ ظَٰهِرَةٗ وَبَاطِنَةٗۗ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَٰدِلُ فِي ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖ وَلَا هُدٗى وَلَا كِتَٰبٖ مُّنِيرٖ

Alam taraw anna Allaha sakhkhara lakum ma fee alssamawati wama fee alardi waasbagha AAalaykum niAAamahu thahiratan wabatinatan wamina alnnasi man yujadilu fee Allahi bighayri AAilmin wala hudan wala kitabin muneerin

Do you not see that Allah 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 Allah without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book [from Him].

Word by word
  1. أَلَمۡDo not
  2. تَرَوۡاْyou see
  3. أَنَّthat
  4. ٱللَّهَAllah
  5. سَخَّرَhas subjected
  6. لَكُمto you
  7. مَّاwhatever
  8. فِي(is) in
  9. ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِthe heavens
  10. وَمَاand whatever
  11. فِي(is) in
  12. ٱلۡأَرۡضِthe earth
  13. وَأَسۡبَغَand amply bestowed
  14. عَلَيۡكُمۡupon you
  15. نِعَمَهُۥHis Bounties
  16. ظَٰهِرَةٗapparent
  17. وَبَاطِنَةٗۗand hidden
  18. وَمِنَBut of
  19. ٱلنَّاسِthe people
  20. مَن(is he) who
  21. يُجَٰدِلُdisputes
  22. فِيabout
  23. ٱللَّهِAllah
  24. بِغَيۡرِwithout
  25. عِلۡمٖknowledge
  26. وَلَاand not
  27. هُدٗىguidance
  28. وَلَاand not
  29. كِتَٰبٖa book
  30. مُّنِيرٖenlightening
Luqman · 31:20Makkah

Everything is put at your service. Still some argue.

Favours seen and unseen

What He gave
in the heavensstars, clouds, rain
on the earthrivers, crops, fruits
hidden favoursMessengers, Books
The response
favours, apparent and hiddenpoured out
yet
dispute about Allahno knowledge, no proof

Ibn Kathir lists the stars, rain, rivers, crops and fruits, and also the hidden favours: Messengers and Books that remove doubts. Yet some still dispute about Allah without knowledge or proof.

The phone in your hand runs on materials from the earth. The water from your tap came down as rain. The reminder that reached you today is a hidden favour too. Arguing comes easily. Noticing takes a pause.

I have questions, so I can wave the whole thing away.

The favours around me are evidence too, if I stop to count them.

Try this

List five favours you used today without thinking, including one that is not physical.

Related22:8
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

See you not that Allah has subjected for you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth, and has completed and perfected His graces upon you, apparent and hidden? Yet of mankind is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or a Book giving light (20)And when it is said to them: "Follow that which Allah has sent down," they say: "Nay, we shall follow that which we found our fathers (following)." Even if Shaytan invites them to the torment of the Fire (21)

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:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُجَادِلُ فِي اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَابٍ مُنِيرٍ 

(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 لَهُمُ

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

اتَّبِعُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ

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

قَالُوا بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا

(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 آبَاؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْئًا وَلَا 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 الشَّيْطَانُ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ

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