O My Son Even If It Is the Weight of a Mustard Seed — The Precision of the Divine Scale
tadabbur
Level: basic
akhirah
td-318
مِثۡقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنۡ خَرۡدَلٍ
— لقمان 16
Verse: "O my son, even if it were the weight of a mustard seed, and it were in a rock, in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth." (31:16) — The smallest unit of measure known to Arabs = a mustard seed. Hidden in a rock — the deepest of rocks. In the heavens — the farthest distances. In the earth — depths of soil. "Allah will bring it forth" — presents it on the Day of Judgment. Nothing is lost. Educational context: Luqman teaches his son that Allah sees everything — do not think a secret is secret from Allah. Lesson: an atom of good is not lost — and an atom of evil is not forgotten.
Source: Ibn Kathir (6/336); Al-Sadi
Question: What is the educational purpose of Luqman's mention of "a mustard seed in a rock"?
Answer: Teaching that Allah sees everything however small or hidden — nothing is secret from Allah and every deed will be accounted for.