Luqman 31:13–24

Luqman's Advice to His Son

Allah tells us how Luqman advised his son. His full name was Luqman bin `Anqa' bin Sadun, and his son's name was Tharan, according to a saying quoted by As-Suhayli. Allah describes him in the best terms, and states that he granted him wisdom. Luqman advised his son, the closest and most beloved of all people to him, who deserved to be given the best of his knowledge. So, Luqman started by advising him to worship Allah Alone, and not to associate anything with Him. Then he warned him:

إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ

(Verily, joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.) meaning, it is the greatest wrong. Al-Bukhari recorded that `Abdullah said: "When the Ayah

الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ

(It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm)(6:82) was revealed, the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were distressed by this, and said, `Who among us does not confuse his belief with Zulm' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِذَاكَ، أَلَا تَسْمَعُ إِلَى قَوْلِ لُقْمَانَ:

يَبُنَىَّ لاَ تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ»

(That is not what it means. Have you not heard what Luqman said: (O my son! Join not in worship others with Allah. Verily, joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed))" It was recorded by Muslim. When Luqman advised his son to worship Allah Alone, he also told him to honor his parents. This is like the Ayah,

وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّهُ وَبِالْوَلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَناً

(And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents) (17:23). These two things are often mentioned together in the Qur'an. Allah says here:

وَوَصَّيْنَا الإِنْسَنَ بِوَلِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْناً عَلَى وَهْنٍ

(And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship,) Mujahid said: "The hardship of bearing the child." Qatadah said: "Exhaustion upon exhaustion." `Ata' Al-Khurasani said: "Weakness upon weakness."

وَفِصَالُهُ فِى عَامَيْنِ

(and his weaning is in two years) means, after he is born, he is breastfed and weaned within two years. This is like the Ayah,

وَالْوَلِدَتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَدَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ

(The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years, for those who desire to complete the term of suckling)(2:233). On this basis, Ibn `Abbas and other Imams understood that the shortest possible period of pregnancy was six months, because Allah says elsewhere:

وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَلُهُ ثَلاَثُونَ شَهْراً

(and the bearing of him, and the weaning of him is thirty months) (46:15). Allah mentions how the mother brings the child up, and how she gets tired and suffers stress from staying up with the child night and day, to remind the son of her previous kind treatment of him. This is like the Ayah,

وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًا

(and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.") (17:24). Allah says here:

أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ

(give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination.) means, `I will reward you most generously for that.'

وَإِن جَهَدَاكَ عَلَى أَن تُشْرِكَ بِى مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلاَ تُطِعْهُمَا

(But if they strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not;) means, if they try hard to make you follow them in their religion, then do not accept that from them, but do not let that stop you from behaving with them in the world kindly, i.e. treating them with respect.

وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَىَّ

(and follow the path of him who turns to Me in repentance and in obedience.) means, the believers.

ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

(Then to Me will be your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do.) At-Tabarani recorded in Al-`Ishrah that Sa`d bin Malik said, "This Ayah,

وَإِن جَهَدَاكَ عَلَى أَن تُشْرِكَ بِى مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلاَ تُطِعْهُمَا

(But if they strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not;) was revealed concerning me. I was a man who honored his mother, but when I became Muslim, she said: `O Sa`d! What is this new thing I see you doing Leave this religion of yours, or I will not eat or drink until I die, and people will say: Shame on you, for what you have done to me, and they will say that you have killed your mother.' I said, `Do not do that, O mother, for I will not give up this religion of mine for anything.' She stayed without eating for one day and one night, and she became exhausted; then she stayed for another day and night without eating, and she became utterly exhausted. When I saw that, I said: `O my mother, by Allah, even if you had one hundred souls and they were to depart one by one, I would not give up this religion of mine for anything, so if you want to, eat, and if you want to, do not eat.' So she ate."

This is useful advice which Allah tells us Luqman gave, so that people may follow it and take it as"See the full heading "This is useful advice which Allah tells us Luqman gave, so thatpeople may follow it and take it as a good example

He said:

يبُنَىَّ إِنَّهَآ 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.

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 الْقِيَمَةِ فَلاَ تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئاً

(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 يَعْمَلْ 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:

يبُنَىَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلَوةَ

(O my son! Perform the Salah,) meaning, offer the prayer properly at the appointed times.

وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ

(enjoin the good, and forbid the evil,) meaning, to the best of your ability and strength.

وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَآ أَصَابَكَ

(and bear with patience whatever befalls you.) Luqman knew that whoever enjoins what is good and forbids what is evil, will inevitably encounter harm and annoyance from people, so he told him to be patient.

إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الاٍّمُورِ

(Verily, these are some of the important commandments.) means, being patient when people cause harm or annoyance is one of the most important commandments.

وَلاَ تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ

(And turn not your face away from men with pride) means, `do not turn your face away from people when you speak to them or they speak to you, looking down on them in an arrogant fashion. Rather be gentle towards them and greet them with a cheerful face,' as it says in the Hadith:

«وَلَوْ أَنْ تَلْقَى أَخَاكَ وَوَجْهُكَ إِلَيْهِ مُنْبَسِطٌ، وَإِيَّاكَ وَإِسْبَالَ الْإِزَارِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنَ الْمَخِيلَةِ، وَالْمَخِيلَةُ لَا يُحِبُّهَا الله»

(... even if it is only by greeting your brother with a cheerful countenance. And beware of letting your lower garment trail below your ankles, for this is a kind of boasting, and Allah does not like boasting.)

وَلاَ تَمْشِ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مَرَحًا

(nor walk in insolence through the earth.) means, `do not be boastful, arrogant, proud and stubborn. Do not do that, for Allah will hate you.' So he said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ

(Verily, Allah likes not any arrogant boaster.) meaning, one who shows off and admires himself, feeling that he is better than others. And Allah says:

وَلاَ تَمْشِ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّكَ لَن تَخْرِقَ الاٌّرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ الْجِبَالَ طُولاً

(And walk not on the earth with conceit and arrogance. Verily, you can neither rend nor penetrate the earth nor can you attain a stature like the mountains in height.) (17:37). We have already discussed this is detail in the appropriate place.

The Command to be Moderate in Walking

وَاقْصِدْ فِى مَشْيِكَ

(And be moderate in your walking,) means, walk in a moderate manner, neither slow and lazy nor excessively fast, but be moderate, somewhere in between these two extremes.

وَاغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ

(and lower your voice.) means, do not exaggerate in your speaking and do not raise your voice unnecessarily. Allah says:

إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الاٌّصْوَتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ

(Verily, the harshest of all voices is the braying of the asses.) Mujahid and others said, "The most ugly of voices is the voice of the donkey, i.e., when a person raises his voice, the resulting noise is like the voice of a donkey in its loudness. Moreover this is hateful to Allah. Likening a loud voice to that of a donkey implies that it is forbidden and extremely blameworthy, because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«لَيْسَ لَنَا مَثَلُ السُّوءِ، الْعَائِدُ فِي هِبَتِهِ كَالْكَلْبِ يَقِيءُ ثُمَّ يَعُودُ فِي قَيْئِه»

(It is not befitting us to be an evil parable. The person who takes back his gift, he is like a dog that vomits and then goes back to his vomit.)

The Advice of Luqman

This is very useful advice, which the Qur'an tells us about Luqman. Many other proverbs and words of advice were also narrated from him, some examples of which we will quote below, as basic principles: Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«إِنَّ لُقْمَانَ الْحَكِيمَ كَانَ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ اللهَ إِذَا اسْتَوْدَعَ شَيْئًا حَفِظَه»

(Luqman the Wise used to say: when something is entrusted to the care of Allah, He protects it.) It was narrated that As-Sari bin Yahya said: "Luqman said to his son: `Wisdom puts the poor in the company of kings."' It was also narrated that `Awn bin `Abdullah said: "Luqman said to his son: `O my son! When you come to a gathering of people, greet them with Salam, then sit at the edge of the group, and do not speak until you see that they have finished speaking. Then if they remember Allah, join them, but if they speak of anything else, then leave them and go to another group'."

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:

(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.

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

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

(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:

(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:

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

(while he is a Muhsin) i.e., doing what his Lord has commanded and abstaining from what He has forbidden,

(then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold.) means, he has received a firm promise from Allah that He will not punish him.

(And to Allah return all matters for decision. And whoever disbelieves, let not his disbelief grieve you.) means, `do not grieve over them, O Muhammad, because they disbelieve in Allah and in the Message you have brought, for their return will be to Allah and He will tell them what they used to do,' i.e., He will punish them for it.

(Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of what is in the breasts.) and nothing whatsoever is hidden from Him. Then Allah says:

(We let them enjoy for a little while,) means, in this world,

(then in the end We shall oblige them) means, `We shall cause them,'

(to (enter) a great torment.) means, a torment that is terrifying and difficult to bear. This is like the Ayah,

("Verily, those who invent a lie against Allah, will never be successful." Enjoyment in this world! and then unto Us will be their return, then We shall make them taste the severest torment because they used to disbelieve.) (10:69-70)