Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim.

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alamîn . The Only Owner of the Day of Recompense. You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help. Guide us to the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace , not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray .

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30: (Luqman)- Luqman

(Luqman)

No. 31 (Revealed at Mecca)

34 Verses in 4 Sections

Luqmān (: لُقْمَان) is the 31st chapter (surah) of the Muslim holy book, the quran. It is composed of 34 verses (ayat) and takes its title from the mention of the sage in verses 12–19. It was, according to islamic traditional chronology (asbab al-nuzul), revealed in the middle of muhammad's  meccan period, and is thus usually classified as a meccan surah.

The focus of this sura, once broken down into its many elements, can be seen as emphasizing principles of moderation. The sura uses the mustard seed analogy to emphasize the degree to which God maintains his purview over man's actions, possibly emphasizing the fact that any evil or good deed no matter how small is recorded and will be brought out by Allah in the day of judgement. A final point of focus for Sura 31 comes down to the purpose of God's creation. 31:29 and 31:20 show how God's intention through creation was to better mankind, and his signs are theoretically everywhere, from rain to vegetation. This emphasis once again reminds people of their subservience to Allah while also driving home the idea that man is meant to do good on Earth. Man's purpose is to serve God, while the Earth has been created in order to facilitate man's needs.

Feature of the surah

This is one of Meccan Suras, and it is called Luqman because of the existence of Luqman's name in this Surah. It is among the sixth Suras which begin with abbreviated letters: A.L.M.

The content of Surah Luqman can be summarized briefly in the following instances:

1- The statement of the greatness and importance of the Holy Qur'an concerning the guidance of humankind.

2- The division of human beings into the benevolent and the tyrant, and the statement of their fate.

3- The advice and wise teachings of Luqman to his son.

4- The reasons for the Faith in Origin and Resurrection.

5- The statement of Allah's particular knowledge, such as: the time of every one's death and the time of the occurrence of Resurrection.

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Virtues

We recite in a tradition narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (as) that he said:

"Whoever recites Surah Luqman at night Allah ordains thirty angels to protect him during the night until morning from Satan and his army, and if he recites it in daytime these angels protect him from Satan and his army until evening."

We have repeatedly said, and now we emphatically say again, that the recitation of a Surah as the cause of these many virtues, divine rewards, and honour is for the sake that recitation is a preliminary for contemplation, and a thinking which in turn is a preliminary for action. Therefore, we must not expect those abundant virtues for a mere recitation.

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Benefits

This Surah is 'makki' and it has 34 ayaat. Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) has said that if Surah Luqman is recited at night, then angels protect the reciter from Iblees and his army until the next morning, and if recited in the daytime then the angels protect from them him until nighttime.

It is narrated from the Holy Prophet (S) that whoever recites this Surah will be raised on the Day of Judgement with Hadhrat Luqman (a.s.) and will get the reward which is ten times the amount of people who have advised others to do good (amr-bil-ma'ruf) and prevented them from doing bad (nahy-'anil-munkar).

Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) has also said that writing this Surah and then putting it in water to dissolve and then drinking the water provides for a cure from all types of illnesses and pains.

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Lessons

Luqman (alayhi salam) is a character mentioned in the Quran quite briefly. However, it is an interesting conversation because he is giving advice to his son and does so in the best of ways. In Surah Luqman, Allah mentions firstly the qualities that made him worthy of being immortalized in the Quran. They were

He was granted wisdom from Allah.He was thankful for Allah's blessings.He cared about his son and gave him "heart-penetrating advice" (mau'idha in the Quranic vocabulary)

The advice he gives to his son is timeless advice for all of humanity for all time. It is more of a lesson for young men and women who are just going out into the world. Allah starts the Surah by saying, These are the verses of the wise Scripture, [with] guidance and mercy for those who do good. [Quran, 31:2-3]

So what are the things that Luqman teaches his son, and what are the lessons we take for our own lives?

Help your child memorise a variety of things over a period of time, such as:

Say, "Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever [name] you call – to Him belong the best names." And do not recite [too] loudly in your prayer or [too] quietly but seek between that an [intermediate] way. 

Luqman (alayhi salam) is a character mentioned in the Quran quite briefly. However, it is an interesting conversation because he is giving advice to his son and does so in the best of ways. In Surah Luqman, Allah mentions firstly the qualities that made him worthy of being immortalized in the Quran. They were

He was granted wisdom from Allah.He was thankful for Allah's blessings.He cared about his son and gave him "heart-penetrating advice" (mau'idha in the Quranic vocabulary)

The advice he gives to his son is timeless advice for all of humanity for all time. It is more of a lesson for young men and women who are just going out into the world. Allah starts the Surah by saying, These are the verses of the wise Scripture, [with] guidance and mercy for those who do good. [Quran, 31:2-3]

So what are the things that Luqman teaches his son, and what are the lessons we take for our own lives?

My son, do not attribute any partners to God: attributing partners to Him is a terrible wrong. [Quran 31:13] The first and most important command is that one does not do shirk. For us who are Muslims we sometimes get complacent about this idea. We think that we are not bowing down to any idols so we are safe and sound. However, shirk can invade our deeds in other ways too. We should be wary of doing deeds that are done for other than Allah. We should also be wary of leaving off obligatory actions, worrying about what people will say. Alhamdulillah that Allah has saved us from the major shirk, but we are still in danger of falling into the minor shirk of putting other people ahead of Allah in our lives.We have commanded people to be good to their parents: their mothers carried them, with strain upon strain, and it takes two years to wean them. [Quran 31:14] This topic needs no introduction. The station of parents in Islam is only second to Allah and His Messenger and the five obligatory prayers. Allah reminds us to be good to our parents.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. [Quran 31:16] This is where Luqman tells his son to be especially conscious of everything. Whatever happens on the earth, Allah is aware. There are two dimensions to it: We cannot hide any of our bad deeds from Allah, and we will be called to account for them. Also, the deeds of the people against us that they may "get away with" will also be judged by Allah. No one escapes from Allah's plan.Keep up the prayer, my son. [Quran 31:17] The most important of deeds, and the first that will be questioned about on the Day of Judgement. Right after mentioning about the fact that Allah knows everything, Luqman mentions prayer. Prayer helps us keep our other deeds clean of shirk, clean of any sinful behaviours and expiates for our minor sins. Prayer also helps us go through the troubles of what other people do to us. Prayer is our link to Allah.Command what is right; forbid what is wrong." [Quran 31:17] The act of dawah is an act that was done by all the prophets of Allah, peace be upon them. It is an obligation that we need to take seriously. It is also of utmost importance in helping build a community that is righteous and sincere.Bear anything that happens to you steadfastly. [Quran 31:17] Constantly keeping our intentions clean for Allah, constantly being good to our parents when they are not nice to us, keeping up the prayer, doing dawah. . . We will sometimes fall short in our duty to Allah. Allah asks us to bear all of this patiently. Also, sometimes to cleanse us of our sins, He will put us through difficulties that purify us of our sins and purify our intentions, and He is also asking us to be steadfast for those times.Do not turn your nose up at people. [Quran 31:18] Luqman first talks to his son about his spiritual purification, and about dawah. And soon after mentions problems that many duat face today. He talks about the purification of the character now. He asks his son— and by extension Allah is giving this message to us— that we do not become arrogant. Sometimes when we do all of the acts above, we will be better than many of the people who we live around. This may make us arrogant and self-righteous. Luqman cuts the bud even before his son has a chance of becoming anything like that.Nor walk about the place arrogantly. [Quran 31:18] The purification of the character in Islam is such that it is not only about how we deal with others, but also about how we behave. Luqman tells his son not to have a proud gait while walking, as this is not how a believer should live. A believer is always humble.Go at a moderate pace. [Quran 31:18] He asks his son to walk in a moderate pace and not in an arrogant or boastful fashion. He does not ask his son to be passive, but rather to have the balance that Islam is all about.And lower your voice. [Quran 31:18] Finally, Luqman mentions that he should never raise his voice. At times in our zeal to propagate islam, we might become ill-mannered in our behaviour. Luqman gives the best advice in maintaining our manners: lower your voice. 

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Hadiths

1. Luqman on Tawbah: Repent now, death can come at any time

'Uthman ibn Za'idah reported: Luqman, may Allah be pleased with him, said to his son, "O my son, do not delay repentance, for death can come to you suddenly."

Source: Shu'ab al-Imān 6701

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2. Luqman on Life: Knowledge gives life to hearts, like rain on earth

Malik reported: Luqman al-Hakim, upon him be peace, instructed his son, saying, "O my son, sit with the scholars and keep close to them. Allah gives life to the hearts with the light of wisdom, just as he gives life to the dead earth with rain from the sky."

Source: al-Muwaṭṭa' 1890

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3. Hadith on tafsir: The prophet explains the quran with the quran

Abdullah reported: When the verse was revealed, "Those who have faith and do not mix their faith with wrong," (6:82), we said, "O Messenger of Allah, who among us has not mixed his faith with wrong?" The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "It is not as you said. They do not mix their faith with the injustice of idolatry. Have you not heard the saying of Luqman to his son: O my son, do not associate anything with Allah, for idolatry is a great injustice?" (31:13)

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 32, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 124

Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim

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4. Yahia Ibn Sa' id Al-Ansari said after Sa' id Ibn Al-Musayib that Luqman belonged to the black men of Egypt. He had thick lips and Allah the Almighty granted him wisdom but not prophethood. 'Umar Ibn Qais and Al-A'mash narrated after Mujahid: Luqman was a huge black slave, thicklipped. While he was preaching a man who used to know him saw him and said: "Aren't you the slave of so and so who used to look after my sheep not so long in the past?" Luqman said: "Yes!" The man said: "What raised you to this high state I see?" Luqman said: "The Divine Decree, repaying the trust, telling the truth and discarding and keeping silent regarding what does not concern me." (This Hadith was narrated by Ibn Jarir after lbn Hamid after Al-Hakam.)

Ibn Wahb narrates that Luqman's answer to the question about what had raised his status that people came to him for advice was: "Lowering my gaze, watching my tongue, eating what is lawful, keeping my chastity, undertaking my promises, fulfilling my commitments, being hospitable to guests, respecting my neighbors, and discarding what does not concern me. All these made me the one you are looking at." Abu Ad-Darda' added that Luqman the wise was granted wisdom because he was self-restrained, taciturn, deep-thinking, and he never slept during the day. No one had ever seen him observing trivialities, or foolishly laughing. He was very eloquent and well-versed. He did not weep or cry when all his children died. He even used to frequent the princes and men of authority to mediate. The majority of scholars are of the view that he was a wise man and not a prophet. Moreover, he was mentioned in the Glorious Qur'an and was highly praised by Allah the Almighty Who narrates his advice to his own son in which the first act that he forbids is Shirk (joiningothers with Allah.)

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5. The Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.S) also referred to Luqman's saying this to his son,

"O my son! Join not others in worship with Allah, verily joining others in worship with Allah is a great wrong indeed" (Luqman, 31:13).

The next advice that Luqman gives to his son and to mankind is taking care of parents. He states their rights over the children and tells the children to be kind to their parents even if they were polytheists. However, it is clarified that they should not be obeyed if they are inviting to polytheism. This is followed by: "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)," i.e., he forbids wrong to the people even in the slightest way, for Allah will bring it forth and bring him to account on the Day of Resurrection.

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