WHY WE SHOULD KEEP THE ADVICE OF PROPHET LUQMAN TO HIS SON by Aminat Adesope

QUA RAN 31 VS 13-15  

Suratul Luqman is the thirty-first chapter of the holy Quran, which was revealed in Mekkah.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
13-       And when Luqman said to his son while he admonished him: O my son! Do not associate aught with Allah, most surely polytheism is a grievous iniquity.

14-       And we have enjoined man in respect of his parents. His mother bears him with fainting upon fainting and his weaning take two years – saying: Be grateful to Me and to both your parents, to Me is the eventual coming.

15-       And if they contend with you that you should associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, do not obey them, and keep company with them in this world kindly and follow the way of him who turns to Me, then to me is your return, then will I inform you of what you did.

The above verses were revealed to teach us two main lessons and they are Tawheed (Oneness of Allah) and Kindness to Parents.

Allah (SWT) tells us how Luqman advised his son. His full name was Luqman bin ‘Anqa’ bin Sadun, and his son’s name was Tharan. 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 which is known as ‘Shirk’. Then he warned him, verily, joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed, meaning that it is the greatest sin.

 Luqman bin ‘Anqa’ bin Sadun also told his son to honour his parents. These two things are often mentioned in the Quran. Allah also says, “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, and his weaning is in two years which means after he is born, he is breastfed and weaned within two years. This is like the Ayah “The mother shall give breast milk to their children for two whole years, for those who desire to complete the term of suckling. (Q 2 vs 233)

Allah also explains how the mother brings the child up and how she gets tired, and also suffers stress from staying up with the child night and day. This is the reason why children should always pray that ‘My Lord! Bestow on my Parents, your mercy as they did bring me up when I was young’ (Q 17 vs 24)

Allah says (give thanks to me and your parents, unto Me is your final destination) meaning that; Allah will reward you most generously for that. (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) meaning that, 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.

These are very useful pieces of advice, which the Quran 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 said: 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 the 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”.

Allah warns people about the Day of Resurrection and commands us to fear Him and remember the Day of Resurrection when (no father can avail aught for his son), which means, even if he wanted to offer himself as a sacrifice for his son, it would not be accepted from him. Then Allah reminds them once again with the words: (let not then this present life deceive you), meaning, do not let your feelings of contentment with this life make you forget about the Hereafter (nor let the chief deceiver i.e Shaytan deceive you about Allah).

We in the Mighty Voice use our medium to advise people not to engage in Shirk (associating partner with Allah) and bearing in mind that there is nothing we do that Allah is not aware of. We should always be kind to our parents and always seek for their blessings because Allah says, “Every child’s paradise lies at his mother’s feet”.

Aminat Adesope is one of our Staff Writer.

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