Luqman the Wise

Luqman, often called Luqman the Wise, is renowned for his profound counsel and steady devotion to Allah.

According to many scholars, he was not a prophet... but rather a pious man granted great wisdom — hikmah — by Allah, as referenced in Surah Luqman.

Some narrations suggest he was an Ethiopian or Nubian man of modest standing — an ex-slave, possibly a carpenter — yet he rose to prominence through his truthfulness, steadfastness, and deep reflection!

Others mention that Luqman once served as a judge during the era of Prophet Dawud, peace be upon him... but the majority view holds that no divine revelation was directly revealed to him.

Instead, his sagacious insights and God-consciousness came through a heart purified by faith.

Many accounts describe him as short in stature, dark-skinned, with thick lips... and note that he performed menial labors such as herding sheep.

Yet the dignity of his character shone far above worldly rank!

A famous anecdote underscores his remarkable intellect and speech.

When his master ordered him to slaughter a goat and present the two finest parts... Luqman returned with its tongue and heart.

Later, when asked for the two worst parts — he also presented the tongue and heart!

Explaining that both can be of supreme virtue or extreme vice... depending on how one employs them.

This power of words and intentions is echoed in the Quranic depiction of Luqman's counsel to his son.

First and foremost is the prohibition against shirk — joining partners in worship with Allah — described as the greatest wrongdoing!

He warns his son: "Every deed — even one hidden within a rock or deep in the heavens — will be fully known to Allah."

He advises upright conduct... diligently performing prayer, encouraging others to do good, forbidding evil, and enduring life's trials with patience.

But Luqman's counsel to his son goes even deeper than these commandments. It is a comprehensive manual for living a righteous life — and each piece of advice builds upon the one before it, forming a complete framework of faith and character.

He began with the most fundamental truth: "O my son, do not associate anything with Allah. Indeed, association with Him is great injustice" (Quran 31:13). Shirk — ascribing partners to Allah — is not merely a theological error in Islam. It is described as the greatest dhulm (oppression), because it places something created on the level of the Creator. Luqman understood that without Tawhid, no other virtue can stand on firm ground.

Between Luqman's words, the Quran interjects with a divine reminder about the rights of parents: "And We have enjoined upon man concerning his parents — his mother carried him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years — be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the final destination" (Quran 31:14). This placement is deliberate — gratitude to Allah and gratitude to parents are linked, for the parent is the first means through which Allah's mercy reaches a child.

Luqman then taught his son about Allah's omniscience — a concept that, if truly internalized, transforms a person's entire relationship with morality. "O my son, indeed if a deed should be the weight of a mustard seed and should be within a rock or in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Indeed, Allah is Subtle and Acquainted" (Quran 31:16). Nothing escapes Allah's knowledge. Not the smallest act of kindness, not the most hidden thought of the heart. This awareness — known as muraqabah — is the essence of ihsan (spiritual excellence).

Next came the command to establish prayer: "O my son, establish prayer" (Quran 31:17). Not merely to perform it, but to establish it — to make it a consistent, unwavering pillar of one's daily life. For Luqman understood that prayer is the believer's lifeline to Allah, the act that distinguishes faith from heedlessness.

"And enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong" (Quran 31:17). Luqman did not counsel his son to be a passive believer, content with his own righteousness while the world around him crumbled. He charged him with the active duty of standing for justice — of speaking truth even when it is uncomfortable, of being a force for good in his community.

"And be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, that is of the matters requiring determination" (Quran 31:17). Luqman knew that a person who enjoins good and forbids evil will inevitably face opposition, ridicule, and hardship. Patience — sabr — is not passive resignation. It is the active, determined endurance of difficulty while maintaining one's principles and trust in Allah.

Then Luqman addressed his son's outward conduct — his character in the eyes of others. "And do not turn your cheek in contempt toward people" (Quran 31:18). Do not look at people with arrogance, dismissing them as beneath you. Every soul is a creation of Allah, and none has the right to consider themselves superior to another.

"And do not walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful" (Quran 31:18). Pride in one's walk, in one's speech, in one's demeanor — all of these are signs of a heart that has forgotten its place before its Creator. Luqman warned against the subtle and not-so-subtle manifestations of kibr (arrogance).

Finally, he counseled: "And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice. Indeed, the most disagreeable of sounds is the voice of donkeys" (Quran 31:19). This last piece of advice encompasses the entirety of one's public presence — walk with dignity but not arrogance, speak with purpose but not volume. The comparison to the braying of donkeys is a vivid reminder that raising one's voice in pride achieves nothing of value.

What makes Luqman's story so remarkable is not any single miracle or dramatic event. It is the quiet, steady wisdom of a man who understood that the greatest legacy a parent can leave is not wealth or status, but the guidance that leads a child to Allah. His words, spoken to his son over a thousand years ago, remain as fresh, relevant, and urgently needed today as they were the day they were uttered. Discover more about the stories of the Quran and the lessons they hold for our lives.