Surat Luqmān
سورة لقمان
Who is Luqman?
Scholars debated whether Luqman was a prophet or a very wise and religious man. Scholars believe that he was a students of prophet Dawood (PBUH).
Either way Allah (SWT) praised Luqman by naming this Surah after him and by quoting his advice to his son.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Alif, Lam, Meem.
These are verses of the wise Book,
The Beginnings of Some Surahs
Many Surats start with letters of the Alphabets. For centuries scholars debated the meaning of such a beginning.
The majority believe that starting a Suraj with the Alphabet is a form of challenge to the Arabs who prided themselves for their oratory skills. As if the Quran is saying “this Quran is made up of your Alphabets but you cannot match it no matter how hard you tried”.
This further evidenced by the fact that the Alphabet beginning is followed by pointing to the Quran in the second verse in every such Surah. The only exception is Surah Nun which points to the “pen” and what they write with it. This is a similar reference to language.
As guidanceand mercy for the doers of good
Who establish prayer and give Zakah, and they, of the Hereafter, are certain [in faith].
Those are on [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful.
And of the people is he who buys the amusement of speech to mislead [others] from the way of Allah without knowledge and who takes it in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment.
And when our verses are recited to him, he turns away arrogantly as if he had not heard them, as if there was in his ears deafness. So give him tidings of a painful punishment.
Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds - for them are the Gardens of Pleasure.
Wherein they abide eternally; [it is] the promise of Allah [which is] truth. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
He created the heavens without pillars that you see and has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should shift with you, and dispersed therein from every creature. And We sent down rain from the sky and made grow therein [plants] of every noble kind.
This is the creation of Allah . So show Me what those other than Him have created. Rather, the wrongdoers are in clear error.
And We had certainly given Luqman wisdom [and said], "Be grateful to Allah ." And whoever is grateful is grateful for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever denies [His favor] - then indeed, Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.
Shukr vs. Hamd
There are 2 ways one can show gratitude toward anyone that already did him/her favors:
1- Praising and thanking by words. This is called Hamd. This also applies to one who is great in and by himself/herself without even having done us a favor. This called Thana’a as well as Hamd
2- Doing an act to show gratitude. This called Shukr. Allah said in the Quran (in translation):
“Show Shukr to Me (Allah) and to your parents”
The Shukr to Allah is by doing good to the creations of Allah (donations, kind acts of help)
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Luqman said to his son while he was instructing him, "O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah . Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice."
And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] 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.
The Importance of Kindness to Parents in Islam
Allah SWT times and again refers to how important it is to respect, obey and being kind to one’s parents. You are only allowed to disobey parents if they ask you to disobey Allah.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was asked one time: “what is the greatest sin?”. He (PBUH) replied “associating a partner with Allah”. Then he (PBUH) was asked “then what” and he (PBUH) said “being unkind to your parents”.
Once a man was in his death bed and people kept telling him to say “La Ilaha Illa Allah” but his tongue would not say the words. He could say everything else but those words. People rushed to prophet Muhammad (PBUH) telling him the story. He (PBUH) asked them if the man had a mother. Once they said yes then he (PBUH) asked them to call her. When she came, prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked her about his story and she said:
“Her son was not a bad man. Yet he preferred his wife and kids over her whenever he brought food and other things home. The mother felt slighted and disrespected for all her sacrifices and that she does not want to forgive him”.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked the Sahabah to bring wood to burn the man. When the woman objected, prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told her that is what Allah would do to her son unless she forgave him. She did and the man was finally able to pronounce the words before he died.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said once hat anyone whose parents or one of them reach old age and the son does not enter Jannah as a reward for being kind to his/her parents is surely a big loser. Parents once they reach and age where they are more dependent on their grown up children become one of the keys to Jannah or hell fire.
But if they endeavor to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do.
[And Luqman said], "O my son, indeed if wrong should be the weight of a mustard seed and should be within a rock or [anywhere] in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Indeed, Allah is Subtle and Acquainted.
Guiding Others
Allah SWT in many places in the Quran instills the virtue and rewards of guiding others to good and advising them against doing bad.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that if Allah SWT guides just one individual through your efforts is better for you than the entire universe.
He (PBUH) said “whoever does good and people copy him/her will get his rewards and equal to all of their rewards to the day of judgment. And who ever does bad and is copied then he/she will get their own sins and equal to the sins of everyone who follows till the day of judgment”.
In the following Ayah Allah SWT gives us some explicit rules:
1- One has to start with oneself by praying and doing the good deeds first.
2- Be patient with people and tolerate their rudeness if they shun your advice
3- Be humble and do not think that you are better based on your knowledge or actions. It is the fastest way to the hell fire to have arrogance in one’s own heart. More on this topic to follow.
O my son, establish prayer, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, [all] that is of the matters [requiring] determination.
And do not turn your cheek [in contempt] toward people and do not walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful.
The Grave Sin of Arrogance and Self Absorption
Arrogance is defined as saying oneself above others for reasons of wealth, knowledge, name, position, looks or any other reason.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that “He will not enter Jannah who has one atom of arrogance in his heart”.
Arrogant people fail to see:
1- What they have is a blessing from Allah and not their own actions as there are many others who studied more or worked harder or whatever else and they do not enjoy the same position.
2- What they have can go in a split second if Allah wants
3- They may have some things others do not but others may have many more benefits including being closer to Allah.
4- One should be aware of his/her own sins that may lead them to Allah’s punishment. They do not know if others have similar sins.
5- Arrogant people are not really liked by other people and they are a huge turnoff to others.
Allah SWT told us many times in the Quran the story of Satan and Adam where Satan thought he was better than Adam (PBUH) and as such refused to bow to him as Allah ordered. That led to Satan’s banishment from heaven and then becoming mankind’s mortal enemy.
Allah SWT also tells us the story of Qaroon who was at the time of Moses (PBUH). Qaroon was so rich that not even a group of men could carry the keys to his treasures and properties. People told Qaroon to be kind and generous just as Allah SWT was generous with him. Qaroon refused to attribute his wealth to Allah and said that all that wealth came because he was a smart merchant.
One time Qaroon was parading his wealth in front of his people and Allah caused the earth to quake and swallow him and his treasurers.
And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; indeed, the most disagreeable of sounds is the voice of donkeys."
Do you not see that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and unapparent? But of the people is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book [from Him].
How to Deal with People Debating Islam
There are often people who focus on one area and research it heavily and then mix truth with their own bad conjecture and twisted understanding. They do not seek the truth but rather seek attention by debating with a closed mind.
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And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allah has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that upon which we found our fathers." Even if Satan was inviting them to the punishment of the Blaze?
The Danger of Following Others in Disobeying Allah
People often give many excuses why they are not following the commandments from Allah. These excuses include:
1- That is how my parents raised me and that is how they were doing things
2- Everybody else does it this way
3- I will lose money if I do not do this
4- No one will like me if I was this way or not that way
One needs to understand that following others in the path of disobeying Allah will only need to misery in this life in the long run and to sever punishment in the Day of Judgment.
And whoever submits his face to Allah while he is a doer of good - then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold. And to Allah will be the outcome of [all] matters.
And whoever has disbelieved - let not his disbelief grieve you. To Us is their return, and We will inform them of what they did. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of that within the breasts.
We grant them enjoyment for a little; then We will force them to a massive punishment.
How Should We Feel When Others Keep On Doing Wrong
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) felt sadness when others did not accept Allah SWT and followed Allah’s commandments. Allah SWT told him not to be sad or discouraged. There will be a day of reckoning.
Allah SWT told prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in other places in the Quran that Allah SWT alone is the one who guides people’s hearts. The prophet (PBUH)’s job is to warn and educate. Whether or not accept guidance is not our responsibility.
Allah SWT tells us that only few people followed Noah (PBUH) despite the fact that he spent 950 years with his people trying to guide them to Allah.
And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and earth?" they would surely say, " Allah ." Say, "[All] praise is [due] to Allah "; but most of them do not know.
To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth. Indeed, Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
And if whatever trees upon the earth were pens and the sea [was ink], replenished thereafter by seven [more] seas, the words of Allah would not be exhausted. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Your creation and your resurrection will not be but as that of a single soul. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Seeing.
Do you not see that Allah causes the night to enter the day and causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term, and that Allah , with whatever you do, is Acquainted?