Luqman’s Advice to His Son: A Guide to Righteous Living

The Wisdom of Luqman: Establishing Prayer, Enjoining Right, and Forbearing Patience

LUQMAN’S ADVICE TO HIS BELOVED SON

Luqman said, as ALLĀH mentioned:

يَٰبُنَىَّ أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ

O my son! Establish prayer,

Prayer is encouraged and singled out for mention because it is the greatest of physical acts of worship

وَأۡمُرۡ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَٱنۡهَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ

enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong,

This requires one to have knowledge of what is right, so that he may enjoin it, and to have knowledge of what is wrong, so that he may forbid it. That without which one cannot enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong is also enjoined, such as kindness and patience. That is stated clearly in the words:

وَٱصۡبِرۡ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَصَابَكَۖ

and be patient over what befalls you.

He should do what he enjoins others to do and refrain from what he forbids them to do. Thus he will be striving to perfect himself by doing good and refraining from evil, and will be striving to perfect others by enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong.

Because ALLĀH knew that man would inevitably be faced with troubles if he enjoins what is right and forbids what is wrong, and that doing this is difficult for people, HE enjoined them to be patient and steadfast in doing it: “be patient over what befalls you.”

إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ عَزۡمِ ٱلۡأُمُورِ 

“That is something that must be adhered to, ˹as it is enjoined by ALLĀH˺”

That which Luqman advised his son to do “is something that must be adhered to, ˹as it is enjoined by ALLĀH˺” that is, it is one of the things that must be adhered to and paid attention to, and no one is able to attain that except people of strong resolve.

{Tafsi‌r As-Sa’di}