Luqman (Luqman)

13. “And (remember) when Luqman said to his son admonishing him: ‘O my son! Do not associate (anything) with Allah for verily polytheism is a grievous iniquity’.”

Admonition is one of the means of inviting to the Truth and no one is needless of it. One of the names of the Qur’an is admonition.

Surah Yunus, No. 10, verse 57 says:

“O mankind! There has come to you an admonition from your Lord…”

And, in the books of tradition, there is an independent chapter particular to admonitions.

Some of the verses of the Qur’an announce that sometimes the Prophet (S) told Gabriel to admonish him. Ali (as) also sometimes told some of his companions that they might admonish him, because there is such an effect in hearing that it does not exist in knowing.

Next to introducing Luqman and the rank of his knowledge and wisdom, in this noble verse, the Qur’an points to the first admonition of Luqman.

It is the most important recommendation to his son, and says:

“And (remember) when Luqman said to his son admonishing him: ‘O my son! Do not associate (anything) with Allah for verily polytheism is a grievous iniquity’.”

Luqman’s wisdom requires that, before anything else, he refers to the most basic ideological subject, the subject of Monotheism, and Monotheism in all its aspects and dimensions. Every destructive movement which is against Allah originates from polytheism.

Mammonism, worshipping one’s station, sensuality, and the like of them are counted the branches of polytheism. On the contrary, the source of all correct and constructive movements is Monotheism. It is to rely on Him, to obey His command, to separate from other than Him, and to break all idols in the threshold of His sovereignty.

It is worthy noting that Luqman mentions the reason of the negation of polytheism that ‘polytheism is a grievous iniquity’ and his statement contains of several points of view.

What an injustice is greater than this that not only it has been done about Allah, that they have considered a worthless being equivalent with Him, but also about the servants of Allah that they lead them astray and, by their criminal deeds, cause them cruelty, and also about themselves that they have fallen from the peak of honour of servitude of Allah down to the depth of disgrace of worshipping other than Him.

A Few Points

1. The Meaning of Polytheism

Polytheism has a vast meaning the most clear of which is polytheism in the sense of idolatry. This kind of polytheism, as jurisprudents have given decree, causes man to go out of the realm of religion and to become apostate. It has also another meaning which is absolute obedience from other than Allah, or following the carnal desire.

The Qur’an says:

“And verily We have appointed a messenger in every nation (to say): ‘Serve Allah and shun false gods.’…” In another place, it says: “Have you then considered him who takes his low desire for his gods…?”

More than one hundred times the Arabic phrase /dunallah/ or /dunihi/ has occurred in the Qur’an which means: ‘obedience and worshipping other than Allah, the Exalted, is polytheism’.

Those believers who, in some instances, act upon the command and criterions other than that of Allah, the Almighty, go out of the orbit of Monotheism, as the Holy Qur’an says:

“And most of them do not believe in Allah except that they associate others (with Him).”

This statement means that the majority of the believers are polytheists too, and they have some refuges other than Allah.

An Islamic narration indicates that this kind of polytheism is more concealed than the movement of an ant on a black stone at night.¹ Thus, polytheism is not only idolatry, but depending on any power, rank, wealth, certificate, tribe, and anything that is not on the path of Allah, is polytheism.

2. The Effects of Polytheism

A- Deeds will fail:

Polytheism destroys the good deeds of man in the same manner that fire destroys the green trees of a forest.

The Qur’an, addressing the Prophet of Allah (S), says:

“…If you were to join (gods with Allah) truly fruitless will be your work…”

B- Agitation and anxiety:

The aim of a Monotheism and worshipper of Allah is to please Allah, the One, Who will be content very soon; but he who, instead of Allah, thinks of making others content is always in anxiety, because people are many and each of them has various desires and expectations.

Hadrat Yusuf told his polytheistic companions in prison:

“…Are (many) diverse lords better, or Allah, the One, the All-Dominant?”

The Qur’an gives the parable of the one who separates from Allah as follows:

“…and whoever associates with Allah (anything), it is as though he has fallen from heaven and birds snatch him away, or the wind carries him off to a far distant place.”

Yes, Monotheism and sincere servitude of Allah is a strong fortress which protects man from becoming useless, relying on any one, turning around any person, having hope in anyone, praising anyone and being afraid of any person. A tradition announces that the word of Unity is a strong fortress that whoever enters into it will be secure from the punishment of Allah.

3- Diversity

In a true Monotheistic society, the axis of everything is Allah. The Divine leader assigns the law and the path of Allah, and all turn around the same axis. But in a polytheistic society, instead of the One God, there are false gods, and there exist different tastes and ways so that people are involved in diversity, discord and disunion.

The Qur’an says:

“…and be not of the idolaters,” “Of those who split up their religion…”

4- Disgrace in Hereafter

the Qur’an says:

“…and do not associate with Allah any other god for you will be thrown into Hell blamed cast away.”

The Signs of Polytheism

One of the signs of polytheism is to seek a pretext against the Divine law.

The Holy Qur’an, pointing to some of them, says:

“…Is it that whomsoever (thereafter) there came to you a messenger, with what your selves desire not, you became arrogant?…”

in another place it says:

“…but when fighting was prescribed for them,…they said: ‘Our Lord! Why have You ordained fighting for us?…”

And when a group of the Children of Israel received food, they said:

“’O’ Moses! Never can we (always) endure one (sort of) food…’ And whenever Allah set forth a parable, they said: ‘…What does Allah mean by this parable?’…”

Another sign of polytheism is to give superiority to family, wealth, position and so on rather than the commandment of Allah (s.w.t.).

Surah Al-Taubah, No. 9, verse 24 says:

“…If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your clan, your possessions that you have gained, commerce you fear may slacken, dwellings you are fond of, are dearer to you than Allah and His messenger and striving in His way, then wait till Allah brings about His command…”

Polytheism is so dangerous that although doing kindness to the parents has been recommended four times in the Qur’an beside monotheism, yet if parents invite their child to worship other than Allah, the Qur’an says:

“…do not obey them…”

The Motives of Polytheism

People go to a person because of his power, while the Qur’an says:

“Verily, those whom you call upon besides Allah can never create (even) a fly, though they should all gather for it…”.

Or they go to this and that for the sake of a piece of bread, that the Qur’an says about them:

“…do not own for you any sustenance…”

Or it is for gaining honour and glory that they go to a person, that the Qur’an in Surah An-Nisa’, No. 4, verse 139 says:

“…Then, verily, all glory belongs to Allah”.

Or for the sake of being saved from difficulties they gather around a person, that the Qur’an says:

“…so they shall neither have the ability of removing the affliction from you, nor to change (it).”

Somewhere else the Qur’an implies that why do you leave the best Creator and go to others?

It says:

“Verily those whom you call upon other than Allah are creatures like your own selves…”

Struggle Against Polytheism

The first message and the aim of all Divine prophets has been struggle against polytheism and invitation to the sincere servitude unto Allah.

The Qur’an says:

“And verily We have appointed a messenger in every nation (to say): ‘Serve Allah and shun false gods’…”

All sins may be forgiven except polytheism.

The Qur’an says:

“Verily Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and forgives what is besides that to whom He pleases…”

Associating anything with Allah is not accepted, even if its percent is little.

If ninety nine percent of an action is done for the sake of Allah but only one percent of it is done for other than Him, the entire action fails.

The Qur’an says:

“And worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him…”

Not only idols and false gods, but also prophets and the friends of Allah should not be taken as a partner of Allah.

Allah questions Jesus:

“…did you say to the people: ‘Take me and my mother for two gods besides Allah?…”

Taking a partner for Allah is a calumny and a great sin.

The Qur’an says:

“…and whoever associates (anything) with Allah, has indeed devised a great sin.”

Polytheism is so shunned that Allah says:

“It is not (fit) for the Prophet and those who believe to seek forgiveness for the polytheists…”

Islam, logically and reasonably, always struggles against polytheism.

It says:

“Show me what it is they have created in the (wide) earth…”

In whose authority is your death and life? In whose authority is your glory and disgrace?

Yes, leaving Allah, Who has infinite Power and Knowledge, is the greatest injustice to humanity. It is not reasonable that we be captives of some things and individuals or rely only on industry and seek help from an impotent one. One of the aims of narrating the history of the old nations or telling stories in the Qur’an is to eradicate the roots of polytheism.

The Personality of Luqman

1- Luqman’s name has been mentioned in two verses of this very Surah of the Qur’an.

There is no evidence in the Qur’an that he was a prophet or only a sage, but the tune of the Qur’an about Luqman shows that he was not a prophet, because, concerning prophets, the Qur’an usually speaks about their prophethood, invitation to Monotheism, struggle against polytheism and the deviations of the environment, the lack of demand for recompense, and also glad tiding and warning for nations.

But concerning Luqman none of these affairs are mentioned and only his admonitions to his son have been privately stated, though their content is general. This shows that he had been only a sage man.

A tradition narrated from the Prophet of Islam (S) indicates that he (S) said:

“I say in truth that Luqman was not a prophet, but he was a servant who thought very much, his certainty was excellent; he loved Allah and Allah loved him, too, and He gave Him wisdom.”

2- A Part of Luqman’s Wisdom:

Due to the admonitions of Luqman that are mentioned in the verses of this Surah, some commentators have reiterated some of the wise sayings of this godly man, a concise portion of them are as follow:

1- Luqman used to say to his son:

“O My son! Verily the world is a deep sea wherein many people have drowned. Then appoint your ship in it ‘the Faith in Allah’; and appoint its sail reliance on Allah; and appoint your provision in it ‘God-fearing’. Then if you relieve (from sea) it is by the mercy of Allah, the Almighty, and if you are annihilated, it is because of your sins.”

These very admonitions are recorded in Al-Kafi, through the sayings of Imam Kazim (as) to Hisham-ibn-Hakam in a more complete form narrated from Luqman, the wise, as follows:

“O my son! Verily the world is a deep sea. Many people have drowned in it; then your ship in it must be fright of God, and your provision must be Faith, and the sail of it must be reliance, and its captain is intellect, its leader is knowledge, and its rudder is patience.”

There are also some other admonitions recorded in ’Usul-i-Kafi, Vol. 1, and the commentary books by Baydawi, Tha‘labi, and Tabarsi in Majma‘ul-Bayan.