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The teachings of Luqman
Assalamu Alaikum,
“If you go there, I’ll. . . “
“If you do that, I’ll. . . ”
“I will find out when/if you. . . ”
Today’s parents use phrases like these to show their high position in their children’s lives. They use phrases like these to keep us in line, prevent continuous sinning, and wrong doings.
What happens when they leave? Do we continue they obey? Young children, yes perhaps, maybe because their lack of knowledge and great ignorance in early-life society; but as we get older we realize that our parents are just as weak in their physical abilities as we are. We only have a limit of our five senses. I believe that our parents have tried to over- watch us, and indeed they have given us a wrong perspective to undertake protection and fear, therefore they are partially responsible for our wrong upbringing.
Growing up, some of us have been taught to fear our parents. They often forget that there is a higher power we must learn to fear. There is a limit to this teaching because we will fear them at home, but once we are out of the sight, their protection over us, and our fear over them has been negated. The strongest protection is the belief and fact that Allah is with us everywhere in every nanosecond of our life. Through this approach we can confide that when the children’s parents are not around, they know they must fear Allah and it is only Allah that can protect and watch over them.
We can take the example of the Luqman al Hakeem alayhi asalaam who gave his son three advices:
1. Do not associate any gods with Allah-Behold, Luqman said to his son admonishing him “O my son! Join not in worship (others) with Allah: for false worship is indeed the highest of wrong-doing.”–31:13
2. Show kindness and gratitude towards your parents-
And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him. And in years twain was his weaning (hear the command), “Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents to Me is (thy final) Goal.” - 31:14
3. Allah will bring whatever belongs to you:
“But if they strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration), and follow the way of those who turn to Me: in the end the return of you all is to Me, and I will tell you that ye did. 31:15
“O my son!” (said Luqman), “If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed and it were hidden in a rock, or (anywhere) in the heavens or on earth, Allah will bring it forth: for Allah is subtle and Aware. 31:16
These great words of wisdom were offered to his son to grow a fear of Allah as a youth and feel protection when was not present.
The legist (Faqih) Abu-ul-Laith (Rahmatullah alaihe) relates that, when the last hour came for Luqman (alaihissalam), he said to his son, "My dear son, I have given you lot of advice during my life-time; now that I am leaving the world, I would like to advise you about the six points:-
1. Busy yourself in the affairs of this world to the extent of the remaining period of your life (which is nothing when measured up against the eternity of the Aakhirat).
2. Worship Allah Ta'ala according to the measure of your dependence on Him (and, obviously, one needs His help in everything).
3. Make preparations for the Hereafter (Aakhirat) according to the extent of your stay in that world (and, obviously, one shall have to stay there eternally, for there is no other place to go to after death).
4. Continue to struggle for redemption from Hell-fire till you are sure you have attained it. (It is common knowledge that, if someone is under trail for a grievous offence, he continues to make effort for his acquittal till he is sure that the case is going to be decided in his favour).
5. If you have the audacity to indulge in sins, do so to the extent that you can endure Hell-fire (for, punishment of sins is dictated by law and you are never sure whether the sovereign, however infinite His mercy may be, will grant you mercy petition).
6. When you want to commit a sin, look for a hiding place that is not being watched by Allah Ta'ala and His angels (for, everybody knows the consequences of engaging in a revolt before the eyes of the sovereign Himself or in the presence of His secret agents). (Tanbeeh-ul-Ghafileen).
I would like to conclude this with a reminder Inshallah, that when we have children of our own or are already raising children of our own, to keep in mind that we must raise our children to fear the All-Mighty Allah, Knower of All things more than we raise them to fear us, The Limited In Power.
Please feel free to share any comments in which you think will, Inshallah, lesson tomorrow’s sins with increment of today’s knowledge.
Fi Aman Allah
W’salaam
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