Surah Luqman is the 31st Surah of the Holy Quran. The Surah was revealed during the Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) stay in Makkah; hence, it is known as a Makki Surah. Surah Luqman has a total of 34 verses and 4 rukus. This Surah is present in Juz 21 of the Holy Quran.
Surah Luqman takes its name from Luqman (AS), who was a wise man. He was known for giving his son wise advice. This surah begins by glorifying and praising Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), emphasizing His power, wisdom, and knowledge. This Surah focuses on the oneness of Allah (Tawheed), explaining the value of wisdom, appreciation, and the punishment of disbelief. The Surah provides a lesson of moral and ethical guidance, reminding believers to pursue knowledge and righteousness in their deeds.
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَّشْتَرِيْ لَہْوَالْحَدِيْثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَنْ سَبِيْلِ اللہِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ۰ۤۖ وَّيَتَّخِذَہَا ہُزُوًا۰ۭ اُولٰۗىِٕكَ لَہُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّہِيْنٌ۶
“But among men are also those who spread frivolous stories to mislead (others) from the way of God, without any knowledge, and take it lightly. For such as these the nemesis will be shameful”. Quran (31:6)
The surah also stresses the importance of being of good character and warns people against disobedience to Allah. It instructs the believers to be thankful for what they have been blessed with and to treat their parents with respect and compassion. It also guides believers to perform regular prayer, forbid evil, and have a strong relationship with Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
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Surah Luqman, the 31st chapter of the Qur'an, is a revelation that took place during the middle period of the Prophet Muhammad's (ﷺ) stay in Mecca. This was the time when the early Muslim community was being subjected to increasing opposition and persecution by the Quraysh tribe.
The surah discusses the challenges that confronted new converts, particularly when their families urged them to leave Islam. For example, verses 14 and 15 instruct believers to respect their parents but not to listen to them if they try to make partners with Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) (shirk). This advice was especially significant for young Muslim men who were caught between their new faith and family responsibilities.
وَاِنْ جَاہَدٰكَ عَلٰۗي اَنْ تُشْرِكَ بِيْ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِہٖ عِلْمٌ۰ۙ فَلَا تُطِعْہُمَا وَصَاحِبْہُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوْفًا۰ۡوَّاتَّبِــعْ سَبِيْلَ مَنْ اَنَابَ اِلَيَّ۰ۚ ثُمَّ اِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَاُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُوْنَ۱۵
“If they try to force you to associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. Live with them honourably in the world, but follow the way of him who turns to Me. Your returning is to Me in the end, when I will tell you what you did.” Quran (31:15)
The surah takes its title from Luqman the Wise, who was an honorable man widely mentioned for his deep wisdom. Verses 12 to 19 narrate Luqman's advice to his son, focusing on monotheism, thankfulness, humbleness, and righteous behavior. These lessons were used as moral teachings by the early Muslim society, strengthening the need for firmness in faith and belief in Allah and righteous manners even when facing societal pressures.
Surah Luqman, the 31st Surah of the Qur'an, holds great significance due to its moral teachings that emphasize wisdom and ethics in daily life. Luqman was a respected figure renowned for his wise counsel. This Surah distills his advice to his son, discussing subjects like Tawheed, i.e., oneness of Allah, and righteous behavior to mankind. These teachings are a universal template for ethical living, connecting believers through the ages.
يٰبُنَيَّ اَقِـمِ الصَّلٰوۃَ وَاْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ وَانْہَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلٰي مَاۗ اَصَابَكَ۰ۭ اِنَّ ذٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْاُمُوْرِ۱۷ۚ
"O my son, fulfil your moral obligations, bid what is known to be right and forbid what is wrong, and bear with patience what befalls you. These are indeed acts of courage and resolve.” Quran (31:17)
Aside from its ethical lessons, Surah Luqman has several spiritual advantages. Traditions indicate that constant recitation can provide immunity against evil influences, with thirty angels watching over the reciter to prevent harm. Moreover, it's said that Luqman will accompany those who recite this surah on Judgment Day and shall be rewarded in abundance. These qualities reflect the importance of the surah as a beacon of guidance and spiritual comfort.
Surah Luqman offers an extensive theme guiding Muslims about virtuous living, focusing on the principles of monotheism, thankfulness, moral behavior, and observing God's signs. The surah is especially remarkable for the advice given by Luqman to his son, offering eternal lessons for self-improvement and spiritual progress. The different themes of Surah Luqman are as follows:
The surah starts by pointing out the Qur'an as guidance and mercy to the righteous Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). The surah then asks the reader to observe the wonders of creation of one and only God, i.e., Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), including the heavens, earth, and rain provision as they are the proofs of Allah's (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) power and wisdom.
These verses are about Allah’s (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) blessings on Luqman as He provided him with wisdom, which is a reason to be thankful. Luqman warns his son against making partners for Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) (shirk) and calls it a serious injustice. The surah also highlights the importance of respecting parents, bearing in mind the suffering mothers go through. It, however, warns people that obedience towards parents should not distract anyone from monotheism.
According to verses 16 and 17, Luqman reminds his son that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) knows about every act you do, no matter how small it is. Hence, one is always accountable to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) for his and bad deeds. He instructs his son on setting up regular prayers, the encouragement of good, discouragement of evil, and patience when facing any hardship. These are the education to teach ethical behavior and provide spiritual training.
In Surah Luqman, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) prohibits pride and arrogance and asks believers to walk humbly and speak softly. It reminds that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) does not love people who express pride and stress about having humble and modest manners.
The final verses educate us about the endless knowledge of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and the inescapability of the Day of Judgment. These verses caution us as believers that it is only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) who knows the unseen things in life, including the time of death and what is in the womb. These verses are meant to confirm faith and encourage us to be mindful of our deeds.
There are many benefits of reciting Surah Luqman and making it a habit. These benefits include gaining spiritual wisdom, guidance, and the enhancement of moral values. The following are the benefits and virtues of reciting Surah Luqman:
Daily recitation of Surah Luqman is said to provide spiritual protection. According to hadith, the recitation of the surah in the night commissions angels to protect the reciter from Satan and his servants until dawn. Reciting it in the morning also offers protection until dusk. This practice highlights the surah's function in protecting one's spiritual health.
Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him) narrated: “Whoever recites Surah Luqman at night, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) ordains thirty angels to protect him during the night until morning from Satan and his army. If he recites it in the daytime, these angels protect him from Satan and his army until evening.”
One of the finest virtues of Surah Luqman is the reward of Luqman the Wise's companionship on the Day of Resurrection for the recitation of it. Moreover, rewards are stated to be given tenfold for each person who enjoins good and prohibits evil, which clearly emphasizes the surah's focus on moral accountability.
“Whoever recites surah Luqman will be the companion and friend of Luqman, and Allah will reward him ten times the number of those who enjoined the good and forbade evil.” (Majma‘ al-Bayān)
Aside from gaining spiritual well-being, Surah Luqman also has a few physical healing properties. In old tradition, people used to write this Surah, then wash it with clean water and consume it to cure diseases like stomachaches and fever. Additionally, placing the written surah on a wound with blood coming out is said to stop the bleeding; this demonstrates how Surah Luqman is utilized in traditional medicine.
The verses in the surah provide useful advice for everyday life. Luqman's teachings to his son include humility, patience, and the necessity of prayer and constitute a universal model for moral and ethical behavior. Considering these lessons inspires the faithful to acquire virtues through Islamic teachings.
It was narrated that Al-Bara' said: "We used to pray Zuhr behind the Prophet (ﷺ) and we heard some of the verses from Surah Luqman and Adh-Dhariyat from him." (Sunan an-Nasa'i 971)
Here is the list of Surah Luqman recitations by renowned Qaris:
If you are looking to recite Surah Luqman, you can download the PDF or recite it online. To download the PDF, open Surah Luqman on the MuslimandQuran website. Press Ctrl + P on your keyboard to open the print dialog. In the Destination dropdown menu, select Save as PDF. Then simply click Save and choose the location on your device where you want to store the file.
Surah Luqman is the 31st chapter of the Quran. It is named after Luqman, a wise man. This Surah concerns his advice to his son, which includes gratitude, ethical behavior, and belief in the oneness of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
Surah Luqman has 34 verses in total. These verses were revealed during the Prophet’s (ﷺ) stay in Makkah, hence the name Makki Surah.
There are many benefits of reciting Surah Luqman, as this Surah teaches us morality and ethical behavior in our daily life. This Surah promotes wisdom and spiritual guidance, and reciting it will have immense rewards on the day of judgement.
There is no specified time to recite Surah Luqman. However, if someone recites it at night, it is known that 30 angels protect him till morning, and if recited in the morning, 30 angels protect him till the evening. Hence, one can recite it anytime and benefit from it.