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Luqman's Advice to His Son

Ages 5–10 Story 28 of 30

Luqman was a wise man. Allah gave him wisdom, and he was thankful. Allah liked his advice to his son so much that He put it in the Qur'an, in a surah named after him. Here is what Luqman said:

"My son, never worship anything besides Allah. That is the biggest wrong."

"Be good to your parents. Your mother carried you when she was tired and weak. Thank Allah, and thank your parents."

"My son, even if something is as small as a mustard seed, hidden inside a rock, or in the sky, or deep in the earth, Allah will bring it out. Allah knows everything, even the smallest things."

"My son, pray. Tell people to do good and stop them from doing bad. Be patient with whatever happens to you."

"Don't turn your face away from people in pride, and don't walk around showing off. Allah does not love those who boast. Walk calmly and lower your voice. The ugliest sound is the braying of a donkey!"

Where this story comes from

Qur'an 31:12–19 · Luqman
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا لُقۡمَٰنَ ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ أَنِ ٱشۡكُرۡ لِلَّهِۚ وَمَن يَشۡكُرۡ فَإِنَّمَا يَشۡكُرُ لِنَفۡسِهِۦۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدࣱ 12 وَإِذۡ قَالَ لُقۡمَٰنُ لِٱبۡنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَٰبُنَيَّ لَا تُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرۡكَ لَظُلۡمٌ عَظِيمࣱ 13 وَوَصَّيۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيۡهِ حَمَلَتۡهُ أُمُّهُۥ وَهۡنًا عَلَىٰ وَهۡنࣲ وَفِصَٰلُهُۥ فِي عَامَيۡنِ أَنِ ٱشۡكُرۡ لِي وَلِوَٰلِدَيۡكَ إِلَيَّ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ 14 وَإِن جَٰهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُشۡرِكَ بِي مَا لَيۡسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمࣱ فَلَا تُطِعۡهُمَاۖ وَصَاحِبۡهُمَا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا مَعۡرُوفࣰاۖ وَٱتَّبِعۡ سَبِيلَ مَنۡ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّۚ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ 15 يَٰبُنَيَّ إِنَّهَآ إِن تَكُ مِثۡقَالَ حَبَّةࣲ مِّنۡ خَرۡدَلࣲ فَتَكُن فِي صَخۡرَةٍ أَوۡ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ أَوۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ يَأۡتِ بِهَا ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرࣱ 16 يَٰبُنَيَّ أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأۡمُرۡ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَٱنۡهَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَٱصۡبِرۡ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَصَابَكَۖ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ عَزۡمِ ٱلۡأُمُورِ 17 وَلَا تُصَعِّرۡ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمۡشِ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَرَحًاۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخۡتَالࣲ فَخُورࣲ 18 وَٱقۡصِدۡ فِي مَشۡيِكَ وَٱغۡضُضۡ مِن صَوۡتِكَۚ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ ٱلۡأَصۡوَٰتِ لَصَوۡتُ ٱلۡحَمِيرِ 19

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💬 What did you learn?

Talk about these together. There is no right or wrong answer.

  • Which piece of Luqman's advice do you think is most important for you right now?
  • Why do you think Luqman told his son that Allah knows even about a tiny mustard seed?

❓ Questions from the story

Answer out loud, then tap to see the answer. Tick the ones you knew.

  1. What was the first thing Luqman told his son?

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    Never worship anything besides Allah

  2. Who did Luqman say to thank?

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    Allah and your parents

  3. What tiny thing does Allah know about, even inside a rock?

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    A mustard seed

  4. What did Luqman say about how to speak?

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    Lower your voice

✂️ Things to do

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