Who was Luqman Al Hakeem?

Question

A Chapter in the Holy Quran. Chapter 31 is named after 'Luqman Al Hakeem where he advices to his son as words of wisdom from verses 12 to 19 in Sura Luqman.. I would like to know more about his life, when he lived, his teachings, is he referred in any of previous scriptures etc.

Allah says:

'We gave wisdom to Luqman so that he may be grateful to Allah. The one who pay thanks, does so for his own good; and the one who denies His favors, should know that Allah is certainly free of all wants, worthy of all praise. (Sura Luqman: Verse 12)

So who was he according to the most authentic sources.

Jazakallah Khyr.

Answer 1

A prophet

Answer 2

Maria Evergreen: You mean that God sent over 124,000 messengers to this planet and Hazrat Luqman (as), who has one of the greatest honors and human being can have in having a chapter of the Koran named after him, is not a prophet? Really? How do you say so? If you read Chapter Luqman slowly with wisdom and understanding, there is no doubt that will read some amazing things Hazrat Luqman said about God, Islam, and how a Muslim should act and behave in this world. If this isn't the words of a messenger of God then please apprise me what qualifies to be a prophet? Absolutely Hazrat Luqman (a.s.) was a prophet of God, and not just that but a very WISE prophet of God. Remember, Maria, you must COMMON SENSE when tackling any religious question or quandry. I consider islam and the Holy Koran to be extremely logical and rational. This is why the Promised Messiah (a.s.) came to this world. To explain the beauty and logic of the Holy Koran and truth of Islam that muslims did not seem to see or understand for over 1400 years even when the Holy Koran is right in front of their face.

Answer 3

Some Scholars believe that Luqman عليه السلام was a prophet, some believe that he was a wise Mulsim man of great morals.

His full name is "Luqman Ibn Tharan". Ibn Means: Son of. He was a dark man from upper Egypt maximum to the south.

People that believes that he was a prophet - which I incline to their opinion - states that every prophet has got a gift; as Allah says:

"And We verily gave Abraham of old his proper course, and We were Aware of him, " Sura 21, verse 51.

"And verily We gave unto Moses the Scripture " 2/87

"And And when he reached his prime We gave him wisdom and knowledge. Thus We reward the good. " 12/22

"And unto Lot we gave judgment and knowledge"

"And verily We gave Luqman wisdom, saying: Give thanks unto Allah; and whosoever giveth thanks" 31/12

Allah Gave Luqman the Wisedom and ordered him to be thankful. This means clealry that Luqman عليه السلام recieved revelation with orders.

He was the Cousin of Job عليه السلام. And some interpreters said: "Was was giving religious advice before his msge" and msgs are only given to prophets. His job was a tailor; and some said he was a lumberjack; like all prophets; he ate from his own work.

Answer 4

Luqman Hakim has been mentioned in the Qur'an as an intelligent and wise man who lived in Israel who give nice advice to his son which is famous in Muslim society  

Answer 5

Luqman (Arabic: لقمان‎) is the name of a holy man mentioned in Luqman (sura) in the Qur'an. Luqman was believed to be from Nubia, present-day Ethiopia. He was a perceptive man, always watching the animals and plants of his surroundings, and he tried to understand the world based on what he saw. One day, whilst sleeping under a tree, an angel came to him and said God wanted to bestow a gift upon Luqman: either to be a prophet or a wise man. Luqman chose to be a wise man, and when he woke up from his slumber, he was aware that his senses and understanding had sharpened. He felt in complete harmony with nature and could understand the inner meaning of things, beyond their physical reality. Immediately he bowed down, thanked and praised God for this wonderful gift. Unfortunately, Luqman was captured by slavers and sold as a slave. His master was a kind man and ordered that immediately after his death, Luqman should be freed. Once he became a free man, Luqman travelled and settled in the district of the Elah and Midian. He was appointed as a judge during King David's time. According to Sunni belief, Luqman was once asked, "What has brought you to what we see?" meaning his high rank. Luqman said, "Truthful speech, fulfilling the trust, and leaving what does not concern me."[1]

It should not be confused that Luqman was a prophet.

Answer 6

I have also heard he was a wise man, not a prophet.

Answer 7

he was a wise man not a prophet, and he lived during prophet Daoud's (David) time

Answer 8

Ibn Kathir says concerning Luqman :

The Salaf differed over the identity of Luqman; there are two opinions: was he a Prophet or just a righteous servant of Allah without the prophethood The majority favored the latter view, that he was a righteous servant of Allah without being a Prophet. Sufyan Ath-Thawri said, narrating from Al-Ash`ath, from `Ikrimah, from Ibn `Abbas, "Luqman was an Ethiopian slave who was a carpenter. `Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr said, "I said to Jabir bin `Abdullah: `What did you hear about Luqman' He said: `He was short with a flat nose, and came from Nubia.''' Yahya bin Sa`id Al-Ansari narrated from Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib that "Luqman was from the black peoples of (southern) Egypt, and had thick lips.

Allah gave him wisdom but withheld prophethood from him.'' Al-`Awza`i said, "`Abdur-Rahman bin Harmalah told me; `A black man came to Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib to ask him a question, and Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said to him: "Do not be upset because you are black, for among the best of people were three who were black: Bilal, Mahja` the freed slave of `Umar bin Al-Khattab, and Luqman the Wise, who was a black Nubian with thick lips.'' Ibn Jarir recorded that Khalid Ar-Raba`i said: "Luqman was an Ethiopian slave who was a carpenter. His master said to him, `Slaughter this sheep for us,' so he slaughtered it. ï´¿His masterï´¾ said: `Bring the best two pieces from it,' so he brought out the tongue and the heart.

Then time passed, as much as Allah willed, and ï´¿his masterï´¾ said: `Slaughter this sheep for us,' so he slaughtered it. ï´¿His masterï´¾ said, `Bring the worst two morsels from it,' so he brought out the tongue and the heart. His master said to him, `I told you to bring out the best two pieces, and you brought these, then I told you to bring out the worst two pieces, and you brought these!' Luqman said, `There is nothing better than these if they are good, and there is nothing worse than these if they are bad.''' Shu`bah narrated from Al-Hakam, from Mujahid, "Luqman was a righteous servant, but he was not a Prophet.'' Allah's saying:

وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا لُقْمَانَ الْحِكْمَةَ

(And indeed We bestowed upon Luqman Al-Hikmah) means, understanding, knowledge and eloquence.

أَنِ اشْكُرْ للَّهِ

(saying: "Give thanks to Allah.'') means, `We commanded him to give thanks to Allah for the blessings and favors that Allah had given to him alone among his people and contemporaries.' Then Allah says:

وَمَن يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ

(And whoever gives thanks, he gives thanks for (the good of) himself.) meaning, the benefit of that will come back to him, and Allah's reward is for those who give thanks, as He says:

وَمَنْ عَمِلَ صَـلِحاً فَلاًّنفُسِهِمْ يَمْهَدُونَ

(and whosoever does righteous good deeds, then such will prepare a good place for themselves. ) (30:44)

مَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ

(And whoever is unthankful, then verily, Allah is Rich, Worthy of all praise.) He has no need of His servants and He will not be harmed by that, even if all the people of the earth were to disbelieve, for He has no need of anything or anyone besides Himself. There is no God but He, and we worship none but Him.

Answer 9

The majority of Muslim scholars believe that Luqman (May Allah have mercy on him) was a Wali not a Prophet.

Imam Qurtubi wrote in the Tafseer of Surah Luqman: S'ayeed Bin al-Musayyib said: Luqman was a black man from the Sudan of Egypt, and his lips were very large. Allah bestowed him wisdom and did not give him Prophecy. This is the view of the majority of Mufassirs (those who explained the Qur'an). Imam 'Ikramah and Sh'abi said that he was a Prophet. This means that they explained "wisdom" by "Prophecy". The correct opinion is that he was a wise man. Allah bestowed him with the wisdom, i.e. Straightness in belief, Fiqh, Religion and intellect, becoming then a judge establishing justice among the children of Israel.