Welcome to our weekly program “Path towards Enlightenment” in which we present you a fluent and easy to understand explanation of the ayahs of the holy Qur’an.

We start from where we left you last Friday and here is ayah 17 of Surah Luqman.

يَا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا أَصَابَكَ ۖ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

“O my son! Maintain the prayer and bid what is right and forbid what is wrong, and be patient through whatever may visit you. That is indeed the steadiest of courses.”

As you might recall, we have been presenting you the advices of the Sage Luqman to his son on monotheism, the pitfalls of polytheism, respect towards parents, observing the obligatory acts of religion, and safeguarding of several other virtues, in order to be self-content in life and to achieve salvation in Hereafter. In this ayah, Luqman instructs his son to punctually perform and maintain the daily ritual prayers, be patient, and in social life enjoin whatever is right and forbid whatever is wrong. The ritual prayer established direct communion with God, and is the pillar of faith. This means that among the duties of the parents is to teach the children the proper ways of performing the daily ritual prayers, as well as helping them differentiate between right and wrong. It is worth noting that after firming up the foundations of the Origin creation and it Resurrection after death, Luqman refers to the most important thing, that is the performance of the prayer. But, as is evident in his advice to his son, the ritual prayer should be accompanied by the social responsibility of enjoining good and forbidding evil, so as to protect the society from decadence. In other words, a true believer invites others to the performance of prayer and other good deeds to ensure the health and soundness of the society. At the same time, we ought to be patient in the face of all adversities, since steadfastness is the steadiest of all courses.

From this ayah we learn that:

1. Firm will and resolve are essential for firming up faith in God.
2. It is the duty of parents to guide children, and teach them the fundamentals of faith, including performance of obligatory acts, such as the ritual prayers, coupled with promotion of good and discouragement of evil in society.  
3. Patience in the face of calamities is the key to the success in resolving of so many issues.

Now we listen to and read ayah 18 of Surah Luqman:

وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ

“Do not turn your cheek disdainfully from the people, and do not walk exultantly on the earth. Indeed Allah does not like any swaggering braggart.”

In this ayah, Luqman strives to strengthen moral virtues in his son by pointing out to two very ugly traits that are harmful to the developing of sincere social relations. These negative aspects of human nature are haughtiness and heedlessness, as well as pride and selfishness that drag people towards misconception, delusion, and self-admiration, thereby damaging social status. It is evident that the purpose of Luqman is not only the act of turning the face away from people, or walking exultantly and proudly, but the purpose is to struggle against all manifestations of arrogance and pride. The point is that God Almighty does not like the self-conceited who brag incessantly about themselves and their deeds, on the assumption of demonstrating their supposed superiority over others.

From this ayah we learn that:

1. Being kind and cheerful to people is among the advices of Luqman to his son, so as to attain the proximity of the Almighty Creator.
2. Parents should from the outset raise children in a way that they are kept away from all kinds of moral diseases such as haughtiness.

Now we listen to and read ayah 19 of Surah Luqman:

وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ ۚ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ

“Be modest in your bearing, and lower your voice. Indeed the ungainliest of voices is the donkey’s voice.”

Here the Sage Luqman advises his son to be modest in behaviour and to be polite in manners, even while speaking. A gentle voice and a low tone are more expressive and impress others, compared to loudmouthed behaviour talk and rough attitudes. The way of walking should not show arrogance, and likewise the mode of talking ought not to make people repulsive or distract others from their work. Here he cites that the most repulsive and troublesome voice is that of the donkey. As psychologists and ethical experts confirm, the most unpleasant of voices is the braying of a donkey, and that is the reason the shouts of the proud and the foolish persons are likened to the braying of an ass. Not only because of its loudness and the horrific style, the braying of a donkey is often unreasonable, compared to the voices of other animals. As experts point out, the sound of other animals are often because of a need or a reason, but the donkey at times unreasonably and without having any need, suddenly starts braying.

From this ayah we learn that:

1. Parents should teach their children to be polite, gently in behaviour, and modest in manners, whether while walking or talking.
2. Speaking in loud tones that resemble screaming, is reprehensible and repulsive. 
3. A gentle voice and a low tone can be more expressive in convincing other.

AS/ME/SS