Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (2/339)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

The Story of Luqman

Allah, exalted is He, says:
“Indeed, We bestowed upon Luqman wisdom: ‘Give thanks to Allah.’ Whoever is grateful, is grateful only for his own soul; and whoever is ungrateful—surely Allah is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy. (12)
And when Luqman said to his son, while counseling him, ‘My dear son, do not ascribe partners to Allah; associating others with Him is indeed a great injustice.’ (13)
We have enjoined man to be dutiful to his parents: his mother carried him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. ‘Give thanks to Me and to your parents; to Me is the final return.’ (14)
But if they press you to associate with Me something about which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. Yet keep their company in this world with kindness, and follow the path of those who turn to Me. Then to Me is your return, and I shall inform you of what you used to do. (15)
‘My son, even if something be the weight of a mustard seed and were hidden in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Surely Allah is Subtle, All-Aware. (16)
My son, establish the prayer, command what is right, forbid what is wrong, and endure patiently whatever befalls you; that is indeed a matter of firm resolve. (17)
Do not turn your cheek in scorn toward people, nor walk upon the earth exultantly; indeed Allah does not love every swaggering boaster. (18)
Be moderate in your gait and lower your voice; truly the most repugnant of voices is the braying of donkeys.’ (Luqman 31:12–19)

He is Luqman son of ʿUnqāʾ son of Sādūn.
Others say he was Luqman son of Thārān, as related by al-Suhaylī from Ibn Jarīr and al-Qutaybī.
Al-Suhaylī also said: He was a Nubian from Aylah.
I say: He was a righteous man, devoted to worship, eloquence, and profound wisdom.
It is further said that he served as a judge in the time of David—peace be upon him; Allah knows best.

Sufyān al-Thawrī transmitted from al-Ashʿath, from ʿIkrimah, from Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: He was (1) an Abyssinian slave, a carpenter (2).

Qatādah narrated from ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Zubayr: I asked Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh, “What has reached you (3) concerning Luqman?” He replied:
[He was short, flat-nosed, and from Nubia. And Yahyā ibn Saʿīd al-Anṣārī reported from Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib that] (4) Luqman was from the black people of Egypt (5), thick-lipped; Allah granted him wisdom and withheld prophethood.

Al-Awzāʿī said: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ḥarmalah related to me that a dark-skinned man once came to Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib to ask him about something, whereupon he said—

(1) Added in B: Luqman. (2) The report appears in Tafsir al-Tabari (vol. 21, p. 43) and does not include the word najjar; it apparently derives from another transmission that will be cited shortly. (3) In B: min. The report appears in Tafsir al-Mu’allif (vol. 3, p. 443). (4) Omitted in B due to an eye-skip. (5) Tafsir al-Tabari (vol. 21, p. 43).

قصّة لقمان قال تعالى: ﴿وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا لُقْمَانَ الْحِكْمَةَ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ وَمَنْ يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ (١٢) وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُ يَابُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ (١٣) وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ (١٤) وَإِنْ جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَى أَنْ تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (١٥) يَابُنَيَّ إِنَّهَا إِنْ تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ فَتَكُنْ فِي صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ أَوْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌ (١٦) يَابُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا أَصَابَكَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ (١٧) وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ (١٨) وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ إِنَّ أَنْكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ﴾ [لقمان: ١٢ - ١٩] . هو لقمان بن عنقاء بن سدون. ويقال: لقمان بن ثاران، حكاه السهيلي عن ابن جرير والقتيبي. قال السهيلي: وكان نُوبيّاً من أهل أَيْلَة. قلت: وكان رجلاً صالحاً ذا عبادةٍ وعبارةٍ وحكمةٍ عظيمةٍ. ويقال: كان قاضياً في زمان داود (عليه السلام) . فالله أعلم. وقال سفيان الثوري، عن الأشعث، عن عكرمة، عن ابن عباس قال: كان (١) عبداً حبشياً نجاراً (٢) . وقال قتادة، عن عبد الله بن الزبير: قلت لجابر بن عبد الله: ما انتهى إليكم في (٣) شأن لقمان؟ قال: [كان قصيراً أفطس من النوبة. وقال يحيى بن سعيد الأنصاري، عن سعيد بن المسيِّب قال] (٤) : كان لقمان من سودان مصر (٥) . ذو مشافر أعطاه الله الحكمة ومنعه النبوة. وقال الأوزاعي: حدّثني عبد الرحمن بن حرملة قال: جاء أسود إلى سعيد بن المسيِّب يسأله، فقال

(١) زاد في ب: لقمان. (٢) الخبر في تفسير الطبري (٢١/ ٤٣)، وليست فيه كلمة نجار، والظاهر أنها جاءت من رواية أخرى سترد بعد قليل. (٣) في ب: من. والخبر في تفسير المؤلف (٣/ ٤٤٣). (٤) سقطت من ب بنقلة عين. (٥) تفسير الطبري (٢١/ ٤٣).