Surah Luqman: Luqman’s advice to his son
Surah Luqman (34 verses) contains one of the most loved passages in the Quran: the wise Luqman’s advice to his son, from faith in Allah to honouring parents, prayer, patience and humility. Here are those verses in Arabic with their meaning, and how families use them today.
Last updated: 8 October 2026
The opening of Luqman’s advice
وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَٰنُ لِٱبْنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَٰبُنَىَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌۭ ﴿١٣﴾
Luqman’s advice, point by point
| Verses | Advice | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Do not associate anything with Allah | Shirk is the greatest wrong. |
| 14–15 | Honour your parents | Be grateful to Allah and to your parents; keep good company with them even when you disagree, but never in disobeying Allah. |
| 16 | Allah sees everything | Even a mustard seed hidden in a rock, Allah will bring it forth. |
| 17 | Pray, enjoin good, be patient | Establish prayer, encourage good and forbid wrong, and bear what befalls you. |
| 18 | No arrogance | Do not turn your cheek away from people or walk proudly. |
| 19 | Moderation | Be moderate in your walk and lower your voice. |
يَٰبُنَىَّ أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأْمُرْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَٱنْهَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَصَابَكَ ۖ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ ٱلْأُمُورِ ﴿١٧﴾ وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍۢ فَخُورٍۢ ﴿١٨﴾ وَٱقْصِدْ فِى مَشْيِكَ وَٱغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ ۚ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ ٱلْأَصْوَٰتِ لَصَوْتُ ٱلْحَمِيرِ ﴿١٩﴾
A model for parents
Luqman speaks to his son as “ya bunayya”, my dear son: warmly, with reasons, and starting with the most important thing. It is a model for teaching children about faith at home; see how to teach children to pray and how to motivate your child to learn Quran. Verse 14 pairs with the du‘as in dua for parents.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Luqman?
A wise man, not a prophet according to most scholars, given wisdom by Allah. Many reports describe him as a humble man from Africa. The surah is named after him.
What is the main lesson of Surah Luqman?
Wisdom begins with gratitude to Allah and shows itself in character. Luqman’s advice moves from belief (no shirk) to worship (prayer) to manners (humility, moderate voice).
How many verses are in Surah Luqman?
34 verses. It is surah 31, a Makki surah in juz 21.
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