1

By
Hujjatul Islam Moulana Muntazir Mehdi Rizvi (Lecture 12- 2007)

Transliteration
[031:013 Wa-ith (and remember when) qala (said) luqmanu (Luqman) liibnihi (to his
son) wahuwa (when he was) yaAAithuhu (advising him) ya bunayya (Oh my son) la
(not) tushrik (join in worship others) biAllahi (with Allah) inna (verily) alshshirka
(joining others in worship with Allah) lathulmun (is a wrong indeed) Aaatheemun
(great)] Surah Luqman

Translation
[031:13 And remember when Luqman said to his son when he was advising him: Oh my
son! Join not in worship others with Allah. Verily, joining others in worship with Allah
is a great Zulm – wrong indeed.]

Exegesis
Today we are going to understand the holy verse of surah Luqman. This is the 13th holy
verse. Allah granted him Hikmat (sane wisdom) and in this verse it is also the piece of
Hikmat (sane wisdom) that he is advising his son on the important issue. He is giving his
son a will. That will of Luqman has been mentioned by Allah in the holy Quran in order
to let us know that what was that. The purpose of the mention of the will of Luqman is a
message to the universe that no other should be brought parallel to Allah for worshiping.
It is because they do shirk immensely against the common sensical approach and against
the mathematical logic. It is very sensible not to bring any other parallel to the creator of
any thing in the time and space, let alone Allah! So in order to prove this entity Allah is
presenting the argumentative logic in this regard.
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By
Hujjatul Islam Moulana Muntazir Mehdi Rizvi (Lecture 12- 2007)

If Luqman had not been Hikmat wallah, he would never have advised his son not to do
shirk. He told and advised his son that zulm is bad thing. And shirk is a kind of zulm.
That’s why he told his son not to adapt shirk in life. As it has been described earlier that
to achieve Haq through intellect and wisdom is called the Hikmat (sane wisdom). So it is
the Haq that there should not be any parallel to Allah in His creation and what the system
we have been given in the holy Quran. Keeping in view this phenomenon, Allah talked
about the grant of Hikmat (sane wisdom) first, and then this chapter was attached to
Luqman. Allah is telling us that Luqman is advising and preaching his son. To preach
and to advise both are important factors in the human life. When it be advised? When
the mind is replete with Hikmat (sane wisdom). And how the advice should be? Advice
should base on Hikmat (sane wisdom). Without Hikmat (sane wisdom) there is no
kismet. So when there was a broader base of Hikmat (sane wisdom) then Luqman
intended to preach and advise his son. The question comes in mind that what should be
the manner and modus operandi when giving someone a piece of advice? Allah told Wa-
ith (and remember when) qala (said) luqmanu (Luqman) liibnihi (to his son) wahuwa
(when he was) yaAAithuhu (advising him) ya bunayya (Oh my son). ya bunayya is son
in Arabic. And when someone calls with love and affection then he says ya bunayya.
Luqman is addressing his son affectionately Oh my (beloved) son ya bunayya. Here
from we get the practical lesson that the advice should be wrapped in love. Immersed in
sweet syrup of affection. So if advice given in harsh words, it would produce no effect
on the listener. Allah also sent a message to the Ummah that how one should behave
while giving a piece of advice. If will is to be given, it should base on Hikmat (sane
wisdom), and when advice given, it should be meek and humble.
There is one sounder message that if someone intends to advise they should start from
their own home, from their own children, relatives, and friends. Subhan Allah (all glory
to Allah). There are three basic components of advice. First if the faith. If there is some
delusion in the faith advice can not be given. la (not) tushrik (join in worship others)
biAllahi (with Allah). Don’t make someone else parallel to Allah in worshiping Him.
Luqman advised his son not to be a mushrik. Faith should be straight, as the Quran has
told us. And the advice given by mother is long lasting. Because a baby open its eye in
the warp lap of his mother. I would also describe in next session that every person is
born on the characteristics of Din-e-Islam. These are the parents who made them
Christians, Jews etc. Nature gives instinctive sense of monotheism. It is the parents who
change the instinct into their false beliefs. It is zulm to bring any deity parallel to Allah.
Actually the condition of the nature of a child is like a wax, which can be moulded in any
form of the notion. Likewise the human nature in its childish phase of intellect is also
very tender to turn. So it is the responsible duty of the parents to trace and hunt and
understand the truthfulness in the faith of them. And it is the message of Quran that in
giving advice to your children, dust particle size of concession be not executed. Quran
by itself is an advice given by Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala to straighten the Qiblah of
human mind.
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By
Hujjatul Islam Moulana Muntazir Mehdi Rizvi (Lecture 12- 2007)

There is one narration that Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said to Gabriel

“ Oh Gabriel give me counsel”. There is great rational logic that there are
many things that do not produce its effect in reading but in hearing. That’s why
Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) asked Gabriel to advise him. There are
different entities in learning. So human mind should apply all the methods. So when
somebody preaches or advise it also leaves its dimensional effect on mind. Some times
we learn and recall through visual faculty, sometimes through audio faculty, sometimes
through olfactory faculty, sometimes through gustatory faculty, and sometimes through
kinesthetic faculty. So the counsel, suggestion, opinion, remarks, criticism, advice
should be healthy and full of Hikmat (sane wisdom). After it the words of advice also
play pivotal role in conveying the gist of the belief.
The crux of the matter of the holy verse is to maintain firmly the faith that no one can
come parallel to Allah in giving us the guidance and giving us regards and rewards
according to our potential maneuvers. It was the advice and will of Luqman to his son.
So to declare someone else parallel to Allah is shirk.

What is wrong is maintaining the faith in shirk?

It takes the human brain in lowest possible level of the mentality of mind. The vision
becomes parochial. The wisdom fails to understand the holy bigs of the unlimited time
and space. That human brain begins worshiping big stones, disease spreading rodents,
beasts of prey, electricity of skies, and tremors of the earth. The brain becomes incapable
of recognizing the mega powers of its own mental strength. Even live and dead human
bodies are frighteningly worshipped. It lacks the concept of Ibadat –e-Elahi. Narrow-
minded cerebrum creates its own idle gods made of woods, and stones. Even in India
copulatory organ is also worshipped in some clans of Hindu – it is phallocentric ideas of
false notions of baseless religion.
Without the blessings of Allah we can not eat, we can not think positively, we can not
move, and we can not help the poor etc. This is all by virtue of Allah. Dear readers it is
also the nature of human aptitude that when we are young we never pay attention to the
blessings of Allah. We never bother to think about the oneness of Allah. When old age
creeps on us, then we feel there is real power of Allah with us with which we move and
eat and etc. So please in whatever the age factor you are; be aware that your every breath
of respiratory system should be in line with the Quran-e-Majeed Furqaan-e-Hamid.
This is also Hikmat (sane wisdom) to learn from your surroundings. Luqman told that he
learnt manners by observing the ill-mannered people. Luqman used to do contrary to their
nefarious actions. So they young should come in conscious senses watching old folks.
Worst are those people who think that victuals are in the hand of men folk. No. Allah
provides it directly. There is very strange phenomenon that if they are not worshiping
idols but for the regular income they are giving God like status to their employer. Allah

says “ they do have no power to give sustenance, the source of sustenance

is with Us”. Even in these days Muslims have become mushrikeen. Though they are
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By
Hujjatul Islam Moulana Muntazir Mehdi Rizvi (Lecture 12- 2007)

Kalima reciters. But despite the fact they are far from the Quranic concept of life and
unknowingly they are doing shirk in their daily affairs of life. People become so weak in
their mentality that when hard time comes on them they run to seek the refuge and they
turn to the people to remove their problems. They become ready to play bells of church,
they claim Christ is a Son of God etc. These are the evil effects when mind does not
carry light of the holy Quran. That’s why Allah asked Christ if he said to them to make
him parallel to Allah? Allah says Did you say to declare you Allah?” Shirk
is the worst. A man goes in the state of doing shirk when he does not use the mental
intellectual faculties. Allah says if we did shirk our all deeds would be burnt and nothing

would come in our hand. “Allah never

pardons who does shirk”. it would be pardoned if
he is doing something else except shirk”. Even nabi does have no right to do istighfaar

for a mushrik. Allah says it is not for nabi or

not for them who embraced Islam”, that they do
istighfaar for mushrikeen”. either the mushrikeen
are their relatives”. And nabi can never do istighfaar for any mushrik. It is very clear.

do not do shirk. If you did shirk

you all would be put into hell”. We have come to

know the fact that there is a big torment of punishment for us if we did shirk. It is the
worst form of one of our deeds. And in the universe we see conflicts and brawls these
are all from the mushrikeen. This is the main concern of them to do like that. We should
be aware of them in our surroundings and in our daily affairs of life. Boasting of any
kind also a kind of shirk. Jabber Ibn Yavi a companion of 5th and 6th imam knew thirty
thousand characteristics of holy family that, according to the 5th imam if somebody else
would listen he may become Kafir, or he may become mushrik. Noble characteristics of
holy family are very extra ordinary. These are difficult to deal. Because they are
unbelievable for the ordinary level of mentality. But they don’t know and understand the
status of Ahlul Bayt. Jabber Ibn Yavi asked what to do. He was told by 5th imam to go
into a jungle and dig a pit and pour the pit with the knowledge he had in him mind.
Because a man is not worth telling the noble characteristics of Ahlul Bayt. He said
“ Oh Jabber be aware that if my noble characteristic is being told and if
the listener accepts my noble characteristic it becomes imperative on him to praise
and thank Allah”. and if his heart refused then turn that noble

characteristic to our Ahlul Bayt”. And if refused whoever refused

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By
Hujjatul Islam Moulana Muntazir Mehdi Rizvi (Lecture 12- 2007)

it, is shirk”. If the holy family got any noble characteristic from Allah, and if you refuse
it, there would be no harm to Ahlul Bayt. Then actually you are refusing that Allah does
not have such kind of intellect that such people are being given these kinds of noble
characteristics. In other words you are rebutting directly the might design of Allah. And
such person is kafir and mushrik. Allah says it is from the
mystery of Ahlul Bayt”.
Dear readers, you have come to know that shirk is the worst form of human action in this
world. We all have to avoid it and should keep our eyes open to shirk. Allah says

if a thief steels chop his hands”. The

prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) told that this verse was revealed upon him. The
explanation was sought from the prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam). He replied
if my daughter Fatima committed such kind of sin, her hands would also
be chopped”. There and then verse revealed on the prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) that Oh Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) if you did any shirk your all
deeds would be spoiled. When this verse was revealed upon

“ the hands of thieves be chopped off”. A

companion asked would there be no exception in it? Then the prophet (Salla 'Llahu
'alayhi wa sallam) said “ if even my daughter Fatima broke this rule, her
hands would also be chopped off”. This news reached Bibi Fatima. She became sad that
why her father mentioned her name in this example. There on Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu
'alayhi wa sallam) Gabriel came and said that on you this verse was revealed
“ if you had done any shirk, your all deeds
would have been ruined”. When he heard it he also became sad. That why Allah gave
his reference in doing such kind of sin? Gabriel again came and said

if there had been any other God, this

universe would have spoiled”. When these three holy verses were revealed on him, he
was astonished. Again Gabriel came and explained the situation that these three verses
had to be revealed on you because your daughter had become sad. When Fatima, in her
respect you were told something, and you became sad, then Allah also became sad.
That’s why Allah also said something about Him. Here from we can imagine that how
high is the status of Bibi Fatima. Fatima can not steel. Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi
wa sallam) can not do shirk. And Allah can not be two.
Allah Hafiz! Your comments are welcome.