The First Advice From Luqman The Wise To His Son
“My son! Don’t you ever associate God with partners; verily associating God with partners is a grave injustice!”
Indeed, humans are always weak in handling their personal affairs. Let alone in the matters related to their base desires. The devils have been setting traps everywhere to lure humans to join them, so that on Judgment Day, we will end up in hell together. Only then will the devils be satisfied, to see Adam’s sons being thrown with them into the belly of hell.
Hence, the sons of Adam should always be cautious, so that they will not steer off the straight path, the path that Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (SAW) are pleased with, or they become a slave of Satan and his trickeries. Satan will make everything evil look beautiful, such that it looks good and attractive. Those who have been enslaved by their base desires will jump into Satan’s snare without second thoughts or any further considerations. They will then commit various sins and vices without thinking deeper of its consequences. In this case, they have become totally blinded, forgotten their roles as servants of Allah (SWT), and forgotten Allah (SWT) as their Creator.
Time and Opportunity to Repent
Fortunately, Allah (SWT) is Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, Most Fair and Most Forgiving. He gives the sons of Adam lots of opportunities and time to repent and return to Him. “Your Lord knows best what is in your inner-selves. If you are righteous, then, verily, He is Ever Most Forgiving to those who turn unto Him again and again in obedience, and in repentance.” (AlIsra, 17:25)
But among all the sins, there is one that will not be forgiven by Allah (SWT), which is the sin of associating partners with Him.
Is it befitting for God to be associated with others, whereas He is the One who made us? He protects us from all harm. He gives us sustenance and various pleasures, even though we always forget Him. As such, Allah (SWT) will not forgive the sin of shirk, or associating Him with others. And therefore, Luqman had advised his sons never to associate partners with God, as it is an unforgivable major sin.
Shirk leads humans away from the truth.
Allah (SWT) explains in this statement, “Whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.” (An-Nisa, 04:48)
Why is that so? Because associating partners with God, or to be more specific, shirk, leads humans away from the truth, as well as enslaves them to Satan and makes them obey his commands. Isn’t Satan calling on humans to reject the laws brought by the Messenger (SAW) and to defy the religion approved by Allah (SWT)? It is clear now, that Satan wants humans to tread on the wrong path, the path that brings humans out of succour and guidance. Thus, whoever veers off the path of guidance, will be pushed to the path that leads to hell, as they do not follow the right path. Beware, o mankind! Not a single soul who veers off the path of guidance shall escape damnation, as how Satan is damned.
Allah (SWT) clarifies this issue in the following verse, “Verily, Allah will not forgive (the sin) of one who associates Him with partners. But, He forgives all other sins save that.” (An-Nisa, 04:116)
After getting the explanation of this verse, it is most appropriate for us to look back. Try to reflect on this advice, and look at ourselves. Have we implemented its teachings in our lives?
The issue discussed in this advice is not only important for children, but also for parents. Our age is one that is heading towards change and reformation. Most people like change and reformation as they signify progress. Who does not like progress?! Nevertheless, the progress that we experience each day often makes us forget our religious duties until we leave them behind. Our religious duties often become second priority, whereas religion is crucial for life on earth.
Hence, it is not surprising for us to discover that in today’s Muslim communities, many are unfamiliar with their religious duties. Or even if they know, their knowledge is the muslim reader 59 volume 32 • issue 02/2014 family perhaps very minimal, revolving around personal obligations only. Knowing that is still good compared to not knowing anything at all.
In facing the daily waves of progress, we come across various issues, which at times are closely related to our problems. Perhaps some impinge on our faith and conviction. As a result of not having enough religious knowledge, or having just superficial knowledge, it is not impossible for one to be entrapped by matters that may pull them into polytheism or associating partners with God - this can taint their religion, and greatly affect their Islamic beliefs.
Children need religious education
With regards to children, the problems faced are greater. Most parents send their children to secular schools. Even if the children received religious education there, it would certainly be inadequate. They still need fundamental religious education that can mould them into pious Muslims. To materialise this, the children should be given additional knowledge, be it at home or religious schools, in the afternoon or evening and so on. Only schools that exclusively teach religion can mould our children into practising Muslims, whose faith is sound and whose manners are impeccable.
When a child is equipped with Islamic manners and inculcated with Islamic attitudes, behaviour and outlook; they would naturally know how to conduct themselves. Islam will be their code of conduct in all matters, be it concerning worldly affairs or the hereafter. In general, parents no longer have to worry about their children’s actions.
When a child is not provided religious education, in fact is left alone to their own devices, they will most likely be swayed by a wayward lifestyle. They will find themselves extremely unrestrained to do anything as they please. A child who lives like this will be guided by their base desires, whereas one’s base desires are driven by Satan’s whispers. By then, they will live without a sense of purpose and without any strong conviction. Their habits are controlled by base desires. Their actions are guided by their shallow mind that is wayward and is not attached to the truth.
Wayward children come from this group. They have no objectives and purpose in life, apart from only following their hearts. As such, many young Muslims have abandoned their parents’ religion for other religions. This is because they do not know the real Islam. They only know Islam by name.
This possibly happens because of one of two reasons: First: The parents’ negligence in providing religious knowledge for their children from young; in introducing true Islamic teachings and its principles; in telling them stories that will strengthen their faith, and so on.
Second: The parents did not give priority to religious education, by not sending them to schools where they will receive religious guidance. Besides that, the parents also know little about religious matters, and never practised the Islamic way of life in their own homes, such as performing prayers, fasting, reading the Quran and so on.
A child who is not brought up with proper Islamic knowledge may be prone to social diseases that are afflicting modern civilizations. We notice an outbreak of malaise such as drug abuse, glue-sniffing, consumption of sleeping pills and so on. Although lots of energy and money have been spent on combating these social ills, they continue to spread rapidly. These children are labelled as antisocial, since their wrongdoings are very grave. This is just the social perception. Imagine the label they would get when judged from a religious perspective.
The spread of social ills Usually, children who are afflicted with these diseases, whether they like it or not, will succumb to other bigger social ills. They will form their own world, a very strange and extreme one. For that reason, their actions are considered as a crime that must be prevented, and they are thus judged according to regulations imposed upon them. They are then isolated in a cell to be treated and reformed so as to become normal citizens again. Although not all of these efforts are guaranteed to succeed, they are very worthy and should be lauded.
In big countries, the problems are more chronic, and it is more difficult to curb these ills from spreading. More often than not, the group afflicted with these ills comprises teenagers - youths who supposedly highly regard personal freedom in their lives. By embracing liberal theories, they are enslaved by their base desires. These theories are very misleading and especially harmful to themselves, besides to the society at large.
The world that they carved for themselves is filled with various crimes and vices, which when they are stranded in, is hard to escape, other than those who are blessed by Allah (SWT). They steal, murder, sleep around, rape the womenfolk, abuse others, intoxicate themselves, and commit whatever they please without caring about the laws and social perceptions. They are no better than animals. In fact, sometimes animals behave better than them.
What can we hope from a child whose behaviour is this bad, or something of that sort? Society will not benefit from such children. In fact, society also will not be able to deal with the mischiefs from them. Islam does not wish for its followers to behave as such. For that reason, Islam imposes heavy judgment on each of the abovementioned sins.
When children with such morals are despised by their society and religion, it is not unlikely that they in turn will hate their society and faith. By committing antisocial acts, they will be judged and placed behind bars. By hating their Islamic faith, they may become faithless and may end up in hellfire. This is deemed as detrimental for both their lives in this world and the hereafter. It is evidently the greatest loss.
I do not think any among us wants our offspring to fall to such a low level. Nevertheless, such a fate could befall on our children when they are left on their own devices without being guided to stay on the correct paths as shown by our noble religion. To ensure success, we as parents should familiarise ourselves with good examples to emulate. Only then will the children trust us, and follow our footsteps.
And in terms of socialising, we must stand ‘on guard’. If possible, let us be the ones to guide our children in choosing whom to mix with. Advise them not to mingle with the company that may bring harm, not only to themselves but also to their parents and family members.
Islam encourages social participation
Islam never forbids us from mingling with people of other faiths. We cannot isolate ourselves from various worldly affairs. We must socialise, in any case. And it is not an offence in our religion. The Quran states, ‘Lakum diinukum, waliya diin’, to you be your way, and to me be mine. (Al-Kafirun, 109:06) But that does not mean we have total freedom in socialising, that we have no restrictions, that we can choose any clubs to enter, that our children who join the bands of musicians for funeral processions are free to join them in sending the deceased of non-Muslims to their graves. This is regarded as a sin that is shouldered by every Muslim in a community if it persists. Where are the parents who allow their children to carry out this deed? Is it because of money that they are willing to close their eyes to the actions of their children?
This is a sin that may lead its doer towards shirk. If the doer was truly ignorant about his religion, no one is to be blamed when someone equate that deed as shirk because the doer is only Muslim by name. In fact, some of them might have even changed their names, and are already known among their friends by names that are foreign and unIslamic. Whither goest the pride of Muslims towards their religion? Wallahu-a‘lam (only Allah [SWT] knows). Some of our children wear necklaces and have pendants around their necks. What kind of pendants? Why is there a need for pendants? Perhaps they are imitating youngsters from the West! But the pendants worn by some of them are crosses or symbols of evil groups. Look at how the children of Muslims can imitate the ways of others without understanding their origins.
Some of them have their bodies tattooed. Tattooing one’s body is not something easy and it takes hours at once. A clean body is pierced with pins or needles until it bleeds. The excruciating pain is unbearable. The tattoos show images of naked women, ghosts and djinns; some depict Satan and devils, which perhaps are the figments of imagination of the tattoo artists. Why have tattoos? They say, “We feel ‘high’ and great.” See how misplaced their thinking is.
These are some of the vices that could bring us to the wrong path, as led by Satan and his accomplices.
Thus, Luqman’s advice to never associate God with partners is not merely by lip-service. It must, in fact, be affirmed through our deeds and actions, including generally staying away from vices that can lead us towards kufr, or disbelief, and shirk. May Allah (SWT) protect us from them.
The first instalment of this series, i.e. the introduction to the book, is available in TMR Vol 32, No 1.
