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Luqman
1000 BCE – 950 BCE · Arabia (legendary)Quranic
Description
Luqman was a legendary sage and hero in pre-Islamic Arab tradition. The 31st surah (chapter) of the Qur'an, Luqman, is named after him and depicts him as a monotheist and a father giving pious advice to his son. Subsequently, a large number of proverbs were attributed to Luqman, and at some point in the medieval era he was identified as a writer of fables. Many fables and biographical details which in Europe were connected with Aesop were transferred to Luqman. There are many stories about Luqman in Persian, Arabic and Turkish literature.
Life & work in brief
Summarised by section — one row per topic, for fast reading.
| Topic | Summary |
|---|---|
| In pre-Islamic Arab tradition | In the pre-Islamic era, Arab tradition included the figure of Luqman ibn Ad, who was renowned for his wisdom and long-livedness (hence his epithet al-Mu'ammar 'the Long-lived'). |
| In the Qur'an | The 31st surah (chapter) of the Qur'an is named after Luqman. |
| In Islamic tradition | As Heller and Stillmann state, "Once the Ḳurʾān had consecrated Luḳmān as the wise utterer of proverbs, everything that was thought pious or sensible could be attributed to him." Arabic collections of proverbs attribute many sayings to Luqman. |
| Identity | Luqman is described by Heller and Stillmann as a "composite, and hence a many-sided figure" who "has often been compared and identified with other legendary heroes, such as Prometheus, Alkmaion, Lucian and Solomon." According to one view, there were originally two distinct figures who were conflated: Luqman ibn Ad and Luqman al-Hakim (the Luqman of the Qur'an); later, attributes of a variety of figures were connected with the name of Luqman. |
| In Turkish and Persian literature and folklore | Luqman was "a fairly popular figure in Persian literature." He is a subject of a long chapter in al-Nisaburi's Qisas al-Anbiya, which adds some new material to the anecdotes found in the Arabic qisas. |
Prophecies
Key prophetic utterances and visions attributed to Luqman, with sources.
| Prophecy / vision | Source |
|---|---|
| O my son, set up no partner with God — the wrong has gone astray | Quran 31:13 |
| Bear patiently what befalls you; that is of the firmest resolves | Quran 31:17 |
| Do not turn your cheek from people in contempt, nor walk the earth exultantly | Quran 31:18 |