THE WORD OF GOD

on the earth by the high mountains, or the opulence of valuable resources like water, greenery, etc., everything is indicative of a perfect system of management. Who then, except Almighty God can manage this huge system? As such, is it legitimate for man to worship things, other than God? We bestowed wisdom on Luqman, saying, ‘Be grateful to God: he who is grateful, is grateful only for the good of his own soul. But if anyone is ungrateful, then surely God is self- sufficient and praiseworthy.’ Luqman said to his son, counselling him, ‘My son, do not associate anything with God. Associating others with Him is a terrible wrong.’ (THE QURAN 31: 12-13) Little has been recorded in history about Luqman, except that he was a wise and God-fearing man. The Quran says that Luqman was a grateful subject of God and who, as a father, advised his son to save himself from polytheism. Polytheism holds that beings other than God are man’s benefactors and that, man should direct his feelings of gratitude towards them. The belief in the oneness of God stems from the intense realisation that God is the sole benefactor of man and as such all his gratitude should be shown only to that One. We have enjoined man to show kindness to his parents—for his mother bears him, in hardship upon hardship, and his weaning takes two years. [We said] Give thanks to Me and to your parents; all will return to Me. But if they press you to associate something with Me about which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. Yet be kind to them in this world and follow the path of those who turn to Me. You will all return to Me in the end, and I will tell you everything that you have done. (THE QURAN 31: 14-15) After God, a man’s parents have the first claim upon his loyalty. But, if the parents’ desire clashes with God’s will, then preference has to be given to God’s will and the parents’ wishes have to be accorded the second place. However, it is necessary even then to continue to serve the parents as usual. Striking this balance between two different requirements is the highest example of wisdom of Islam, and the secret of all successes is hidden in this wisdom. o