“O my dear son…”
These words from Luqman to his son carry a powerful lesson for every young Muslim today.
In Surah Luqman, verses 13–19, Allah records the advice Luqman gave to his son. Luqman was given wisdom by Allah, and one of the beautiful things about his advice is that he did not begin by talking about money, education, popularity, or success.
He began with Allah.
His advice was about building a young person who knows Allah, respects his parents, establishes prayer, understands accountability, stays humble, and has the courage to stand for what is right.
“DO NOT ASSOCIATE ANYONE WITH ALLAH”
Allah says: “O my dear son! Never associate anything with Allah, for associating others with Him is truly the worst of all wrongs.”
— Qur’an 31:13
Luqman first warned his son about shirk—associating partners with Allah.
This teaches young Muslims that no matter how successful, educated, popular, or independent you become, your relationship with Allah must always come first.
Today, young people can easily become influenced by celebrities, friends, trends, money, relationships, or the desire to be accepted.
But ask yourself:
Who controls your heart?
Are you living to please Allah, or are you living mainly to impress people?
RESPECT YOUR PARENTS
Luqman’s advice also reminds us of the importance of parents. Allah mentions the sacrifices of the mother and commands people to be grateful to Allah and their parents.
For young people, this is a serious reminder.
You may disagree with your parents.
You may think they do not understand your generation.
You may believe you are old enough to make your own decisions.
But disagreement does not give you permission to become disrespectful.
Your phone should not make you ignore your parents.
Your friends should not make you insult them.
Your independence should not make you forget their sacrifices.
And when parents ask you to do something against Allah, Islam teaches that you do not obey them in that disobedience—but you still treat them with kindness. Qur’an 31:15 makes this balance clear.
REMEMBER THAT ALLAH SEES EVERYTHING
Then comes one of the most powerful warnings:
Luqman tells his son that even if a wrong action were as tiny as a mustard seed and hidden inside a rock, in the heavens, or on earth, Allah would bring it forth.
Think about that.
You may hide a message from your parents.
You may delete a conversation.
You may secretly watch something you know is wrong.
You may cheat when nobody is looking.
You may pretend to be righteous in public while doing things privately that you would be ashamed for people to know.
But Allah knows.
There is no private life hidden from Allah.
This is one of the most important lessons for today’s youth: do not measure right and wrong by whether people will discover you. Measure it by whether Allah is pleased with you.
NEVER ABANDON YOUR SALAH
Luqman then told his son:
“O my son, establish prayer…” — Qur’an 31:17»
Notice that salah was part of his advice to a young person.
Today, some young Muslims say:
“I’m still young.”
“I will become serious about Islam when I get older.”
But youth is not a waiting room for Islam.
Your youth is the time to build your relationship with Allah.
Do not allow school, work, relationships, entertainment, games, social media, or friends to become more important than your salah.
When everything else in life is competing for your attention, make Allah your priority.
STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND BE PATIENT
Luqman also advised his son to encourage what is right, discourage what is wrong, and remain patient when difficulties come.
This is especially relevant to young people.
Sometimes doing the right thing means standing alone.
Your friends may laugh because you refuse to join them in something haram.
They may call you “too religious.”
They may pressure you to follow a trend you know is wrong.
They may tell you:
“Everybody is doing it.”
But Islam teaches you that popularity is not the measure of truth.
Sometimes, being a good Muslim means saying:
“No. I cannot do this because Allah does not approve of it.”
And that requires courage and patience.
DO NOT LET SUCCESS MAKE YOU ARROGANT
Luqman warned his son not to turn away from people in contempt or walk upon the earth arrogantly. Allah does not love those who are self-deluded and boastful.
This is a warning worth remembering in the age of social media.
You get a new phone.
You start making money.
You become popular.
You get a good job.
You gain followers.
You become beautiful or handsome.
You graduate.
You achieve something your friends haven’t.
None of these things make you better than another person.
Everything you have is a blessing from Allah.
So never allow success to turn into arrogance.
WATCH YOUR WORDS AND YOUR ATTITUDE
Luqman also advised his son to be moderate in his walk and lower his voice.
Islam teaches us that character matters.
How do you speak to your parents?
How do you speak to your teachers?
How do you speak to your friends?
How do you respond when someone disagrees with you?
How do you behave online?
A person can pray, fast, and read Qur’an but still need to work on their manners.
Your Islam should be visible not only in your worship, but also in your character.
WHAT CAN TODAY’S YOUTH LEARN FROM LUQMAN?
Luqman’s advice can be summarized in a simple message:
Know Allah.
Respect your parents.
Remember that Allah sees you.
Establish your salah.
Stand for what is right.
Be patient when tested.
Stay humble when successful.
Control your attitude and your words.
These lessons are thousands of years old, but they remain relevant because the struggles of the human heart have not changed.
The technology has changed.
The fashion has changed.
Social media has changed.
But young people still struggle with peer pressure, pride, temptation, disobedience and the desire to be accepted.
And that is why the advice of Luqman still speaks directly to us today.
A MESSAGE TO EVERY YOUNG MUSLIM
Dear young Muslim,
You don’t have to follow everyone.
You don’t have to participate in every trend.
You don’t have to sacrifice your deen to fit in.
You don’t have to be ashamed of choosing Allah.
Your friends may forget Allah, but you don’t have to.
Your environment may pull you towards sin, but you can choose righteousness.
People may not see your struggle, but Allah does.
So protect your salah.
Protect your heart.
Choose your friends carefully.
Respect your parents.
Stay humble.
And remember that one day, you will return to Allah.
Your youth is an opportunity. Don’t waste it.
HEART CHECK
If Luqman were advising you today, what would he warn you about?
Your friends? Your phone? Your relationships? Your salah? Your character? Your secret sins? Your pride?
Take a moment and think. The best time to correct your path is before you become lost.
May Allah make our youth among those who love Him, obey Him, establish their prayers, honour their parents, and remain steadfast upon the truth. Ameen.
3SIXTYISLAM
At 3SixtyIslam, we believe Islamic knowledge should reach every generation. From Hajj and Umrah guidance to practical Islamic lessons for everyday life, our goal is to help Muslims learn, grow and strengthen their connection with Islam.
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