 حبيبي إله العالمين أب القاسم المصطفى محمد وعلى أهل بيته الطيبين الطاهرين الذين أذهب الله عنهم الرجسة وطهرهم تطهيرا رسكت براثرين والسلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته قال الله تعالى في كتابه الكريم بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ولقد آتينا لقمان الحكمة أنشكر لله ومن يشكر فإنما يشكر لنفسه ومن كفر فإن الله غني حميد وإذ قال لقمان لبنه وهو يعظه يا بني لا تشرك بالله إن الشركة لظلم عظيم صدق الله العلي العظيم بعد تفكير أن لقمان كانت تطهيرا وعلى الله سبحانه وتعالى وعلى الله سبحانه وتعالى ونقوم بعمل مالذي تطهيره according to القرآن الله سبحانه وتعالى تفعيل لقمان ونشكر لله إذا الله يقول ولقد آتينا لقمان الحكمة أنشكر لله اشكرا لقمان اشكرا لقمان الله سبحانه وتعالى هذا هو one of the greatest forms of wisdom شخص who is wise they are going to show gratitude to الله سبحانه وتعالى for what Allah has given them ونقوم بعمل مالذي تطهيره كل of that falls under gratitude so there are many ways where an individual can show gratitude can show appreciation and thanks one of the ways is through the tongue الشكر باللسان to say الحمد لله to show words of gratitude while speaking another is with action if someone has done something good for you you go in with action you show that you appreciate and you show that with Allah سبحانه وتعالى as well through action through abadah through fasting through charity through many ways also another very important way is by taking care of what Allah سبحانه وتعالى has given you so if God has given you body God has given you health take care of that health that's a way of showing gratitude to Allah سبحانه وتعالى if God has given you a family take care of that family be responsible in the family if Allah سبحانه وتعالى has given you anything take care of it to show that you appreciate what Allah سبحانه وتعالى has given you and of course what some of the greatest gifts that Allah سبحانه وتعالى can give an individual is children when Allah سبحانه وتعالى gives you children that's a gift from Allah سبحانه وتعالى to you so that your name continues so your legacy continues and every person wishes to have children every person wishes to leave behind something or someone after they leave this world this is what Allah سبحانه وتعالى shows us that the prophets wanted and Luqman in his way of showing appreciation to Allah سبحانه وتعالى Luqman he comes and he shows his appreciation by admonishing and guiding his son that's his way of showing appreciation Allah سبحانه وتعالى gave him a son so in order to show appreciation to Allah he admonishes his son and he raises his son in the best way possible so Allah says in the Quran when Luqman set to his son while he was instructing him oh my son do not associate anything with Allah indeed association with God is great injustice so he begins a series of advice and the first thing he wants to build the foundation he tells his son يا بني وإذ قال لُقْمَانُ لِبْنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِضُهُ يا بني لا تُشْرِك بالله إن الشركة لظلمٌ عظيم he begins admonishing his son because that's the way he's showing appreciation to Allah سبحانه وتعالى that's the way he's showing appreciation for what he has he makes sure that it becomes something good so he wants his son to be on the right path and he begins admonishing him he begins giving him advice he begins enjoining the good and forbidding the evil and the first piece of advice he gives his son يا بني لا تُشْرِك بالله oh my dear son do not associate a partner with Allah إن الشركة لظلمٌ عظيم because associating a partner with Allah is a great act of oppression it's a great act of injustice now this brings us several very important topics of discussion that we need to talk about one is the role of the parents what is the role of parents? how can I be a good parent? what is good parenting? how can I be a successful parent? for some people their idea of being a successful parent means I have to feed my children I have to clothe my children I have to put a roof over their head I have to put them in the best schools I have to make sure that they're financially secure and they're going to be independent to be able to live on their own yes this is being a good parent being a good parent requires all of these things however there is a very important ingredient that we see many parents they miss out on and that is the admonishment towards their children that is guiding their children just as you care for their physical well-being just as you care that their cloth make sure that they have a spiritual well-being make sure that they have a proper upbringing which prepares them for this life and for the afterlife and this is the task of a parent do not confine parenting to just taking care of your children buying them the best shoes putting them in good schools going and starting at a young age and putting a savings account for them these are all good things I'm not saying a parent should not do that a parent should do that a parent should care for the worldly well-being of their children however the parent should also give great attention and care to the well-being of the אחرة the well-being of the afterlife especially we live in a time where it's very difficult to raise children raising a family making sure that your family is secure making sure that your family is safe from outside influences is very difficult this is a challenge that many people deal with whether you're living in the United States whether you're living in the West or not wherever you are today all over the world parents they find it difficult to raise their children because the whole world has become a global village today it's not just you who has an impact on your children today you are sharing the time with the YouTubers and the bloggers and the gamers and whoever it is they're also influencing your children so there's a race on who can impact your child more you or the outside world you or social media you as a parent or whatever's coming inside the house through the internet through games through whatever it is through the school through outside the house there's a race to influence your children and we find many of the religious parents many of the good مؤمنين parents who are always at the mosque or believers who pray all the prayers who fast who go to Hajj you find that this is a struggle with many parents and this is why raising children is a duty not just to make sure that they have the physical well-being that they're fed and they're well nurtured and they have a roof over their head we have a duty if you're a parent you have a duty to make sure that your children are equipped to be able to deal with the challenges of life after you you make sure that you give them the means that will connect them with Allah سبحانه وتعالى you find some parents they give their children everything that they want but they don't give them the most important thing that their children need and that is spirituality that is a mindset and a perspective that connects them with Allah سبحانه وتعالى a good parent is a parent that admonishes their children a good parent is a parent that guides their children helping them find the path helping them in the struggles of this life and this is what Allah سبحانه وتعالى orders us to do it's not just an ethical thing it's not just a moral thing الله سبحانه وتعالى يا أيها الذين آمنوا قو أنفسكم وأهليكم نارا oh you people who believe strengthen yourself protect yourselves strengthen your own immunity and your children and your family make sure that you have that your family that you're raising the family the household that you're living in make sure that that is a house that is protected from the hellfire just as you want to protect them from the dangers of this life just as you don't want your children to leave the house so that they're not exposed to a virus so that you know dangers do not come to them make sure that you are protecting your family and your children from the dangers that will affect their spirituality and their heart الله سبحانه وتعالى وأمر أهلك بالصلاة واستبر عليها لا نسألك رسقة نحن نرزقك والعقبة للتقوى الله سبحانه وتعالى you have one very important duty towards your family towards your children and that is to guide them and to command them and order them to pray وامر أمر there's an order وامر أهلك بالصلاة واستبر عليها and be extra patient be extra vigilant constantly if you see your son has not prayed you tell your son get up and pray so this is the way that you send a message to your family to your children and you tell them and الله says واستبر عليها be extra patient be extra vigilant لا نسألك رسقة we're not asking you for money we're not asking you for wealth الله does not want that from you some people they are running their whole life after paying the bills doing this and do that making money and meanwhile they have neglected their own children meanwhile they have neglected to order their children to do what is right الله says ننسألك رسقة نحن نرزقك والعقبة للتقاو we will give you your risk don't worry about it some people they say I don't have time to sit with my family I don't have time to teach them to pray I don't have time to sit and admonish them because I'm busy trying to pay the mortgage yes working is good من لا معاشله لا معادله the one who doesn't work they're not working for after life either but you have to strike a balance you have to keep a balance between this life and the afterlife and the afterlife is what is more important your children are your legacy your children are what you leave behind and this is why we see the prophets of Allah all of the prophets there's one thing that was on their mind there was one thing that was concerning them and that was not only do they want to have children but they have to raise their children in a proper way they have to make sure that their children are prepared and well equipped they give their children the language they educate their children with the means and the language to connect with Allah سبحانه وتعالى and that is through prayer ابراهيم عليه السلام he says رب جعلني مقيم الصلاة ومن ذرية ربنا وتقبل دعا Oh Allah make me be from the ones who uphold prayer and my progeny and my children Oh Allah accept our dua ابراهيم was always doing dua for his children in the beginning he didn't have a child he keeps asking and then Allah gives him a child and then he and Ismail they both built the Kaaba and then after Allah سبحانه وتعالى tested him قال إني جعلك الناس إماما Allah tells him I have made you I have given you the position of Imam he says قال ومن ذرية he is once again asking about his progeny you see he was always concerned about his family and similarly we see لقمان he is also taking on the task of showing appreciation and Allah سبحانه وتعالى through what? through guiding his son through admonishing his son and he admonishes his son Allah says in the Quran وإذ قال لقمان لبنه وهو يعظه لقمان says to his son as he is admonishing him يا بنا يلا تشرك بالله and لقمان has a series of admonishments that he gives his son some of them are in the Quran and others are in hadith and Insha'Allah we will discuss them but لقمان he didn't just give his son one advice and then that's it he goes لقمان made sure that he continuously advises his son امام الصادق عليه السلام he says فوعظ لقمان ابنه باثار حتى تفطر وانشق the son of لقمان his name is باثار so امام الصادق says لقمان kept admonishing and admonishing his son حتى تفطر وانشق until he began to crack and he opened what does that mean this is a metaphor to a fruit when a fruit is ripe you see for example a pomegranate if it's ripe it's going to open up تفطر it's going to crack and it's going to open up that means it's ripe that means it's ready that means it's it could be going on its own لقمان he kept advising his son because as a parent I don't know I don't have a guarantee how many years I have with my children I don't have a guarantee how much longer I could live so as a parent I have to take that opportunity every opportunity I have to guide my children to speak to them to one word here and there to help them be prepared now some parents since we're talking about admonishment and upbringing and raising children some parents they come and they say let's say it I can't I keep talking and talking and talking they don't listen to me I can't what am I supposed to do here we know that as a duty every person is supposed to do what their duty is I have a duty to enjoin the good and forbid the evil now if that person does not accept what I say that means they're not doing their duty but I have to continue my duty as a parent I have that duty I have to continue my duty and sometimes you're successful sometimes you're not successful الله سبحانه وتعالى shows us that Prophet نوح عليه السلام he was a prophet he was an old man and he has to guide his son he has to keep telling his son come with me but his son rejected وقال ركب فيها بسم الله مجراها ومرساها إن ربي لغفور رحيم he tells the people come and ride the ark with me الله is merciful وهي تجري بهم في موجن كالجبال ونادا نوح نبنه ابنه وكان في معزل يا بني يركب معنا ولا تكن مع الكافرين نوح was an old man he was with his people for over 950 years so the time of the flood it was at the end so he was an old man and his son was an old man his son was probably really old so نوح يتالسه سن يابنه oh my dear child come with us but his son was arrogant his son would not listen but نوح يكب doing what his duty is and that is to guide and that is to admonish now whether your son or your daughter accepts or does not accept that is something else you have to continue your duty and just because they do not listen to you does not mean that you are a failure as a parent نوح was not a failure as a parent he was a prophet of Allah but his son rejected the advice and the admonishment of the father but many times the approach and the method of admonishing and guiding children from the parents many times that is flawed and that is why you have problems that arise I'm not saying that this is always the case because Prophet نوح was a prophet of Allah and he's guiding his son in the best way possible and his son took the path of misguidance this happens however we have to make sure that our approach and our methodology is correct it's sound sometimes one error that some parents have is that they send mixed messages you come and you tell your son or your daughter something but in action you're doing something totally different children even at a young age they have common sense they have logic they know when there is inconsistency in action if you're guiding but then you're doing the opposite then that means that you're not really guiding that means you just want to say something but you're doing something else and remember many times a lot of the wrong that children pick up at a young age they pick it up from their parents maybe the parents were not intending to teach their children that wrong but they picked it up they see their parents the way they talk to others when their parents are backbiting when their parents are fighting with one another when their parents are doing this and that they pick up and they learn and they learn and their their actions are are picked up from their parents so we have to be very careful that we do not send wrong messages one day a father or a parent came to Rasool الله صلى الله عليه و آله and he tells Rasool الله يا رسول الله my son has a problem my son eats dates he's always eating dates and it's bad for him I don't want him to eat so much dates dates where the you know the chocolate of that time the Hershey the Snickers whatever you're craving right now just imagine that so he tells his son he tells Rasool الله my son he's always eating dates so can you talk to my son please you're the prophet my son will probably he looks up to you he'll listen to you so Rasool الله he tells the man yes I will talk to your son but come back tomorrow so the man he said okay he comes back the next day he's bringing his son he's holding his son's hand he brings him to Rasool الله Rasool الله tells him oh young man it's not good you know having too much even if something is good for you having too much of it is going to be harmful and the boy was convinced and he left the father he came to Rasool الله he tells Rasool الله يا رسول الله it was so easy for you it just took you one minute to talk to my son why is it that you told me come back tomorrow why didn't you just tell him yesterday Rasool الله tells him because yesterday I had dates I don't want to be sending mixed messages see Rasool الله even in his admonishment he's being truthful and this is the sign of a wise person a wise person is someone who does not just act wise in front of people but someone who is wise with him or herself first and you admonish yourself before admonishing other people this is one point another very important point for parents is a lot of parents when they see their children doing something wrong here and there right away don't do this don't do that do this and do that just giving orders how many times have we sat and listened to what's going on in our children's minds what struggles are they facing in college at the high school what struggles are they facing in life maybe they're falling in this sin as a result of that struggle that they're dealing with and I need to find a solution to that struggle so listen to them listening to them you could be admonishing them just by listening to them some children they just need someone to talk listen to them when you listen to your children you're going to develop that trust once you develop that trust then you will be able to talk to them you need some bonding time you need some spending time with one another without that just giving orders here and there because if you're starting it off by giving orders that relationship it's not going to be they're not going to see it as you're you know they're not going to feel that you have built a bond with them listen to them so that you can build a bond another very important point is that as a parent even though you're the parent and what you want has to go and that is the truth and whatever the case may be but as a parent respect the intellectual you know respect the intellectual capacity of your children what does that mean? that means that speak even to your children even though they're your children and whatever you say has to go but speak to them with logic speak to them using the power of the intellect don't only use emotions some parents they only use emotions when they're talking to their children when they get angry or they're happy they start reacting use intellect use logic when you talk to people anyone when you're giving advice to them because at the end of the day every single one of us الله سبحانه وتعالى created us with the intellect and that intellect it helps us weigh decisions and we make decisions using our intellect a man comes to Rasulullah in front of the Muslims and he says يا رسول الله I like adultery I want to commit zina some of the Muslims they got really upset they got really angry what is this man saying how can he speak to Rasulullah in this way and he just says I want to commit adultery so Rasulullah tells him come here they wanted to beat him up Rasulullah says leave him I'm going to talk to him he comes Rasulullah tells him listen do you have a mother do you have a sister he said yes I do he tells him would you be happy if someone wants to commit adultery with your own mother he says no I would not be happy because adultery means taking advantage of someone having a relationship without giving them their rights marriage what's the difference between marriage and adultery marriage is that we're acknowledging rights the male and the female they have rights and these rights are acknowledged by Allah سبحانه وتعالى that's all that it is a relationship outside of marriage outside outward of wedlock means that there's no rights it could lead to abuse it could lead to disrespect so Rasulullah says would you allow would you be okay with someone committing adultery with your mother he said no then he said then why would you want that for someone else's mother and then he said would you allow someone to commit adultery with your own sister he said no he said then why would you allow that for someone else's sister Rasulullah used logic the man was convinced and he left he was convinced Rasulullah used logic and religion a lot of it it is logical this is another point and finally we have to balance as parents the parents who say why don't my children listen to me when I admonish them because you have to balance between reward and punishment a lot of parents they're either either punishing only punishing and only putting in time out and doing this and that and grounding their children and taking away from them and in some cases it leads to abuse or on the other side they're only giving them and spoiling them and take this and take that and take that both of them are wrong you have to balance between reward and disciplinary punishment and this is one of these are some of the ways of admonishing children so now we move on وإذقالة لقمانه لبنه وهو يعظه يا بني لا تشرك بالله إن الشركة لظلم عظيم لقمان tells his son oh my dear son do not associate a partner with Allah because that is the greatest act of injustice and this is the message of all of the prophets وما أرسلنا من قبلك من رسول إلا نوحي إليه أنه لا إله إلا أنا فعبدون every prophet الله sent 124,000 prophets and messengers الله سبحانه وتعالى sends every prophet with this single most important message and that is to call people to توحيد to invite people to monotheism and to tell people to not associate a partner with Allah سبحانه وتعالى and you see that there's so much insistence in the Quran regarding telling regarding telling people to avoid shirk the prophets were not sent to introduce people to God as much as they were sent to tell people to not associate a partner with God someone says why why aren't there so many proofs and arguments to invite people to believe in God and worship then there are arguments and rhetoric in the Quran telling people not to associate a partner with Allah سبحانه وتعالى the reason for this is because we are innately born with a need with an inclination to worship so Allah doesn't need to come and tell me to worship when I have that every single person whether you're a Muslim you're not a Muslim even an atheist has an inclination to worship even someone who is an agnostic they have an inclination to worship we're all driven by that yes in times of comfort we don't really we kind of disregard that feeling but in times of fear you see that people will remember God people will remember that power that they believe in anything so where do people make a mistake people we were born with that fitrah that innate consciousness that tell us that orders us to worship the place where people started making mistakes and mixing up is what to worship so people have that desire to worship but then they started confusing what they're worshiping so some people they saw the sun they started worshiping the sun some people saw the stars the moon a cow whatever it is or sometimes other people they started worshiping them and this is why Allah sends prophets and messengers to tell people to worship the one and only الله سبحانه وتعالى and that worshiping anyone other than God and taking a Deity any other than الله سبحانه وتعالى is a great act of injustice it's a wrong it's an act of injustice why because instead of appreciating the Lord instead of worshiping the Lord who gave you what you have who continues to give you what you have you're worshiping someone else you're worshiping something else that is unable to help itself let alone help other people so this is an act of injustice to Allah this is an act of injustice to yourself because you're stripping yourself of the ability to connect to the one who has the ability to change your life and you're fooling yourself by worshiping an idol or whatever it may be and it's an oppression to the whatever you're worshiping because everything everything out there eat every small particle obeys Allah سبحانه وتعالى so to take something that obeys and worships Allah in its own way Allah says everything you sabbih everything glorifies Allah we can't hear every particle everything out there glorifies Allah to take something that in itself it glorifies Allah and to consider it a deity then that is an act of oppression to everything Allah سبحانه وتعالى asks Jesus oh Jesus was it you who told people to worship my mother and I instead of God وإذ قال الله يا عيس ابن مريم أنت قلت للناس تخذوني وأمي إلهيني من دون الله هل أنت قلت للناس تخذوني وأمي كما أنت الله instead of God قال سبحانك ما يكون لي أن أقول ما ليس لي ليس لي بحق إن كنت قلت إن كنت قلته فقد علمته تعلم ما في نفسي ولا أعلم ما في نفسك إنك أنت علام الغيوب عيسا قال لا الله لم أقول ذلك تعلم إذا كنت أقول ذلك لا أقول أي شيء مثل ذلك هذا هو أكتب إنجاستس إلى جيزا أو أي شخص الذين يأخذوني as a God إنه أكتب إنجاستس إلى ذلك جيزا كانت أرشب الله سبحانه وتعالى كيف يمكن أن يأخ and say جيزا as God أنفسه ثم الله قال إن الشركة لظلم عظيم ليس أسوسيئة مع الله ليس أي شخص إنجاستس إنه أفضل أفضل شخص إنجاستس إنه أفضل أفضل إنجاستس فأتذكروا في مجرد أفضل إبراحة التي تحتاج فيها إجابة لأجلها مع الله أكتب إبراحة أكتب إبراحة أكتب أكتب إبراحة و هذه هذه تأخذوني من لقمان والقرب و الله سبحانه وتعالى أفضلها في القراءان عندما هذا العبر كانت تأخذت الذين آمنوا و لم يلبسوا إيمانهم بظلم أولئك لهم الأمن وهم مهتدون الذين يؤمنون وهم لا يضعون أفضلهم مع أفضل يعني لا يوجد أفضل في أفضلهم أولئك لهم الأمن هؤلاء الذين لديوا أفضل وهم مهتدون و هؤلاء أفضلهم عندما هذا العبر كل أحدهم they became sad لماذا؟ they came to Rasool الله they tell him يا رسول الله every single one of us we are believers we are believers but we've committed some forms of oppression here and there ظلم when you sin you're oppressing yourself when you backbite you're oppressing when you lie when you cheat when you whatever you do any act of sin is a ظلم so they come and they tell Rasool الله يا رسول الله this means that we're not going to be saved because the verse says هؤلاء الذين يؤمنون و لن يقوموا بعمل أي أفرش رسول الله صلى الله عليه وعاله يتفصير القرآن بالقرآن يتفصير one verse using another verse in the Qur'an and this is the highest forms of Tafsir this is the best forms of exegesis رسول الله يقول لا the Qur'an is talking about in this verse is associating a partner with Allah سبحانه وتعالى because لقمان he tells his son إن شرك لظلم عظيم شرك associating a partner with Allah that is the greatest act of injustice so this verse is saying if you're a mu'min then don't go back to shirk if you're a mu'min then don't associate a partner with Allah you have to be very careful and شرك associating a partner with Allah has many levels some people they could be mu'min they could be believers they believe that it's only God but in action they're worshiping something else their belief system tells them that it's only God but they're worshiping something else they're worshiping their life they're worshiping their desires they're worshiping money they're worshiping so many other things that could be worshiped رسول الله صلى الله عليه و آله he warns the Muslims he says إن شرك أخفى من دبي بن نمل على صفاء صوداء في ليلة ضلماء he says شرك in the heart is hidden it's so hidden it's as hidden as a black ant that is walking on a rock at night and that rock is a rugged rock this is how are you going to be able to see that ant you won't be able to see it it will be very difficult رسول الله he warns the Muslims he says be very careful where you do not fall in shirk where you do not associate partners with Allah when you're in need who do you turn to do you turn to God or do you turn to other people when you're struggling who do you go to you go to Allah or you go to other people we have to cleanse ourselves we have to make sure that our objective and our mission in life is Allah سبحانه وتعالى and nothing and no one else this is another point a third point and I will quickly go through this is that الله سبحانه وتعالى is saying إن الشركة لظلم عظيم associating a partner with God it's an act of injustice here we learn that there are certain absolute truths that do not require religion for you to learn about them so the measure of associating a partner with God Allah says in the Quran it's oppression and I don't need to teach you what oppression is because you are built innately knowing what is oppression so you don't need to be a religious person you don't need to read the Quran or the Torah or any divine scripture to know exactly what oppression is every single one of us just as we have that innate desire to find a Lord we also have that innate desire or we also have that innate consciousness that helps us distinguish between justice and injustice and we know an act of oppression when we see it so لقمان is telling his son associating a partner with God that's an act of oppression and you already know what an act of oppression is because Allah created you with that Allah سبحانه وتعالى created you with that internal navigation system with that internal GPS where Allah سبحانه وتعالى has guided you سبح اسم ربك الأعلى الذي خلق فسوى والذي قدر فهدى الله دستن وقايدت وقايدت you in many ways one is your internal guidance and he sent external guidance and that is through the prophets and the messengers and the books we ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى to guide us all and to help us نسألك اللهم وندعوك بسمك العظيم الأعظم الأعزل أجل الأكرم يا الله يا الله يا رحمان يا رحيم يا مقلب القلوب ثبت قلوبنا على دينك اللهم اغفر للمؤمنين والمؤمنات الاحياء منهم ولا موات تابع اللهم بيننا وبينهم بالخيرات إنك مجيب الدعوات إنك غافر الخطيئات إنك على كل شيء قدير اللهم تخل على أهل القبور السرور اللهم أغني كل فقير اللهم أشبع كل جائع اللهم اكسو كل عريان اللهم اقضي دينا كل مدين اللهم فرج عن كل مكروب اللهم ردا كل غريب اللهم فكا كل أسير اللهم أصلح كل فاسد من أمور المسلمين اللهم أشفي كل مريض اللهم أسد فقرنا بغناك اللهم غير سوء حالنا بحسن حالك اللهم اقضي عن الدين وأغننا من الفاق إنك على كل شيء قدير وإلى أرواح المؤمنين والمؤمنات نهدي ثواب الفاتح مع الصلوات اللهم صلى الله عليه وسلم