Luqman

Luqman is one of the figures specifically honored in the Quran — an entire surah (Surah Luqman, Chapter 31) is named after him and records his counsel to his son. He is not a prophet in the mainstream scholarly opinion, but rather a wise man (hakim) to whom Allah gave wisdom: 'And We gave Luqman wisdom: Be grateful to Allah. And whoever is grateful — his gratitude is only for himself. And whoever is ungrateful — then indeed, Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy' (Surah Luqman 31:12). The Quran then records his advice to his son across five magnificent verses that cover the entirety of Islamic moral and spiritual instruction: do not associate partners with Allah, be grateful to your parents, know that nothing escapes Allah even if it is the weight of a mustard seed hidden in a rock, establish prayer, enjoin good and forbid evil, be patient with what befalls you, do not be arrogant toward people, do not walk in pride upon the earth. This counsel is among the most comprehensive summaries of Islamic character in the entire Quran. The scholars have debated whether Luqman was an Ethiopian, a Nubian, a Sudanese, or a Yemeni man — and whether he was a prophet or a wali. The majority view (Ibn Kathir, al-Qurtubi) is that he was a wise man, not a prophet, elevated by his wisdom and gratitude. He is traditionally identified as a contemporary of the Prophet Dawud AS. Some link him with Aesop of the Greek tradition — a slave from Africa known for his wisdom — though this identification is not established. His counsel remains the Quran's most complete articulation of a father's legacy to his child.