Period of Revelation
A perusal of the subject matter shows that it was sent down in the period when persecution to suppress and thwart the invitation to Islam had begun and every sort of machination had started being employed for the purpose. This is borne out by vv. 14
15
in which the young converts to Islam have been told that although the rights of the parents are the uppermost after God
they should not listen to them if they prevented them from accepting Islam
or compelled them to revert to the creed of shirkand polytheism. The same thing has been said in Sura Al-Ankabut
which indicates that both these Suras were sent down in the same period. A study of the style and subject matter of the two Suras on the whole
however
shows that Sura Luqman was sent down earlier
for one does not see any sign of the antagonism in its background though
contrary to this
while studying Sura Al-Ankabutone can clearly feel that the Muslims were being severely persecuted during the period of its revelation.
Theme and Subject matter
In this Sura the people have been made to under- stand the meaninglessness and absurdity of shirkand the truth and reasonableness of Tauhid
and they have been invited to give up blind imitation of their forefathers
consider with a cool mind the teachings which the Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) is presenting from the Lord of the worlds
and see with open eyes the manifest Signs found in the universe around them and in their own selves
which bear evidence to its truth. In this connection
it has also been pointed out that this is not a new teaching which might have been
presented in the world
or in the land of Arabia
for the first time
and with which the people might be unfamiliar. The learned and wise people of the past ages said and taught the same thing which Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) is teaching today. It is as if to say
O people:In your own country there has lived a wise man
named Luqman
whose wisdom has been well known among you
whose proverbs and wise sayings are cited in your daily conversation and who is often quoted by your poets and orators. Now you should see for yourselves what creed and what morals he used to teach.