The words of Luqman (peace be upon him)

Mujahid said: Luqman (peace be upon him) was a dark-skinned slave; he had thick lips, and (there used to be) cracks in his feet.

Ubayd bin Umayr said: Luqman (may Allah have mercy on him) said to his son: O my son! Let no man who is free-handed in shedding blood impress you, for with Allah Almighty there is appointed for him a killer who never dies.

Muhammad bin Wasi' said: Luqman (may Allah have mercy on him) used to say to his son: O my son, fear Allah Almighty, (so that) people do not see you in the state of (outwardly) fearing (Allah Almighty) while your heart is full of sins.

Khalid bin Bab al-Rab'i (Ja'far said: and he used to read the scriptures) stated: Luqman (may Allah have mercy on him) was an Abyssinian carpenter and a slave. (Once) his master said to him: Slaughter a goat for me. He said: So he slaughtered a goat for him. His master said: Bring me its two best parts. So he brought him the heart and the tongue. He said: His master said: Was there nothing in it better than these? Luqman (may Allah have mercy on him) said: No. So his master fell silent, and some time passed in this way. Then (one day) his master said: Slaughter a goat for me. So he slaughtered a goat. His master said: Throw out its two worst parts. So he threw out its heart and tongue. His master said: I told you to bring its two best parts, and you brought the heart and the tongue; then I told you to throw out its two worst parts, and you again threw out the heart and the tongue (what is the reason for this?). Luqman (may Allah have mercy on him) said: When the heart and the tongue are pure, there is nothing better than them (in the body), and when the heart and the tongue are evil, there is nothing worse than them (in the body).

Yasar said: It was said to Luqman (may Allah have mercy on him): What is (the essence of) your wisdom? He said: I do not ask about what I have no need of, and I do not do what has no benefit.

Al-Hasan said: Luqman (may Allah have mercy on him) said to his son: O my son! I have carried stone and iron, but I have seen nothing heavier (that is, more painful) than a bad neighbour. And I have tasted every bitter thing, but I have seen nothing more bitter than arrogance.

Al-Hasan said: Musa (peace be upon him) asked about something that would comprise all deeds (so that all goodness would be included in its meaning). He received the reply: Consider how you would like people to treat you, then treat people in the same way.

Habib bin Abi Thabit said: The eyebrows of Ya'qub (peace be upon him) had drooped over his eyes, and he used to lift them with a strip of cloth. Once it was said to him: How did you come to this state? He said: Long life and the abundance of sorrows. At this, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, revealed to him: O Ya'qub (peace be upon him), you have complained about Me? Ya'qub (peace be upon him) said: O my Lord! It is an error that has occurred from me, so forgive me.

Ibn Shihab said: One day I was sitting with Abu Idris al-Khawlani while he was speaking. He said: Shall I not tell you who, among people, partook of the best food? Then, finding the people turning their attention towards him, he said: Yahya bin Zakariyya (peace be upon them both) partook of the best food. His way was that he would eat and drink in the company of animals, for he disliked sharing in the livelihoods of people.

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: Indeed Musa (peace be upon him) said: "O my Lord, indeed I am in need of whatever good You send down to me," even though he was, in the sight of Allah Almighty, the most honoured of His creation. And it is certain that he did not have even a small piece of a date. And hunger had brought him (peace be upon him) to such a state that his stomach had clung to his back.

Uthman bin Abdullah bin Aws said: A prophet of Allah Almighty used to supplicate thus: O Allah, the Pure, protect me as You protect a child.