Story of Luqman - who is he?

Who is Luqman?

He is Luqman Ibn 'Anqa' Ibn Sadun. Or, as stated by As-Suhaili from Ibn
Jarir and Al-Qutaibi that he is Luqman Ibn Tharan who was from among the
people of Aylah (Jerusalem).
He was a pious man who exerted himself in worship and who was blessed
with wisdom. Also, it is said that he was a judge during the lifetime of Prophet Dawud (Peace be upon him). And, Allah knows best.
Narrated Sufyan Ath- Thawri from Al-Ash'ath after 'Ikrimah on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) as saying: He was an Ethiopian slave who worked as a carpenter. Qatadah narrated from' Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair as saying: I asked Jabir Ibn 'Abdullah about Luqman. He said: "He was short with a flat nose. He was from Nubia"
Narrated Yahia Ibn Sa' id Al-Ansari after Sa' id Ibn Al-Musayib his saying:
Luqman belonged to the black men of Egypt. He had thick lips and Allah the
Almighty granted him wisdom but not Prophethood. Al-Awza'i said: I was told by 'Abdur Rahman Ibn Harmalah: that a black man came to Sa' id Ibn AIMusayib asking him for charity. Sa' id said: do not feel distressed for your black colorbecause there were from among the best of all people three blackmen: Bilal Ibn Rabah, Mahja' (the freed-slave of 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattab), and Luqman, the wise who was black, from Nubia and whose lips were thick.
Narrated Al-A'mash after Mujahid: Luqman was a black huge slave, thicklipped, and crackedfooted. 'Umar Ibn Qais said: "Luqman was a black slave, thick-lipped and cracked-footed. It happened while he was preaching some people, a man came to him and said: aren't you the one who used to look after the sheep with me at such and such place? Luqman said: yes, I am! The man said: then, what made you of that position? Luqman said: telling the truth and keeping silent regarding what does not concern me." (This Hadith was narrated by Ibn J arir after lbn Hamid after Al-Hakam) Ibn Abu Hatim said: I was told by Abu Zar' ah that he was told by Safwan after Al- W alid after 'Abdur Rahman Ibn Abu Yazid Ibn Jabir who said: "Allah the Almighty raised Luqman's status for his wisdom. A man used to know him saw him and said: Aren't you the slave of so and so who used to look after my sheep not so long in the past? Luqman said: yes! The man said: What raised you to this high state I see? Luqman said: the Divine Decree, repaying the trust, telling the truth and discarding what does not concern me. "
Narrated Ibn Wahb: I was told by 'Abdullah Ibn 'Ayyash Al-Fityani after'
Umar, the freed slave of 'Afrah as saying: "A man came to Luqman, the wise and asked: Are you Luqman? Are you the slave of so and so? He said: "Yes!" The man said: You are the black shepherd! Luqman said: As for my black color, it is obviously apparent, so what makes you so astonished? The man said: You became frequently visited by the people who pleasingly accept your judgments!
Luqman said: 0 cousin! If you do what I am telling you, you will be like this. The man said: What is it? Luqman said: Lowering my gaze, watching my tongue, eating what is lawful, keeping my chastity, undertaking my promises, fulfilling mycommitments, being hospitable to guests, respecting my neighbors, and discarding what does not concern me. All these made me the one you are looking at."
One day Abu Ad-Darda' mentioned Luqman the wise and said: He was not
granted wisdom because of wealth, children, lineage, or given habits, but he was self-restrained, taciturn, deep-thinking, and he never slept during the day. In addition, no one has ever seen him spitting, clearing his throat, squeezing the lemon, answering the call of nature, bathing, observing trivialities, or foolishly laughing. He was very eloquent and well-versed. He did not weep or cry when all his children died. Finally, he used to frequent the princes and men of authority to mediate and think thoroughly and find admonition. So, because of all these he was granted that great wisdom.
Some people claimed that he was offered Prophethood, and that he feared
not to be able to carry out its requirements and obligations. Thus, he chose to have wisdom for it is easier -this cannot be totally true -and Allah knows best!
'Ikrimah also narrated that: Luqman was a Prophet.1
1This narration is very weak for the sub-narrator, Al-Ja' fi is mentioned by Imams Al-Bukhari and An-Nasa'I among the Weak Narrators.