Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Hammad said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about Luqman and the wisdom which Allah the Mighty and Majestic mentioned. He said: "By Allah, wisdom was not given to him on account of lineage, wealth, kinsfolk, bodily strength or beauty. Rather, he was a man strong in the affair of Allah, Allah-fearing for Allah's sake, very sparing of speech, deep in reflection, of lofty vision, keen-sighted, and independent of others. He never slept during the day. No one ever saw him urinating, relieving himself, or bathing, so great was his self-concealment, his depth of vision and his guarding of his own affair. Out of fear of sin he never laughed at anything, never grew angry, never jested with any human being, never rejoiced over anything of the world's affairs that came to him, and never let sorrow into himself over any worldly matter. He took women in marriage and many children were born to him, and most of them died in childhood, yet he did not weep over the death of any of them. He never passed by two men quarrelling or fighting without reconciling them, and he would not leave the spot until peace had been established between them. He never heard any speech which he approved of without asking for its explanation and asking the name of the one from whom it was taken. He would sit much with the jurists and the learned, and would frequently visit the judges, kings, rulers and sultans. He lamented for the judges because of the severe trial before them, and he pitied the kings and sultans for their pride and their sense of security about the permanence of their positions, and he took a lesson from them. He learned that which would be a means for him to overcome his own soul, and by it he would struggle against the desires of his lower self and guard himself from Satan. He treated his heart with reflection and treated his soul with lessons drawn from things, and he would not enter into any matter unless it concerned him. For this reason wisdom was given to him and infallibility was granted to him as a gift. For Allah, Blessed and Exalted, commanded groups of the angels — when the day had reached its midpoint and eyes had grown still with the midday nap — to call to Luqman while he did not see them but heard [their voices]. They said: 'O Luqman! Would you wish Allah to make you His vicegerent upon the earth, to judge between people in it?' Luqman said: 'If Allah commands me to this, I will obey; for if He compels me to this task, He will hasten to my aid, teach me knowledge, and grant me infallibility and self-restraint. But if He gives me the choice, I will certainly choose well-being.' The angels said: 'O Luqman! Why did you say this?' He said: 'Because judging between people is the hardest of the stations of religion, and the fullest of them in trial and tribulation; the judge is alone, without a helper, oppression surrounds him from every side, and he is constantly at a crossroads. If he judges by the truth, it is fitting that he traverse the path of safety, and if he judges wrongly, he has lost the path of Paradise. Whoever is lowly and weak in this world, it will be easier for him in the other world to be wise, knowing and noble. And whoever prefers this world over the Hereafter loses them both: this [world] passes away and he does not attain that one either.'" He (peace be upon him) said: The angels marvelled at his wisdom and knowledge, and Allah the Most Merciful was pleased with his speech. When night came and he lay down in his bed, Allah sent down wisdom upon him in such a way that it enveloped him from head to foot. When he awoke, he was the most learned of the people of his time, and from then on he would speak wisdom among the people and spread it among them. He (peace be upon him) said: And when judgeship was offered to him and he did not accept it, Allah commanded the angels to call Dawud to accept the vicegerency. He accepted it without putting forward Luqman's condition, so Allah bestowed upon him the vicegerency and rule over the earth, and He tested him many times; but every time he fell into error, Allah pardoned him. Luqman used to visit Dawud (peace be upon him) often, and would counsel and admonish him with his exhortations and his knowledge. Dawud (peace be upon him) would say to him: "O Luqman! Blessed are you! Wisdom was given to you and trials were kept away from you; but vicegerency was given to Dawud (peace be upon him) and he was afflicted with rule and tribulation."