Tafsir of Luqman 31:17

Luqman: (17) O my son, establish...

When he forbade him from polytheism (Shirk) and warned him about Allah's Knowledge and Power, he commanded him what is incumbent upon him regarding Monotheism (Tawhid), which is the Prayer (Salat). This is the sincere worship directed solely to Allah. From this, we know that Prayer was prescribed in all previous religions, although its form differed.

Then the Almighty said: {And enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong} (Amr bil Ma'ruf wa Nahy 'anil Munkar). This means: If you have perfected yourself through the worship of Allah, then perfect others. For the occupation of the Prophets and their inheritors, the scholars, is to perfect themselves and perfect others.

If someone asks: Why did he prioritize enjoining what is right over forbidding what is wrong in his advice, when previously he prioritized forbidding what is wrong over enjoining what is right? (He first said: "O my son, do not associate partners with Allah," then "Establish the Prayer.")

We reply: He presumed from his son that he already acknowledged the existence of Allah. Therefore, he commanded him regarding the right (Ma'ruf) that follows from this acknowledgment and forbade him the wrong (Munkar) that results from abandoning this right. The polytheist, in his belief, does not deny Allah's existence, even if proof necessitates its denial. Thus, every right (Ma'ruf) corresponds to a wrong (Munkar). The right concerning Allah is the belief in His existence, and the wrong is the belief in the existence of others alongside Him. So, he did not command him regarding that right because it was already present in him, but he forbade him the wrong because it was narrated in the exegesis that his son was a polytheist. He kept advising him until he embraced Islam.

However, here (in verse 17), the command is absolute, and enjoining what is right is prioritized over forbidding what is wrong.

Then the Almighty said: {And be patient over what befalls you}. This means that whoever enjoins what is right and forbids what is wrong will face harm, so He commanded him patience regarding it.

And His saying: {Indeed, that is of the firm matters} (Inna dhalika min 'azm al-umur). This means it is among the necessary, resolute matters. The verbal noun (masdar) here takes the meaning of the passive participle (maf'ul), just as you say, "My eating during the day is a loaf of bread" (i.e., what is eaten by me).

{And do not turn your cheek disdainfully toward people and do not walk upon the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like every conceited boaster.} (31:18)