Pearls of Wisdom: The Timeless Advice of Luqman

Sheikh Zahir Bacchus

Course Overview

This course is about the enduring, guiding advice that Luqman gives to his son in Surah Luqman, verses 12-19. In these few verses, Luqman the Wise outlines a path for success in this world and the next for generations to come. He presents around 12 priceless gems that Shaikh Zahir will combine over 8 weeks. These advices have strong oppositional trends and movements in modern liberal culture. Shaikh Zahir will unpack these challenges and show how they directly oppose the wise words of Luqman, and how to thereby navigate the rough sea of bringing up righteous children during difficult times.

Course Aims

• Advices that cover the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of children/youth
• Unpack modern adversarial challenges to their well being and develop the skills to combat them
• Expanding the Quranic worldview and the Prophetic lessons established in the Book of Allah
• Understanding the importance implementing a Quranic method to raising righteous children
• Centering the focus on Allah in guiding our children
• Read and consider questions and articles presented by the Instructor in order to promote discussion
• Gain an appreciation of the tenets of our faith when it comes to raising children

Course Structure

• Recording Only
• One or two of Luqman’s wisdoms per week
• A weekly reflection on today’s challenges and trends in society in light of the weekly wisdom

About Shaikh Zahir Bacchus

Zahir Bacchus grew up in Toronto completed his B.Sc. at the University of Toronto before traveling abroad in 1996 to study at the University of Jordan Arabic Program.  After spending one year in Jordan, he joined and completed the Arabic program at the University of Damascus and it is in Damascus that he would spend the next six years of uninterrupted study.  He had the blessing of learning and sitting in the company of the highly acclaimed scholars of Amman and Damascus.

He returned to Toronto after 7 years abroad and started to conduct classes in the GTA, giving back to the community that he grew up in.  Since then, he co-founded the Lote Tree Foundation in 2005, a very successful private elementary school in Brampton.  He serves as a director of the Canadian Council of Imam, a member of the Muslim Advisory Committee for the Peel Regional Police, a steering committee member of the Interfaith Council of Peel, and a member of the Faith Forward Committee of the Peel District School Board.  He has continued his education, obtaining certifications in teaching and counseling which has led him to conduct workshops throughout North America on character education and youth development.