In the Islamic perspective, child education occupies an essential position since the family serves as the first institution responsible for laying the foundation of faith, morality, and personality in a child. Islamic education emphasizes the integration of spiritual, moral, and intellectual development in shaping human character [1]. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized that every child is born in a state of fitrah (natural purity), while it is the parents who determine whether the child grows up as a Jew, Christian, or Magian [2]. This hadith clearly illustrates the dominant role of parents in shaping the spiritual and moral growth of their children. Recent studies also highlight that parental involvement is a crucial factor in Islamic education, as parents act as the primary agents in nurturing children’s religious awareness, moral discipline, and social responsibility [3], [4]. Therefore, the family is not merely understood as an institution that fulfills biological needs, but also as the first educational entity that determines the quality of future generations. Through parenting patterns, guidance, and exemplary behavior, parents function as the initial madrasah that provides the foundations of faith, ethical values, and life orientation which will influence a child’s journey throughout life [5], [6]. Recent studies also emphasize that the family plays a central role in transmitting religious values, moral principles, and social responsibility within Muslim societies [7].

However, social developments in the modern era have brought new challenges to the educational function of the family. The phenomenon of career families in which both parents are engaged in professional work is increasingly common in urban society[8]. In the twenty-first century, Muslim families also face increasing challenges in educating children due to rapid technological and social transformations, which require parents to strengthen religious and moral education within the family environment [9], [10]. The rise of career families cannot be separated from economic demands, globalization, and the spirit of gender equality. As Mustaqim explains, while such conditions can yield positive impacts such as improved family stability and economic welfare, they also present serious challenges in the process of child education. These challenges are particularly evident in the cultivation of religious and moral aspects, where limited time and attention from parents tend to reduce the intensity of spiritual nurturing, habituation of worship, and inculcation of ethical values that should ideally be instilled from an early age within the family environment [11], [12].

Furthermore, Mustaqim notes that children raised in career families often experience a lack of direct attention and guidance. The parents’ preoccupation with their professional duties consumes much of their time, resulting in suboptimal religious education within the household. This situation can create a gap between the child’s need for moral and spiritual guidance and the reality that parents are more focused on their role as breadwinners rather than as primary educators [13], [14]. In the long term, such imbalance may affect the child’s character development, particularly in instilling religious and ethical values that should be nurtured from an early age. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that career families are also capable of providing sufficient educational facilities, thus enabling the emergence of academically excellent generations, though they may remain spiritually vulnerable [15], [16].

The Qur’an strongly emphasizes the role of the family in educating children. One notable example is found in Surah At-Taḥrim (66:6), which commands believers to protect themselves and their families from the Fire. Exegetes interpret this verse as a clear indication that educating children especially in the religious aspect is a primary parental duty that cannot be entirely delegated to formal educational institutions. Hence, the family is regarded as the fundamental base for shaping a child’s faith (aqidah), morality (akhlaq), and personality before he or she engages with the broader social and educational environment [17]. Moreover, Surah Luqman (31:13–19) presents the counsel of a wise father to his son, containing essential principles of religious life such as strengthening monotheism (tawhid), cultivating moral conduct, maintaining worship, and nurturing social awareness. Luqman’s advice reflects the comprehensive dimensions of Islamic education, encompassing faith (iman), worship (‘ibadah), and social relations (mu‘amalah). This indicates that Islamic education is holistic, integrating spiritual, moral, and social formation [17], [18], [19].

Quraish Shihab, in Tafsir Al-Mishbah, asserts that Luqman’s counsel can serve as a model for Islamic education within the household, as it encompasses the integral dimensions of forming a Muslim personality from belief to social ethics[20]. Thus, Surah Luqman verses 13–19 are highly relevant to be examined as a normative foundation in formulating the concept of child education, particularly amid the challenges faced by career families with limited parental interaction time.

Previous studies have discussed the parental role in children’s religious education. Rahmat Hidayat found that children who receive insufficient religious guidance from their parents tend to experience a decline in the quality of worship [21]. Restu Ramania and Tajul Arifin further observed that weak communication within career families negatively affects the formation of children’s character [22]. Adding to this, Muh Anshori emphasizes that the family serves as the "first and main" educational institution, where parents act as the primary teachers and the home becomes the initial environment for character building and religious habituation [23]. In the specific context of working parents, Elizon Nainggolan and Mega Putri highlight that a mother’s role as the "primary madrasah" (school) remains crucial [24], career women are expected to balance professional duties with their fundamental responsibility to instill religious attitudes and noble character in their children. However, Nabila Irfany Putri et al. note that modern career-oriented lifestyles often lead to a shift in priorities, where academic and material achievements are sometimes favored over spiritual depth. They further argue, based on Surah Taha verse 132, that parents must exercise extreme patience and consistency in guiding their family’s spiritual life, particularly in establishing prayer as a foundation for character [25].

However, although previous studies have examined the role of parents in children’s religious education and the challenges faced by career families, most of these studies focus primarily on sociological or educational perspectives. Very few studies have explored the Qur’anic foundation of child education within the context of career families through a thematic interpretation of the Qur’an, particularly by examining Surah Luqman verses 13-19 as a comprehensive framework of Islamic educational values.

Therefore, this study attempts to fill this gap by offering a thematic exegetical analysis of Surah Luqman verses 13–19 and by contextualizing their educational values within the realities of contemporary career families.

Based on the above background, this study seeks to answer the following research questions: (1) how are the educational values contained in Surah Luqman verses 13–19 interpreted within the framework of Qur’anic exegesis? (2) what educational principles can be derived from these verses for the context of child upbringing? and (3) how can these Qur’anic educational values be contextualized to address the challenges faced by career families in contemporary society?

Accordingly, this research aims to examine the concept of child education within career families through the lens of Surah Luqman verses 13–19 by analyzing the interpretation of these verses and identifying their educational values as a conceptual framework for Islamic family education. The main objectives are: (1) to explain the interpretation of these verses in the context of child education, (2) to identify the educational values contained within them, and (3) to reaffirm their relevance as a foundation for career families in fulfilling their educational responsibilities.

The significance of this study is twofold. Theoretically, it enriches Islamic educational literature by integrating Qur’anic exegesis with contemporary issues of career families. Practically, it provides guidance for working parents to balance their professional roles with their responsibility to educate their children. By grounding family life in Qur’anic values, career families are expected to raise generations who excel not only academically but also in faith, worship, and moral character.

This study employs a qualitative approach using a library research design. Library research was chosen because the object of study consists of Qur’anic exegesis and Islamic educational literature, allowing the analysis to be conducted through a systematic examination of relevant written sources. The researcher does not utilize field data; instead, the focus is placed on the Qur’anic text, specifically Surah Luqman verses 13-19 along with the interpretations of classical and contemporary scholars regarding these verses.

This research applies the thematic interpretation (tafsir maudhu‘i) approach to analyze the educational values contained in Surah Luqman verses 13–19. The thematic interpretation method is used to examine Qur’anic verses related to a particular theme systematically in order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the concept discussed in the Qur’an [26].

The analysis was conducted through several stages. First, the researcher identified the main theme of the study, namely children's education within career families from the perspective of Surah Luqman verses 13-19. Second, the relevant verses were examined by referring to authoritative classical and contemporary tafsir works. Third, the interpretations were analyzed to identify the key educational values contained in the verses, such as the inculcation of tawhid, the establishment of worship practices, the cultivation of moral character, and the development of social responsibility.

Finally, the identified educational values were contextualized within the contemporary context of career families. This step aims to analyze how Qur’anic educational principles can remain relevant and applicable for families in which both parents are engaged in professional work. Through this analytical framework, the study seeks to bridge the normative teachings of the Qur’an with contemporary social realities in order to formulate a conceptual basis for Islamic family education.

The study of child education within career families cannot be separated from a conceptual understanding of three fundamental aspects: the concept of the career family, the concept of child education in Islam, and the concept of thematic Qur’anic interpretation (tafsir maudhu‘i), which serves as the primary methodological approach of this research.

First, the concept of the career family. Generally, a career family refers to a condition in which both parents are engaged in professional work to fulfill economic needs and achieve self-actualization. In the context of modern social development, this phenomenon has become increasingly prevalent, particularly in urban areas. According to the literature review conducted by Noerizka Putri Fajrin and Lusila Andriani Purwastuti [27], families with such a pattern often face challenges in maintaining parental involvement in the upbringing of their children. However, through a review of relevant literature, normative and strategic solutions can be formulated to strengthen parental presence and engagement, even if only in symbolic or limited forms. Therefore, within career families, specific strategies are required to ensure that children continue to receive adequate attention and guidance despite the limited time available to parents.

Second, the concept of child education in Islam. In the Islamic perspective, educating children is a trust (amanah) that must be carried out from an early age. The Prophet’s hadith states that every child is born in a state of fitrah, and it is the parents who determine the direction of the child’s religious development [28]. This indicates that the family serves as the first madrasah for the child. Abuddin Nata emphasizes that Islamic education does not merely focus on cognitive aspects, but also encompasses the development of faith, worship, morality, and social awareness. In other words, child education in Islam requires a balance between spiritual, moral, and social dimensions, all of which must be nurtured continuously by the parents.

Third, the concept of tafsir maudhu’i (thematic interpretation). This method is used to compile Qur’anic verses that discuss a particular theme and subsequently analyze them comprehensively to uncover their integral message. Quraish Shihab explains that tafsir maudhu’i is an effective approach to explore Qur’anic guidance contextually in accordance with the needs of modern society[29]. In this study, tafsir maudhu’i is employed to examine Surah Luqman verses 13–19, which explicitly contain educational advice from a father to his child. Thus, these verses can serve as both normative and practical foundations in formulating a concept of child education within career families.

Surah Luqman verses 13-19 provide a comprehensive picture of Islamic educational principles, encompassing the dimensions of tauhid, worship, morality, and social awareness. These four dimensions are highly relevant for career families who often face limitations in spending time educating their children. Tauhid becomes the spiritual foundation that maintains the child’s life orientation, worship nurtures discipline and responsibility, Qur’anic morality balances emotional needs, while social awareness prevents children from developing individualistic attitudes. Thus, these verses can serve as normative and practical foundations for developing Islamic Religious Education within career families. The embedded messages indicate that although parental involvement may be limited, Qur’anic values can still be instilled through exemplary behavior, habituation, and adaptive educational strategies. This further reinforces that the family remains the first and foremost madrasah in shaping a generation that is religious, morally upright, and socially concerned.

In relation to the objectives of this study, the findings confirm that Surah Luqman verses 13-19 contain fundamental educational values that can serve as a conceptual basis for strengthening Islamic family education, particularly within the context of contemporary career families. The Qur’anic guidance presented in these verses demonstrates that spiritual formation, moral development, and social responsibility must be integrated in order to nurture balanced Muslim individuals. Nevertheless, this study has certain limitations. As a library-based study focusing on Qur’anic interpretation, the analysis is primarily conceptual and normative, and does not include empirical observation of how these educational values are implemented in real-life career families. Future research is therefore encouraged to explore the practical implementation of these Qur’anic educational principles through field-based studies involving career families. Such studies would provide deeper insights into how Islamic family education can adapt to contemporary social realities while maintaining its spiritual and moral foundations.

Aidil: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing-original draft, Project administration. Iis Arifuddin: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing-review & editing. Umi Hani: Resources, Investigation, Writing-review & editing. Nurul Fauziyah: Resources, Investigation, Writing-review & editing.

The authors express gratitude for the completion of this article as an independently written scholarly work following the completion of undergraduate studies. This article represents a personal academic initiative aimed at further developing scholarly insights and reflecting upon knowledge acquired during the course of study. The authors sincerely thanks lecturers and academic peers who, although not directly involved in this research, provided intellectual inspiration, perspectives, and an academic environment that contributed to the formulation of ideas presented in this article. Appreciation is also extended to the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments, constructive criticism, and suggestions that helped improve the quality of this manuscript. It is hoped that this article will contribute meaningfully to the development of scholarly discourse in the relevant field of study.

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

This research did not receive any financial support.