الَّذينَ يَستَمِعونَ القَولَ فَيَتَّبِعونَ أَحسَنَهُ ۚ أُولٰئِكَ الَّذينَ هَداهُمُ اللَّهُ ۖ وَأُولٰئِكَ هُم أُولُو الأَلبابِ
Who listen to the word [of Allah] and follow the best [sense] of it. They are the ones whom Allah has guided, and it is they who possess intellect.
EXEGESIS
This verse seems to be a continuation of the previous verse. Therefore, it describes those servants for whom there is good news. However, the break between the two verses also serves a purpose, because each verse has a complete independent meaning by itself, as well as a whole meaning that is obtained by adding the two verses together. The meaning of this verse disconnected from the previous verse would be: Those who listen to the word [of Allah] and follow the best [sense] of it – they are the ones whom Allah has guided, and it is they who possess intellect. Likewise, if the previous verse is disconnected from this one, then So give good news to My servants would refer to those who stay clear of the worship of false gods and turn penitently to Allah (instead of referring to those Who listen to the word [of Allah] and follow the best [sense] of it). In other words: give good news to My servants for the existence of such a path and possibility to reach My special mercy by refraining from false gods and turning to Me.
Yasmaʿu is to hear, but yastamiʿu is to give ear – that is, with attention and heed. It has always been used in the Quran when talking about listening to the Quran or to revelation in general. Of course, listening here has a general meaning that includes taking in a message, whether by the physical ear or the other senses and faculties. In the Quran, hearing and listening sometimes have a more general meaning, including acceptance and obedience. However, this verse talks about following afterwards, which means that yastamiʿūna is only to listen.
Al-qawl: the word, the speech. The article al- is a definite article apparently for alluding to prior knowledge (al-ʿahd), indicating a speech or discourse that is already known and identified. It could also mean all words, where the article al- would indicate the genus (jins) of all speeches. Al-qawl has been used in three general meanings in the Quran: 1. In most verses it refers to God’s existential will and command, as a final decree on the occurrence of some event or punishment. This meaning is not intended or applicable here as the context is different. 2. In some verses it simply refers to the speeches and utterances that people make. This corresponds to the second meaning of the article al-, as opposed to the other two Quranic usages of al-qawl. 3. In a few verses it refers to the Quran, which is the legislative speech of God (23:68, 28:51). This last meaning is the most plausible one here, especially because of two pieces of internal evidence from the verse: the special Quranic usage of yastamiʿu, and the subsequent part of the verse that talks about following the qawl, which shows that the word that is intended here is a kind of word that is related to action and practice.
The criterion for determining the best speech differs between theoretical and practical wisdom. Theoretical wisdom is about true and false, and therefore the best theoretical statement is that which is the most compliant to, and descriptive of, reality. Practical wisdom is about good and evil, and therefore the best practical statement is that which is the most righteous. Since this verse talks about following a speech in the most general sense, it includes both types of statements.
The best speech or call is described elsewhere in the Quran as follows: Who has a better call than him who summons to Allah and acts righteously and says: ‘Indeed I am one of the muslims’? (41:33). Therefore, qawl is not limited to some message or word that one utters, writes, or even believes. Rather, it has a comprehensive meaning that describes one’s path, approach, and attitude. This is in line with the point mentioned about listening – that it includes any means of observing a message.
Albāb is the plural of lubb, which means kernel, as opposed to shell (qishr). It is they who possess intellect is an admiration of the people described in this verse. They are a people who do not merely see the surface, and do not make judgement based on the appearance of things, speeches, individuals, and phenomena. Rather, they seek to go beyond the shell and reach the kernel. See the Exegesis of verse 9 for the meaning of ūlū al-albāb.
EXPOSITION
This is a very noble verse; it has been the subject of many discussions, and pertains to one of the most fundamental Quranic principles. The verse has different implications whether it is analysed from within or without the religion, and it is important not to mix between these two aspects. If al-qawl is interpreted as ‘the word’ (corresponding to the first function of the article al- discussed in Exegesis), then the verse would have a religious message. But if al-qawl is interpreted as ‘all words’ (corresponding to the second function of the article al- discussed in Exegesis), then the verse would have a meta-religious message.
One who has accepted the Quran as God’s revelation and the word of truth, would have a religious approach to the book. Such a person would use the other verses of the Quran as internal evidence to interpret the meaning of any given verse. On the other hand, the meta-religious view pertains to one who approaches the Quran as a text that should be assessed and understood based on external criteria. The judgement and determination of the best word for one who has not accepted Islam would rest upon one’s intellect and human nature (fiṭrah). As for one who has accepted Islam, the Quran and the Sunna should also be used as standards and instruments for judgement.
As discussed in Exegesis, the verse primarily concerns one’s reaction to the Quran as God’s speech. Nonetheless, this is indicative of one’s reaction toward any message or speech in general. The verse defines and describes the possessors of intellect whom God has guided, as those who have two qualities: 1. Listening to the speech, and 2. Following the best of it.
The religious interpretation: listening to the word of God is a quality of the special servants of the All-Beneficent: Those who, when reminded of the signs of their Lord, do not turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to them (25:73). Their attitude is to listen carefully and pay heed to what is presented to them from their Lord. This will itself qualify one for God’s mercy, which is certainly needed to discern the truth, accept it, and implement it: When the Quran is recited, listen to it and be silent, maybe you will receive [Allah’s] mercy (7:204). Contrast this with the attitude of the disbelievers: The faithless say: ‘Do not listen to this Quran and hoot it down so that you may prevail [over the Apostle]’ (41:26). Such was the attitude of Prophet Noah’s (a) tribe, as described by Prophet Noah (a) in his complaint to God: Indeed whenever I have summoned them, so that You might forgive them, they would put their fingers into their ears and draw their cloaks over their heads, and they were persistent [in their unfaith], and disdainful in [their] arrogance (71:7).
After listening to the speech, the possessors of intellect adopt and follow the best thereof. In other words, they have eliminated the barriers that prevent one from accepting the truth, such as one’s arrogance, desires, attachments, and prejudices. This is in contrast to the people of arrogance (27:14) and the followers of desires (45:23). There were some groups of people who used to come and listen to the Prophet only to deny and oppose his message (5:41-42) or to call him a sorcerer (17:47). There were also others who would listen to him but would not apply reason concerning what he says (10:42).
… and follow the best [sense] of it: the pronoun it refers first and foremost to the Quran. There are a few possible interpretations for this: 1. They follow the best, most robust, and most reliable interpretations of the Quran. This meaning is confirmed and clarified when this approach to the Quran is contrasted with another approach to the book: As for those in whose hearts is deviance, they follow (yattabiʿūna) what is metaphorical in it, courting temptation and courting its interpretation (3:7). Hence, the possessors of intellects go by the clear and solid verses of the Quran, and leave the ambiguous parts that could be misleading if not interpreted correctly. This is the most plausible meaning. 2. They forbear and forgive those who wrong them instead of retaliating (42:40-43, 2:237), conceal their charities instead of revealing (2:271), and show goodness instead of animosity to those who show hostility toward them (13:22, 23:96, 28:54, 41:34). In other words, among the guidelines of the Quran they choose the path of beneficence, magnanimity, and selflessness, over justice, retaliation, and revenge, even though both paths are permissible. They do not content themselves with acts that are merely permissible, but strive for the acts that are recommended and commendable. This interpretation implies that they have the acumen to discern between what is good and what is better, which complies with their description as those who possess intellect. 3. The best (aḥsan) here describes the entire Quran. It is mentioned in the superlative form for emphasis. Similar examples to this usage of superlative can be seen in verses 87:11, 92:15, and 92:17. Therefore, the verse is saying: they listen to and follow the Quran, which is the best speech (verse 23). The same usage is seen in several other verses in the Quran, including verses 35 and 55 of this chapter. In fact, there is a noticeable similarity between the context and terms of verses 54-55 and verses 17-18 here.
It could also be that follow the best [sense] of it means: follow the best way of following, where the pronoun it would refer to the act of following. This is confirmed in several traditions by Imam al-Ṣādiq (a). See Insights from Hadith.
The meta-religious interpretation: the qualities discussed in this verse emanate from one’s general attitude in seeking the truth, even though the verse primarily concerns how one deals with the Quran in particular. This is the Quran’s definition of an unbiased research method and an objective scientific approach.
The two qualities described here can be generalised to two conditions: research and sincerity. The first is to have an inner drive and thirst for the truth. This is what leads one to listen to a message, in search for a water that would quench his thirst. Otherwise, if one does not feel an inner need, but rather feels confident of his current state and sufficient of any improvement, then the person would not listen to the word. The second is about how one takes a message when confronted with the question of whether he accepts a fact when it becomes evident to him, or whether he has other priorities than following the best speech. This depends on the extent to which one has made himself pure and sincere with regard to the truth. It is not something to be judged by an outsider, but should be assessed and straightened by one within oneself.
Therefore, the possessors of intellect, according to the Quran, are the possessors of both intellectual and practical wisdom. Their intellect directs their search of knowledge as well as how they put that knowledge into action.
When the verse is viewed from without the religion, al-qawl (the word, the speech) would include every speech and message. In this case, they follow the best [sense] of it can best be interpreted as follows: they have only one criterion in choosing and following a call or message: the excellence of the message itself in terms of content, regardless of who the speaker is or any intentions or incentives that he might have. If they encounter two paths or messages that differ in their degrees of excellence then they will choose the best thereof. If one does otherwise, it indicates that the person had other objectives and criteria than following that which is the best. Thus, follow the best [sense] of it is intended to show that their standard in how they live and what they follow is merely the goodness, truth, and excellence of a message. In a famous narration, Imam Ali (a) said: ‘Get wisdom from whoever brings it for you. Look at what is being said, do not look at who is saying it.’ The intellectual and scientific method of seeking the truth involves analysing a statement solely based on the proofs and reasons behind it, and regardless of the person who makes it. One’s approach should be regardless of the causes and incentives that have led the contender to make a contention. For example, rejecting a message on the account that You are nothing but humans like us (36:15) is a violation of the above narration.
This is the Quran’s view with regard to one’s approach and procedure to finding the truth. However, the Quran also has a stand on what is the best of words among all words: it is clearly the word of God; who is more truthful in speech than Allah? (4:87, 4:122). Therefore, this verse explains why they stay clear of the worship of false gods and turn penitently to Allah; they do so because their criterion and standard is to follow the best speech, Allah has sent down the best speech (verse 23), and hence they turn to God as the sender of the best speech.
There are other suggested interpretations for they follow the best [sense] of it: 1. Given that one has limited resources, time, and capacity, the possessors of intellect do not even listen to speeches that are vain and unworthy of being listened to (23:3, 25:72, 28:55). They only listen to that which is good and worthy of being listened to, out of which they follow the best. In other words, it can be deduced from the verse that one should not listen to vain and futile speech to begin with. 2. The best speech and statement cannot be identified unless one examines various opposing views. Thus, listening to the word is a necessary condition for discerning the best word, so that it may be followed. 3. They do not follow and pick on the sins, defects, or shortcomings of others, but they pick on their good deeds and qualities. When they hear some news about someone, they do not spread it if it involves an evil characteristic, but they take the good deeds and attributes they hear. This interpretation is narrated from Ibn Abbas. More generally speaking, follow the best [sense] of it could refer to the best response to the news and events that occur, such as not spreading rumours (4:83) and not acting upon a report without verifying its credibility (49:6). This meta-religious interpretation, however, goes beyond the context of the verse.
They are the ones whom Allah has guided: this statement serves two purposes: 1. It is an approval and admiration of the attitude of listening to the word of God and following the best of it. It could also be a promise and good news that these individuals will reach the truth and their desired destination (29:69). 2. It clarifies and emphasises that both the listening and the action hinge upon God’s guidance and assistance; a principle that applies to every achievement.
We said all the above, but when it comes to act,
Without God’s help, we’re lost and cracked.
Without the help of God and His saints and friends,
Even if you’re an angel, you’ll fail to ascend.
It thus becomes clear that guidance here is not the general legislative guidance (al-hidāyah al-tashrīʿiyyah) which God has provided to all of His servants through their intellects and His messengers. Rather, it is God’s existential guidance (al-hidāyah al-takwīniyyah), which is a special mercy of God by which He delivers the seekers of truth to their destination; it is the achievement and realisation of a desired objective.
By matching this verse and the previous verses, one can deduce that they who possess intellect are those who stay clear of the worship of false gods. Hence, those who subscribe to false gods are devoid of intellect in its Quranic sense: Say: ‘Will you, then, bid me to worship other than Allah, O you senseless ones?!’ (verse 64).
They are the ones whom Allah has guided, and it is they who possess intellect: the two statements here respectively pertain to the efficient cause (al-ʿillah al-fāʿiliyyah) and the receptive cause (al-ʿillah al-qābiliyyah) in the realisation of guidance. What makes one ready and qualified to receive guidance is possessing (and applying) intellect. But the intellect has nothing of itself without the grace of God. What determines and effuses guidance upon the prepared intellect is the source of guidance: Allah has guided.
The late Ṣādiqī Tehrānī has expounded on a subtle and pivotal implication of these two verses. The Quran has elsewhere directed us: Do not follow that of which you have no knowledge (17:36), and ask the People of the Reminder if you do not know (16:43, 21:7). However, this verse adds another condition to one’s quest for truth: it is not sufficient to follow only that of which you have knowledge – either directly or by referring to the experts, the People of the Reminder – but you should follow only the best of words. That is, you should strive for the most authentic sources, the most reliable experts, and the most robust, valid, and defendable doctrines. It is for this reason that one should follow the most knowledgeable of all scholars if he cannot exercise ijtihād (independent judgement) himself. Otherwise, if one follows any other source, expert, or doctrine, he would not fall under those who possess intellect, and would thus be an example of those who worship false gods. This is confirmed by many narrations that identify listening and subscribing to a person or source as a form of worship of that person or source (in the general sense of worship). Hence, this verse urges the audience to search for the best speech and act upon it.
At the end, there are two close connections that can be made between these two verses and two other sets of verses in the Quran. The merit of seeking these connections is that they elucidate the meaning of the verses from the Quran itself, as opposed to many of the ideas presented by the exegetes that, although insightful, are rather speculative and sometimes opinionated. The two connections are verse 23 of this chapter, and verses 3:190-195.
Verse 23 states: Allah has sent down the best speech, a scripture [composed] of analogous repeated [verses], whereat quiver the skins of those who fear their Lord, then their skins and hearts soften to Allah’s remembrance. That is Allah’s guidance, by which He guides whomever He wishes; and whomever Allah leads astray, has no guide. Matching these verses together would confirm many of the interpretations made earlier, including: 1. The condition of listening indicates their inner thirst and need, which is described in verse 23 as the quivering of skins. 2. The condition of following the best speech indicates that their only objective is to follow the truth. This is described in verse 23 as the softening of the skins and hearts by God’s remembrance. 3. The best of words which is left undefined in this verse is clearly defined in verse 23 as the best speech and scripture that God has sent down, which is the Quran.
According to verse 18 here, those whom Allah has guided are those who possess intellect. Verse 23, however, describes them as those who are fearful of their Lord, quiver at His verses, and find composure at His remembrance. These two indeed complement each other, and the link is seen in verse 9, where those who possess intellect are described as those who are apprehensive of the hereafter and hoping for the mercy of their Lord. This again clarifies that intellect in the Quran is not a purely discursive, theoretical, or scientific reason. Rather, it is applying reason to the signs of God in the universe and the verses of God in His revelation – an intellectual and spiritual endeavour that should lead one to subscribe to God’s revelation, be fearful of His awe, and hopeful in His mercy. Otherwise, renouncing Abraham’s creed is attributed to one who fools himself (2:130).
As for verses 3:190-195, these verses are also about those who possess intellects (3:190). They are characterised by remembrance of God and reflection upon His creation (3:191), which correspond to those Who listen to the word [of Allah]. Furthermore, their approach is described from their own tongue as follows: Our Lord, we have indeed heard a summoner calling to faith, declaring: ‘Have faith in your Lord!’ So we believed (3:193). This is a clear interpretation of those Who listen to the word [of Allah] and follow the best [sense] of it. They are the ones whom Allah has guided, and it is they who possess intellect. Finally, God has described their good news in verse 3:195 as follows: I will surely absolve them of their misdeeds and I will admit them into gardens with streams running in them, as a reward from Allah, and Allah – with Him is the best of rewards.
INSIGHTS FROM HADITH
- Many narrations have quoted verse 18 and the last part of verse 17 (So give good news to My servants) together. This indicates that verse 18 is a continuation of the previous verse and an elaboration on My servants and their good news.
- At the end of his letter on determinism (jabr) vs. empowerment (tafwīḍ), Imam al-Hādī (a) explicitly tied these verses to verse 3:7 (quoted earlier, concerning the solid vs. equivocal verses of the Quran) and then added: ‘… follow the best [sense] of it means the most robust and detailed of it.’
Note: This confirms the first meaning presented under ‘The religious interpretation’ as the most plausible interpretation of ‘the best of words’.
- Concerning those Who listen to the word [of Allah] and follow the best [sense] of it, Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said: ‘That is a person who hears a hadith and then narrates it exactly as he heard it, without any addition or omission.’ This hadith has been narrated in several ways.
- Imam al-Bāqir (a) said: ‘Take the good word from anyone who says it, even if he does not act upon it himself, because indeed God says: Who listen to the word [of Allah] and follow the best [sense] of it. They are the ones whom Allah has guided.’
- It is narrated that when the verse, It [hell] has seven gates (15:44) was revealed, one of the Anṣār came forth and told the Prophet: ‘O Messenger of God! Indeed I have seven slaves, and I free one slave for being saved from each gate of hell.’ Then this verse was revealed: So give good news to My servants, who listen to the word [of Allah] and follow the best [sense] of it.
Note: Given that both chapters 15 and 39 were revealed in Mecca, it is unlikely that this story was the circumstance in which the verse originally descended. It may, however, be an application of how one should respond to what God has said in His book.
- According to one account: ‘These two verses were revealed concerning Zayd ibn ʿAmr ibn Nufayl [or Saʿīd ibn Zayd], Abū Dharr al-Ghifārī, and Salmān al-Fārsī, who used to stay clear of the worship of false gods even before their conversion to Islam, and used to follow the best speech that had reached them.’ Another account mentions how some other companions (who were polytheists before Islam) embraced faith upon hearing the message of Islam.
Note: These accounts clearly match the meta-religious meaning presented earlier. Apparently, the companions named in these accounts are mentioned only as examples and instances to which the verses apply, not as strict contexts of revelation. This is how the different accounts can be held together, and the problem that some of these companions (such as Salmān) were not present in Mecca (where the verses were revealed) is resolved.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Verses 17-18 are commonly quoted as the Quran’s promotion of an objective approach to knowledge, often intended (subconsciously) to reconcile between the Quran on the one hand, and secularism and modernity on the other.
This should be viewed as a meta-religious interpretation of the Quran. It is important to note, however, that even though the Quran promotes intellection, objectivity, and freedom from every prejudice or bias, by no means does it set itself equal to any other message. In many verses the Quran has described itself as the ultimate truth and the most complete message. It would be a contradiction if a wise sender were to send a book of guidance for the people and say ‘Here is another product, added to the plethora of commodities that are available in the market’ without telling them that ‘this is the best deal you can get’. This contradiction is due to a confusion of two aspects of seeking the truth: the procedure, and the result (or the structure and the content). The two should be distinguished from one another. When it comes to procedure, the Quran endorses a completely objective and unbiased approach to knowledge, where one should sincerely seek the truth, freeing himself from attachments, emotions, and social norms. Meanwhile, the Quran is not silent as to what this truth is, which one is the best call, and what is the best speech: Allah has sent down the best speech (verse 23); Who has a better call than him who summons to Allah and acts righteously and says: ‘Indeed I am one of the muslims’? (41:33).
Moreover, even the claim that ‘come, listen, and follow the best thereof’ is not as objective and secular as it may sound at first. That is because this claim involves the precondition that the person should have the knowledge and expertise that would enable him to detect the best of words. Hence, it would not be a universal message to everyone, including those who have not mastered the knowledge and ability to discern the truth. The call to assess the different views would be vain if the audience lack the means of assessment. For such an audience, the Quran says: ask the People of the Reminder if you do not know (16:43, 21:7); So if you are in doubt about what We have sent down to you, ask those who read the book [revealed] before you. The truth has certainly come to you from your Lord; so do not be among the sceptics (10:94).
INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS
- A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.
[1] Ḍiyāʾ Ābādī, Mawʿiẓah, p. 71.
[2] Mizan, 17/250.
[3] Rahmah, 3/545.
[4] Furqan, 25/315, with some elaboration.
[5] Tibyan, 9/17; Zamakhshari, 4/120-121.
[6] Tabrisi.J, 3/452.
[7] Uddah, p. 321.
[8] Ḍiyāʾ Ābādī, Mawʿiẓah, pp. 70-71.
[9] Mizan, 17/250.
[10] Ghurar, h. 612 and 10037.
[11] Razi, 26/437; Kashif, 6/403.
[12] Furqan, 25/311-312.
[13] Qaraati, 8/157.
[14] Furqan, 25/313.
[15] Zamakhshari, 4/121.
[16] Rūmī, Mathnawī, v. 1, lines 1887-1888.
[17] Tabari, 23/132.
[18] Razi, 26/438.
[19] Qummi, 2/55; Barqi, 1/246; Kafi, 1/53, h. 3, 2/398, h. 8, and 6/434, h. 24; Tuhaf, p. 456.
[20] Furqan, 25/316-317.
[21] Mizan, 17/251.
[22] Ayyashi, 1/282; Kafi, 1/13, h. 12, and 2/35; Tuhaf, p. 383; Faqih, 2/588, and 626-627, h. 3125.
[23] Tuhaf, p. 475; Ihtijaj, 2/453.
[24] Kafi, 1/51, h. 1, and 1/391-392, h. 8; Burhan, 4/703.
[25] Tuhaf, p. 291.
[26] Suyuti, 5/324.
[27] Tabari, 23/132; Qurtubi, 15/244; Suyuti, 5/324.
[28] Ḍiyāʾ Ābādī, Mawʿiẓah, pp. 68-70.
[29] Proverbs 1:5.