Social media today is replete with authentic and unauthentic news and general information. and so is also true for the information on Islam. There are many versions, mostly twisted, based on unauthorized sources and by so called pseudo scholars. In some cases, followers of false scholars with no knowledge of Arabic language and therefore of Qur'an and Sunnah, are often seen downplaying scholars of international repute and standing.
The verse chosen for today's post in our series of posts on Selected verses from Qur’an is for believers who come across many a information, but they use their knowledge and wisdom to sift the right from wrong, authentic from unauthentic so that they are not misled and that Allah may guide them from derailing:
الَّذِيۡنَ يَسۡتَمِعُوۡنَ الۡقَوۡلَ فَيَتَّبِعُوۡنَ اَحۡسَنَهٗ ؕ اُولٰٓـئِكَ الَّذِيۡنَ هَدٰٮهُمُ اللّٰهُ وَاُولٰٓـئِكَ هُمۡ اُولُوا الۡاَلۡبَابِ
to those who pay heed to what is said and follow the best of it. They are the ones whom Allah has guided to the Right Way; they are the ones endowed with understanding. (Surah 39. Az-Zumar: 18)
This verse can have two meanings: (1) That they do not follow every voice but ponder over what every man says and accept only what is right and true, and (2) That they do not try to give a false meaning to what they hear but adopt its good and righteous aspects.
Yusuf Ali Explanation:
The Commentators construe this clause in two alternative ways. (1) If "word" be taken as any word, the clause would mean that good men listen to all that is said and choose the best of it. (2) If "word" be taken to mean Allah's Word, it would mean that they should listen reverently to it, and where permissive and alternative courses are allowed for those who are not strong enough to follow the higher course, those "endued with understanding" should prefer to attempt the higher course of conduct. For example, it is permitted (within limits) to punish those who wrong us, but the nobler course is to repel evil with good (xxiii. 96): we should try to follow the nobler course. I prefer the latter construction: it accords better with my interpretation of the last verse: 39:17 ( reproduced as under):
Those who eschew evil and fall not into its worship and turn to Allah (in repentance) for them is Good News: so announce the Good News to My Servants 39:17
There is always the danger that Evil may seize us even if we approach it out of mere curiosity. If we take an interest in it we may become its worshippers or slaves. The wise man eschews it altogether, and so he enrolls among the Servants of Allah, and gets the good news of His Mercy and Good Pleasure.
Muhammad Asad Explanation:
According to Razi, this describes people who examine every religious proposition (in the widest sense of this term) in the light of their own reason, accepting that which their mind finds to be valid or possible, and rejecting all that does not measure up to the test of reason. In Razi's words, the above verse expresses "a praise and commendation of following the evidence supplied by one's reason (hujjat al-'aql), and of reaching one's conclusions in accordance with [the results of] critical examination (nazar) and logical inference (istidlal)." A somewhat similar view is advanced, albeit in simpler terms, by Tabari.
One quality of such people is that they listen to whatever is being said, but their hearts and minds pick up only the best of it and discard the rest. Thus, the only words that they actually receive are the best words that improve and purify people’s hearts and souls. A good soul is always ready to receive good words and respond to them, while the one which is foul receives only what is foul. “These are the ones whom God has graced with His guidance.” He knows that they are genuinely good in their hearts and souls and He, therefore, guided them to listen and respond to the best of what is said. Guidance comes only from God. “And these are the ones endowed with insight.” It is a sound mind that leads a person to self-purification and safety. Anyone who does not follow the way that ensures such safety appears to be deprived of a sound mind and insight, which are blessings given by God. [4]
May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.
For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:
- The plain translation has been taken from the Qur'ān officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
- The exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. [2]
In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources:
- Towards Understanding the Quran
- Tafsir Ibn Khatir
- Muhammad Asad Translation
- Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
- Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
- Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.
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