Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (36) Surah: Al-Isrā’
وَلَا تَقۡفُ مَا لَيۡسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمٌۚ إِنَّ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَٱلۡبَصَرَ وَٱلۡفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَانَ عَنۡهُ مَسۡـُٔولٗا
(36) [3576]Do not ˹neither˺ pursue that of which you have no ˹sure˺ knowledge[3577]; [3578]indeed the hearing, the sight and the heart, all of this, ˹you˺ will be asked about!
[3576] This passage completes and rounds up the bases on which a Divinely-inspired society should be built. First, here the fourth and fifth of the Five Primary Necessities (al-Ḍarūrāt al-Khams), i.e. the intellect (al-ʿaql) and al-dīn (religion) are called into attention.
[3577] People are cautioned against basing their speech and/or actions on mere guesswork and following that for which they have no sure knowledge or solid evidence (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr): “You who Believe! Shun much conjecture. Indeed, ˹even˺ some conjecture is a sin!” (49: 12)
[3578] These three faculties, i.e. hearing (al-samʿ), sight (al-baṣar) and the heart (al-fu’ād), which refers to the heart (al-qalb) when in a state of intellectual engagement (cf. al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt, Ibn ʿĀshūr) are the greatest human faculties as they rule over all other faculties. They are especially mentioned here because a person’s success or misery depends on them both in this life and in the Hereafter. God Almighty has given humans: hearing so that they may listen to His commands, prohibitions and pledges; sight so that they may see the Signs of their Lord, and hearts so that they may heed these, abide by them and come to realize the Oneness of God Almighty. They are bestowed with these so that they may gain knowledge, draw conclusions and abide by them (cf. Ibn al-Qayyim, Miftāḥ Dār al-Saʿādah, 1: 107): “Allah brings you out of your mothers’ bellies knowing nothing and He made for you the hearing, sights and hearts so that you may become thankful” (16: 78).
Ibn ʿĀshūr further explains the significance of preserving these three faculties: “In this is great nurturing of the manners. It is also an intellectual reform of high standing; it teaches the nation how to differentiate between what comes to mind so that it may not mix up an absolute fact with conjecture or mere fallacies. This entails a great social reform which steers the nation away from falling into harm and destruction by founding its actions on fallacious evidence!”
[3577] People are cautioned against basing their speech and/or actions on mere guesswork and following that for which they have no sure knowledge or solid evidence (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr): “You who Believe! Shun much conjecture. Indeed, ˹even˺ some conjecture is a sin!” (49: 12)
[3578] These three faculties, i.e. hearing (al-samʿ), sight (al-baṣar) and the heart (al-fu’ād), which refers to the heart (al-qalb) when in a state of intellectual engagement (cf. al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt, Ibn ʿĀshūr) are the greatest human faculties as they rule over all other faculties. They are especially mentioned here because a person’s success or misery depends on them both in this life and in the Hereafter. God Almighty has given humans: hearing so that they may listen to His commands, prohibitions and pledges; sight so that they may see the Signs of their Lord, and hearts so that they may heed these, abide by them and come to realize the Oneness of God Almighty. They are bestowed with these so that they may gain knowledge, draw conclusions and abide by them (cf. Ibn al-Qayyim, Miftāḥ Dār al-Saʿādah, 1: 107): “Allah brings you out of your mothers’ bellies knowing nothing and He made for you the hearing, sights and hearts so that you may become thankful” (16: 78).
Ibn ʿĀshūr further explains the significance of preserving these three faculties: “In this is great nurturing of the manners. It is also an intellectual reform of high standing; it teaches the nation how to differentiate between what comes to mind so that it may not mix up an absolute fact with conjecture or mere fallacies. This entails a great social reform which steers the nation away from falling into harm and destruction by founding its actions on fallacious evidence!”
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (36) Surah: Al-Isrā’
Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings of the Noble Qur’an into English - in progress - translated by Dr. Walid Bleihesh Al-Omari.