Tafsir of Ar-Ra'd 13:19

"Is then he who knows that what has been sent down to you from your Lord"—meaning from the Quran, which has been likened to the water sent down from the sky and to pure gold in its utility and benefit—is "the truth"—which has no truth beyond it, or the truth that has been pointed to by the parables set forth, and thus he responds to it—"like him who is blind"—with blindness of the heart, unable to perceive it or estimate its value, remaining confused in the darkness of ignorance and the depths of misguidance, and not taking heed from the parables that have been struck? The meaning is "like one who does not know that," but it is intended to further condemn his state, so he is described as blind. The interrogative particle (hamza) is for denial, and the inclusion of the fa (then) after it is to direct the denial toward the assumption of equality between them, given the manifest state of each of them through the parables set forth and the difference in their outcomes and destinies. It is as if it were said: After the vast difference between the state of each of the two groups and their respective ends, is equality between them still to be imagined? Zayd ibn Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) recited "Or he who knows" (aw man ya'lam) with a waw in place of the fa.

"Only those endowed with understanding take heed"—that is, those with pure intellects, liberated from following habit and from the contradictions of illusion. The lubb (core/essence) is more specific than the intellect ('aql), which is the view held by al-Raghib, though it is said that they are synonymous. The intention of what has been mentioned is to refute the notion that the disbelievers are rational, even though they do not take heed; if they were treated as though they were insane, that would be appropriate.

This verse—according to what is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both)—was revealed regarding Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him) and Abu Jahl. It is also said it refers to Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and Abu Jahl, and it is also said to refer to Ammar ibn Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him) and Abu Jahl. We have pointed to the aspect of its connection to what precedes it. Al-Tayyibi, after establishing the connection by stating that "Is then he who knows" is a conjunction to the sentence "For those who have responded..." and that the hamza is inserted between the conjunct and the conjunction, and having mentioned the meaning of the verse accordingly, said: "Then, if you contemplate it deeply, you will find it connected to the opening of the Surah, meaning with the words of the Exalted: 'Is he who knows that what has been sent down to you from your Lord is the truth, but most of the people do not believe,' and this is as you can see."