Tafsir of Al-Furqan 25:44

"Or do you think that most of them hear or reason?"

This is an interruption and a transition from the previously mentioned denial, which was the denial of his—may the blessings and peace of God be upon him—calculation that they might be among those who hear or reason. This calculation arises from his intense diligence in calling people to the truth, his profound concern for guidance, and his persistent efforts in admonition. The meaning is: It is not fitting that this should happen; rather, do you think that most of them hear, with a true hearing, what you recite to them of the Quranic verses, or that they reason what is manifested to them of the signs in the horizons and within their own selves, such that you should concern yourself with their state and hope for their belief?

Since auditory evidence is more significant in this context than rational evidence, "hear" was placed before "reason." It is also said that the meaning is: Rather, do you think that most of them hear, with a true hearing, what you recite to them of the verses, or reason what lies within them of exhortations that warn against indecencies and invite towards virtues, so that you should strive in calling them and concern yourself with guiding and reminding them? Perhaps what we have said is more appropriate; contemplate this.

Regardless, the pronoun in "most of them" refers to the collective noun (those who were referred to), considering its meaning, and the pronoun in "upon him" also refers to him, considering its word. The plural was chosen here to suit the addition of the "most" to them, while it was singular in the preceding part to treat them, in their agreement upon desire, as a single entity. It is also said that the pronoun in "most of them" refers to the disbelievers, not to "those," but the statement of the Exalted ("upon him") refutes this, and it is not a valid view. The pronoun of the two verbs refers to the "most," not to what is added to it. The specification of the "most" is because among them are those for whom eternal grace in faith had already been decreed after the aforementioned adoption, and among them are those who heard or reasoned but acted arrogantly out of pride and fear for their leadership.

His saying, the Exalted, "They are nothing but like livestock..." (until the end) is an initiating sentence to reiterate and emphasize the denial and to sever the root of this calculation entirely. The pronoun refers to the "most," or to the aforementioned group, and the mention of the "most" is dispensed with by what preceded it. That is, in their lack of benefiting from the shattering verses that strike their ears, and their lack of contemplation regarding the clear proofs they witness, they are nothing but like beasts, which are a metaphor for heedlessness and a sign of misguidance.

"Nay, they are even more astray in their way."

This is because animals are submissive to their owners who care for them; they know who treats them well and who treats them ill; they seek what benefits them and avoid what harms them; they are guided to their pastures and watering places; and they retreat to their resting places and stalls. Whereas these people do not submit to their Lord—the Exalted, their Creator, and Provider—nor do they recognize His grace towards them, as opposed to the evil of Satan, who adorns for them the following of desires—he who is a manifest enemy. They do not seek the reward, which is the greatest of benefits, nor do they fear the punishment, which is the most severe of harms and perils. They are not guided to the truth, which is the wholesome path and the sweet, quenching water.

Furthermore, animals, if they do not believe in a truth that leads to acquiring good, do not believe in a falsehood that necessitates committing evil; unlike these people, who laid the foundations of falsehood and derived from them the rules of evil. Moreover, the consequences of their (the animals') ignorance and error are limited to themselves and do not extend to anyone else, whereas the ignorance of these people leads to the eruption of discord and corruption, bars people from the paths of righteousness, and causes chaos and turmoil among the servants of God.

Additionally, animals do not render idle any of the faculties deposited within them; rather, they direct them to that for which they were created, so there is no shortcoming on their part in seeking perfection. As for these people, they render their rational faculties idle and waste the original human nature upon which people were created.

The verse has been used as evidence that beasts do not know their Lord, the Almighty and Majestic. Those who hold the view that they do know Him—the Exalted—and glorify Him, as is the school of the Sufis and a group of people, say that this verse is expressed in terms of the apparent (literal) sense. It is also said that the meaning is: They are nothing but like livestock in their failure to benefit from the Quranic verses and the internal and external signs, for livestock are likewise, and the knowledge of God the Exalted which they possess is not deductive, but innate. That they are "more astray in their way" than livestock is because livestock have been granted knowledge of their Lord—the Exalted—and thus they glorify Him, whereas these people have not been granted that, so they are in the utmost degree of misguidance.