The Word of the King (Al-Mulk): (10) And they will say, "If only we had listened..."

This is the second statement that Allah Almighty recounts from the disbelievers in response to the guards of Hellfire when they asked: {Did there not come to you a warner?} (Al-Mulk: 8).

The meaning is: If only we had listened to the warning with the hearing of one seeking the truth, or understood it with the intellect of one who contemplates and reflects, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze.

It is also said that combining hearing (sam') and intellect (aql) is because the basis of religious obligation (taklīf) rests upon the proofs derived from both revelation (hearing) and reason (intellect).

In this verse, there are several issues:

Our scholars used this verse to argue concerning the issue of guidance (hudā) and misguidance (iḍlāl). They argued that the word "If only" (law) implies the impossibility of one thing due to the impossibility of another.

Therefore, this verse indicates that they lacked the hearing of guidance and the intellect of guidance. There is no doubt that they possessed sound hearing and sound intellects, and they were not deaf or insane. Thus, it must be that what was absent was the hearing that leads to guidance and the intellect that leads to guidance.

Those who maintain that religion is not complete without teaching used this verse as proof. They said that placing hearing before intellect serves as a reminder that there must first be the instruction of the guide (murshid) and the guidance of the leader (hādi). Only then does the understanding and contemplation of the respondent regarding what the teacher imparts follow.

The Answer: Hearing is mentioned first simply because when the called person encounters the Messenger, the initial stage is hearing his words, and then he reflects upon them. Since hearing precedes contemplation and understanding for this reason, it is naturally mentioned before it in the text.

The author of Al-Kashshāf said: Among the bizarre interpretations is the view that the meaning is: "If only we were upon the doctrine of the Hadith scholars, or upon the doctrine of the Rationalists (Ashāb al-Ra'y)." He then remarked: It is as if this verse was revealed after the emergence of these two schools of thought, and as if the warnings for all other schools of thought and jurists were revealed by God!

Those who favor hearing over sight used this verse as proof. They argued that the verse indicates that hearing has a role in salvation from the Fire and achieving Paradise, whereas sight does not have such a role. Therefore, hearing must be superior.