Al-A'raf: (204) And when the Qur'an is recited...

Know that when the Almighty exalted the status of the Qur'an by saying: {This is enlightenment from your Lord} (Al-A'raf: 203), He followed it up with: {And when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention so that you may receive mercy} (Al-A'raf: 204).

In this verse, there are several issues:

The First Issue: The Meaning of Insāt (Paying Attention)

Insāt means silence and listening. It is said: naṣata, anṣata, and intaṣata, all with the same meaning.

The Second Issue: The Ruling on Listening and Silence

There is no doubt that the statement {then listen to it and pay attention} is a command, and the apparent meaning of a command implies obligation (wujūb). Thus, listening and silence should be obligatory. Scholars have different opinions on this:

This is the view of Al-Hasan and the literalists (Ahl al-Ẓāhir). They hold that this verse applies generally: wherever a person hears the Qur'an being recited, it is obligatory for everyone to listen and be silent. According to this view, silence is required even when hearing the Qur'an recited by passersby or teachers of young children.

This verse was revealed concerning the prohibition of speaking during the formal prayer (Ṣalāh). Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that they used to speak during prayer until this verse was revealed, commanding them to be silent. Qatādah said that a man would come while they were praying and ask them, "How much have you prayed, and how much remains?" They used to speak about their needs during prayer, so Allah revealed this verse.

This verse was revealed regarding refraining from reciting aloud behind the Imam. Ibn Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) recited in the obligatory prayer, and his Companions recited behind him raising their voices, which confused him. Then this verse was revealed. This is the view of Abu Hanifa and his companions.

This is the view of Sa'id ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, and 'Aṭā', and it is also reported from Al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him). Many scholars found this view remote, arguing that the wording is general, so how can it be restricted to this single situation?

Al-Razi's Critique of Opinion 4:

I say this view is extremely distant because the word idhā (when) implies connection but does not imply repetition. The proof is that if a man says to his wife, "If you enter the house, you are divorced," and she enters once, she is divorced once. If she enters a second time, she is not divorced by consensus, because the word idhā does not imply repetition.

If this is established, then the statement {And when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention} only implies the obligation of silence once. If we obligate listening during the recitation of the Qur'an in the sermon, we have fulfilled the requirement of the wording, and no further implication remains in the text regarding other situations.

Addressing Al-Shafi'i's Position on Recitation Behind the Imam:

We concede that the wording implies generality, but we argue based on the verse's implication. According to Al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him), the Imam remains silent, and during this silence, the follower (ma'mūm) reads the Fatiha. Abu Salama mentioned that the Imam has two moments of silence, so choose whichever you wish for recitation. Al-Wāḥidī raised this question in his book Al-Baṣīṭ.

Objection to Al-Wāḥidī's Question (Regarding Silence Behind the Imam):

One might argue: Is the Imam's silence obligatory or not?

1. If it is obligatory, this is false by consensus.
2. If it is not obligatory, it implies the Imam is permitted not to be silent. If he does not remain silent, the follower's recitation will coincide with the Imam's recitation, leading to neglecting listening and neglecting silence when the Imam recites, which contradicts the text.
3. Furthermore, this silence has no fixed measure or specific duration. The silence for followers varies in length (heavy or light), so the follower might not be able to complete the Fatiha during the Imam's silence, leading to the aforementioned contradiction.
4. Moreover, the Imam remains silent so the follower can complete the recitation. In this case, the Imam becomes a follower and the follower becomes the Imam, which is impermissible. Therefore, the question raised by Al-Wāḥidī is invalid.

Al-Wāḥidī's Second Question:

Al-Wāḥidī mentioned a second question against relying on the verse: Silence (Insāt) means refraining from reciting aloud. Arabs call one who refrains from reciting aloud munṣit, even if he recites silently, provided no one hears him.

Response to the Second Question:

One might argue: Allah first commanded us to listen (istimāʿ). Engaging in one's own recitation prevents istimāʿ, because hearing (samāʿ) is different from listening (istimāʿ). Istimaa' means fully encompassing the heard speech perfectly. Allah said to Moses (peace be upon him): {And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed} (Ṭā-Hā: 13), meaning what we described. If this is established, and engaging in recitation prevents istimāʿ, then the command to listen implies a prohibition against reciting.

The established view is that jurists agree that the generality of the Qur'an can be restricted (takhṣīṣ) by a singular report (khabar al-āḥād). Even if the generality of {And when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention} implies the follower must be silent when the Imam recites, the Prophet's saying: {There is no prayer for one who does not recite the Fatiha of the Book} and {There is no prayer except with the Fatiha of the Book} are more specific than this general statement. Since restricting the generality of the Qur'an by a singular report is permissible, we must adhere to restricting the generality of this verse by this Hadith. This question is sound.

Mālik's doctrine, and the old view of Al-Shafi'i, is that the follower is not permitted to recite the Fatiha in loud prayers (ṣalawāt jahriyyah), acting upon the implication of this text. However, the follower must recite in silent prayers (ṣalawāt sirriyyah), because this verse offers no indication regarding that situation. This is also a sound question.

There is a fifth opinion: that the statement {And when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention} is an address to the disbelievers at the beginning of the call to Islam, not an address to the Muslims. This is a sound and appropriate view.

Argument for the Fifth Opinion:

Allah recounted before this verse that certain disbelievers demanded specific signs and miracles. When the Prophet (PBUH) did not bring them what they asked for, they said, "Why didn't you choose them [the signs]?" Allah commanded His Messenger to reply that it is not his role to propose conditions to his Lord; he only awaits revelation.

Then Allah clarified that the Prophet (PBUH) refrained from bringing the miracles they requested because the Qur'an itself is a complete, sufficient miracle to prove prophethood. Allah expressed this meaning by saying: {This is enlightenment from your Lord, and guidance and mercy for a people who believe} (Al-A'raf: 203).

If we were to interpret {And when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention} as prohibiting the follower from reciting behind the Imam, there would be no connection between this verse and the preceding one; the coherence would be broken, and the sequence would be flawed—which is unsuitable for the Word of Allah. Therefore, the meaning must be something other than this interpretation.

The reasoning is: Since Allah affirmed that the Qur'an is enlightenment, guidance, and mercy as a miracle proving Muhammad's truthfulness, and since its miraculous nature only appears under a specific condition—that when the Prophet (PBUH) recites the Qur'an to those disbelievers, they listen and pay attention so they can grasp its eloquence and the vast knowledge it contains—only then will its miraculous nature, proving Muhammad's truthfulness, become clear. Then they might use this Qur'an as a basis for seeking other miracles, and the truth of Allah's description of the Qur'an as enlightenment, guidance, and mercy will be evident to them.

Thus, if we interpret the verse this way, the coherence is maintained, and the beautiful sequence is achieved. If we interpret it as prohibiting the follower from reciting behind the Imam, the coherence is lost and the sequence is disrupted. Therefore, interpreting it as we mentioned is preferable.

If this is established, the opponents' reliance on this verse is refuted in every respect, because we have demonstrated with evidence that this address does not include the believers but rather addresses the disbelievers at the beginning of the revelation and the call.

Evidence Supporting the Fifth Opinion:

First Point: Allah recounted that the disbelievers said: {Do not listen to this Qur'an and talk nonsense during it so that you may overcome} (Fussilat: 26). Since Allah recounted this from them, it is fitting that He commanded them to listen and be silent so they could grasp the numerous aspects of the Qur'an that reach the level of miraculousness.

Second Point: Allah said before this verse: {This is enlightenment from your Lord, and guidance and mercy for a people who believe}. Allah definitively affirmed that the Qur'an is mercy for the believers. Then He said: {And when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention so that you may receive mercy}. If the addressees of {then listen to it and pay attention} were the believers, He would not have said {so that you may receive mercy}, because He had already definitively stated that the Qur'an is mercy for the believers. How could He immediately follow that by saying, "Perhaps listening to the Qur'an will be mercy for the believers"?

However, if we hold that the addressees of {then listen to it and pay attention} are the disbelievers, then His statement {so that you may receive mercy} is correct. The meaning is: Listen and pay attention, perhaps you will become aware of the signs of inimitability within it, believe in the Messenger, and thus become recipients of mercy. Thus, if we interpret it as we have stated, the phrase {so that you may receive mercy} is appropriate. If we assume the address is to the believers, the use of the word la'alla (perhaps/so that) would not be appropriate.

Therefore, interpreting the verse as we have explained is superior, and consequently, the opponent's argument based on it is refuted in every way, as we have shown by evidence that this address does not concern the believers but concerns the disbelievers during the initial period of revelation and invitation.

{And remember your Lord within yourself, with humility and fear, and without loudness of speech, in the mornings and evenings, and do not be among the heedless.}