[And when We directed to you a few of the jinn, listening to the Qur`ān. And when they attended it, they said, “Listen quietly.” And when it was concluded, they went back to their people as warners.] Aḥqāf:29
Allāh ﷻ sent a group of Jinns to Rasūl Allāh ﷺ to listen to the Message of Islām. When they attended the gathering, the Qur`ān was recited, so they hushed and urged each other to listen intently. Just as you or I might whisper to a companion, “ssshhh! Pay attention.” when listening to something we consider important.
This was the beautiful akhlāq of a creation of Allāh, a much misunderstood creation; the Jinns.
Now compare this to our indifferent, almost neglectful attitude towards the Qur`ān.
The word for “listen quietly” in this āyah is انصتوا (anṣitū). Another word for listen in Arabic is: اسمعوا (isma͑ū).
The difference between the two is the following: with the latter you only hear, perhaps half-heartedly, perhaps distractedly. But with the former you hear with your ears and your heart; you pay full attention and you digest every bit of what is conveyed.
Admire the intelligence and eloquence of this group of Jinns. And how sincere was their love for the Truth!
From the second part of the āyah we derive a lesson in Da͑wah.
When you learn the Truth, when you learn something from the Qur`ān, something about Islām, or about Allāh, then the only course of action for you is to convey it to others. Starting with your people: your loving family. Even if it was a140-character tweet that you found beneficial, or a simple reflection posted on a measly blog. 🙂
What are you waiting for then?
No Comments