یُؤۡتِی ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ مَن یَشَاۤءُۚ وَمَن یُؤۡتَ ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ فَقَدۡ أُوتِیَ خَیۡرࣰا كَثِیرࣰاۗ وَمَا یَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّاۤ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ

“He grants Hikmah to whom He pleases, and he, to whom Hikmah is granted, is indeed granted abundant good. But none remember (will receive admonition) except men of understanding.

[Soorat Al-Baqarah 269]

Imaam As-Sa’dee rahimahullaah said in his Tafseer of this Verse,

“When He, the Most High, ordered with these great things which comprise of secrets and wisdoms, and that they are not attained by every individual, but rather, [they are only attained] by those who He favours and Allaah grants him wisdom – and it is beneficial knowledge and righteous actions, and awareness of the secrets of the legislated rulings and their wisdom. Verily, the one who Allaah grants wisdom has undoubtedly been given abundant good, and which good is greater than a good that comprises happiness in both abodes (this life and the next) as well as safety from their trials?! In addition, this bounty and its existence is specified to the inheritance of the Prophets. So, the completeness of the servant is dependent and restricted by Hikmah; when his completeness is by means of his achieving knowledge-based and action-based strength, then his achieving knowledge-based strength is by means of awareness of the truth as well as awareness of what is sought by it. Likewise, his achieving action-based strength is by means of acting upon goodness and leaving off evil. By means of this he becomes firmly established with correct precision in statement and action, and placement of affairs in their appropriate places regarding himself and others. Without it, these things would not be possible for him. When Allaah, the Most High, created His slaves upon His worship, love for good, and seeking and searching for the truth, He sent messengers as those who remind them of that which is established in their innate nature and intellects, as well as those who explain to them in detail that which they do not know. Mankind divided into two categories: a division that responded to their call and were therefore reminded of that which benefits them and acted upon it, and what harms them, so they avoided it. These are the men of thorough understanding and complete intellects. [As for the second category, it is] a division that did not respond to their call, but rather responded to that which opposed their innate nature from corruption, and left off obedience to the Lord of the servants. So, these are not from the men of understanding, and for this reason He, the Most High, said,

وما يذكر إلا أولو الألباب

‘But none remember (will receive admonition) except men of understanding.’ [Soorat Al-Baqarah 269]” End translation.

Translated by

Zain Irfan
Abu Abdil-Baaree