THE ATTENTIVE EARS IN THE GLORIOUS QUR'AN

Surah al-Ha’qqa Ayah 11 & 12: “When the flood rose high and covered the whole land, We carried you in the Ark; to make it a lesson for you, but only the attentive ears will retain it.”

The Glorious Qur’an is referring to the mammoth flood at the time of Prophet Noah (a.s.), how Allah (s.w.t.) saved His Prophet and his sincere followers by the Ark prepared under the Divine Supervision.

The Arabic word “ta’iyaha” used in the Ayah means “preserving something in the heart”. The verbal form here means the ears listening to the truths and preserving it. One of the idiomatic meanings is to listen to something and preserve in his heart and make use of it as the map shedding light on his life.

According to the “Hulyatul – Auliya and Kashshaf, this Ayah was revealed in the favor of the Infallible Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.). The above-mentioned authorities report that the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said: “O’ Ali! Allah (s.w.t.) has commanded me to, to always keep you near me and not away from me-and I prayed to Allah (s.w.t.) to make your ears such that whatever you hear of the word of Allah (s.w.t.) and receive the knowledge from me, you do not forget but preserve it always. I have been commanded by Allah to convey to you whatever knowledge I receive from Him.” It was based on the strength of this Divine Gift that Imam Ali (a.s.) on the day of his departure from this world, though mortally wounded by a strongly poisoned sword, said, “Ask me whatever you want to know, lest you may lose me.” This was one of the unique distinctions which Imam Ali (a.s.) was blessed with and it was for this position of Imam Ali (a.s.) that after the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.), every one resorted to him for the solution of their problems, even the second caliph openly declared “Had not Ali been there, Omer would have perished.”

Similarly, it was reported by Sa’eed bin Mansur bin Jarir, Ibne Manzr bin Abi Hatim and Ibne Marduya.

Imam Ali (a.s.) himself had said that whatever he heard from the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.), he always remembered and never forgotten and it remained in his memory. (Tafsir Qartabi volume 10 page 6743, Majma-ul-Bayan, Rooh-ul-Bayan, Rooh-ul-Ma’ani, Abul Fatooh Razi and also Manaqib ibn Maghazli Sha’fae)

As per Tafsir Dure Mansur volume 6 pages 260 from line 11 to line 17 printed in Egypt, when this Ayah was revealed, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) said: “O Ali! You are the ear of remembering my knowledge.” 

Sources used:

The Glorious Qur’an (English translation) by Ayatollah Agha H.M.M.Pooya Yazdi

The Glorious Qur’an (Urdu translation) by Maulana Farman Ali

The Glorious Qur’an (Urdu translation) by Ayatollah Nasir Makarem Shirazi

Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur’an