Should Qur'an 54:17 be interpreted as meaning the Qur'an is intended to be simple to understand?

Question

There's a range of translations of Quran 54:17; here are some examples:

And in truth We have made the Qur'an easy to remember; but is there any that remembereth? -- M. M. Pickthall

We have made it easy to learn lessons from the Quran. Is there anyone who would receive admonition? -- Wahiduddin Khan

And indeed, We have made the Qur'an easy for direction and guidance, but is there anyone who will take advice? -- Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri

We have really made this Qur'an easy (to understand)! Is anyone there to heed? -- Dr. Munir Munshey

It seems there's two major interpretations of this ayat:

• The Qur'an is easy to understand. This could be in order to help everyone, despite their level of education. I've also seen it argued that the repetitive nature of the Qur'an is evidence to support this interpretation.

  The Qur'an's guidance for man’s conduct are plain and easy to understand and act upon...

  ...Masha Allah, how easy Allah has made it for us to memorise the Qur’an and increase our rewards. -- Productive Muslim

• Admonishion in the Qur'an is easy to understand. "Do good and get closer to paradise. Do bad and get closer to punishment".

  Some people have misconstrued the words yassarnal- Quran to mean that the Quran is an easy Book; no knowledge is required to understand it so much so that a person even without the knowledge of the Arabic language, can write a commentary on it, and can deduce any injunctions he likes from its verses independent of the Hadith and Islamic Law, whereas the context in which these words occur, indicates that they are meant to make the people realize this: One means of the admonition are the dreadful torments that descended upon the rebellious nations, and the other means is this Quran, which guides you to the right path by argument and instruction. -- Islamic Studies

It's unclear which is correct. (And I cannot exclude the possibility that both of these interpretations are simultaneously correct.)

Question: Should Qur'an 54:17 be interpreted as meaning the Qur'an is intended to be simple to understand?

Answering this is probably going to require familiarity with the Arabic:

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

Answer 1

The common opinions shared upon for Quran 54:17 is that Quran being easy to remember means that it is made easy to memorize and understand.

Tafsirs for Quran 54:17

Tafsir Al-Jalalayn:

[54:17] And verily We have made the Qur'an easy to remember, We have facilitated its memorisation and disposed it to serve as a [source of] remembrance. So is there anyone who remember?, [anyone who] will be admonished by it and memorise it? (the interrogative here is intended as an imperative: in other words, memorise it and be admonished by it; none of God’s scriptures is memorised by heart other than it [the Qur’an]).

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir:

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ

(And We have indeed made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember); meaning, `We have made the Qur'an easy to recite and comprehend for those who seek these traits, to remind mankind,' as Allah said,

كِتَـبٌ أَنزَلْنَـهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَـرَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُواْ ءَايَـتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُو الاٌّلْبَـبِ

((This is) a Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over its Ayat, and that men of understanding may remember.)(38:29),

فَإِنَّمَا يَسَّرْنَـهُ بِلَسَانِكَ لِتُبَشِّرَ بِهِ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَتُنْذِرَ بِهِ قَوْماً لُّدّاً

(So We have made this (the Qur'an) easy in your own tongue, only that you may give glad tidings to those who have Taqwa and warn with it the most quarrelsome people.)(19:97) Allah said,

فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

(then is there any that will remember), meaning, 'is there anyone who will remember through this Qur'an, which We made easy to memorize and easy to understand' Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi commented on this Ayah, "Is there anyone who will avoid evil"

The Study Quran p. 2978:

Juxtaposed to the ominous refrain that first appears in the previous verse, this verse introduces a second, more positive refrain in this sūrah. The first refrain emphasizes the wrath that comes upon those who reject God and His signs, while the second emphasizes the mercy by which God makes access to revelation, and hence truth, easy. The Quran is made easy to remember as a mercy to human beings in that its recitation is made easy for the tongue and the understanding and memorization of it are made easy for the mind and heart (Aj). Many aḥādīth speak of the virtues of memorizing the Quran, among them: “The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it to others”; and “If the Quran is enclosed by skin [i.e., memorized by a human being], God will never burn it in Hellfire.” Similar to who remembers in v. 15, to remember could also be understood to mean, “to be admonished” (Aj) and who remembers can indicate those “who will be admonished” or “who will take heed.” In both readings, it can also be understood as a reference to the covenant made between God and human beings before time (see 7:172c), thus meaning, “Is there anyone who remembers (or takes heed of) the pact or covenant with God?” (Aj).

Conclusion

So is the Qur'an intended to be simple to understand? Yes. The Quran is clear in it's ayahs as this claim is particularly mentioned multiple times in the Quran such as in Quran 22:16:

And so We revealed this ˹Quran˺ as clear verses. And Allah certainly guides whoever He wills.

^{The Clear Quran Translated by Dr. Mustafa Khattab}

Answer 2

I believe that it is worth remembering that this does not only mean personally reading the Quran. We have many trusted recitations available.

Answer 3

If you read Al-Quran Surah 20 verse 115: - Adam forgot because he does not have will and determination

Al-Quran (58:19): - Satan/Devil will do something to make us forget; - Many things can make us forget when we are too busy doing worldly things such as our jobs, families, friends, entertainments .. unless we remember each Al-Quran verses related to any occasions. This is where Satan/Devil will pull us - to go far from teaching of Al-Quran and make us forget.

Al-Quran (12:42): - Satan/devil will make us forget to avoid goodness and truth from pre-vailing

Al-Quran (6:68): - Satan/Devil will cause you to forget.. so avoid nearing bad (dhzalim/cruel) people after you are reminded, since they will follow satan/devil to make you forget.

Many other verses that explained to you why you will forget and how to aoid it.

Al-Quran (87:6) - It must be read (many times) to others for others to remember - in other words; we have to hear the verses many times so we will not forget - the process of learning started from hearing, then recite to others write with pen (all of these had been explained in many verses of al-quran)

Keep on continuing your reading.. all problems have been explained very well in Al-Quran.

Hope my explaination is acceptable.

Alhamdulillah. praise to Allah for all His knowledge given to us.