Surah Al-A'raf verse 7:179 - Are we not among those who refuse to understand?

Question

As we might already know, very few muslims today learn Quran by it's meaning. Many of us only learn to recite it. When asked, very few of them could answer that they knew the meaning of the verses they read.

It makes me wonder. Do we actually misunderstood the word اِقْرَأْ (read) since a while?. It reminds me of the verse 2:170 from Al-Baqarah that kind of scolding us for following our forefathers even they knew nothing.

There area two types of reading. First, you recite the words even you don't understand it. Second, you may not read it loud but you examine and understand it in your heart. So I come to the question, which type of reading the word اِقْرَأْ actually means. Is it both?.

The more I read and try to understand the Quran, the more I realize that it doesn't talk about recitation or reading out loud by lips. It's about understanding it as the message from Allah.

Surah Al-A'raf verse 7:179.

Indeed, We have created for Jahannam many jinn and humans. They have hearts they do not understand with, eyes they do not see with, and ears they do not hear with. They are like cattle. In fact they are even less guided! Such people are entirely heedless.

The verse talks about using our eyes, ears, and heart, to read, hear, and understand Allah's words, which mentioned in previous verses.

So my question is, are we not among those who refuse to read, hear, and understand Allah's words, choose to become more lost than a cattle, choose to become heedless, and choose to go to Jahannam?. If we are, that's terrifying and I don't want to become one.

Answer 1

Based on the answer I got from somewhere.

The word قَلْب in the verse which usually translated as heart in Quran, actually means something we use to understand, which is known today as brain. It's normal that day to use heart as the symbol of decision making, as the output of the brain. The etymology of the word itself means changing. That means the verse is actually talking about understanding Allah's guidance using the brain. That bring us to the word قْرَأْ or أَتْلُ. Nowhere in Quran shows it's meaning as reciting. The meaning is always reading + understanding.

When Quran says we book a ticket to destruction (jahannam) by not using our brain to understand it, that means Quran is something we could and must use our brain to understand. We found it difficult to understand and to follow only because we refuse to try to understand it ourselves using our brain. Why?. It's because since childhood we were educated to not use our brain to understand religion. We were doctrined to let them with qualification to understand it for us. Isn't that opposite with what Quran says?.

The result is we don't understand God's words ourselves, we confidently believe what we don't even read and understand, we follow someone's teaching blindly, and in the end we become doubtful to fully follow the Quran. Why not?. We don't understand it and we learned from someone who don't understand it either. A lost cattle can still find it's way back home if not attacked by a beast. But Quran says we'll be worse than the lost cattle, which means as long as we don't understand Quran, we're done.

Let's see what Quran actually says about that.

Al-Ankabut 29:2-3.

Do people think they will be left to say "we believe" without being put to the test?. We certainly tested those before them. And in this way Allah will clearly distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are liars.

Al-Isra' 17:36.

Do not follow what you have no knowledge of. Indeed, all will be called to account for their hearing, sight, and intellect.

Answer 2

Those who recite the Quran without understanding should make an effort to understand or at least read a trustworthy translation in their native language.

Muslims who are reciting the Quran but aren't understanding the Arabic doesn't mean they're refusing the message and understanding of the Quran and Islam. For example, many Muslims don't actively read the Quran but follow it's rulings such as don't eat swine. Many Muslims have not memorized the exact Surah and ayah that prohibits swine in the Quran yet they still follow it. When/if they read the Arabic text of the Quran and don't understand it, doesn't mean they're not following Islam and don't know its rulings.

So Quran 7:179 is talking about the disbelievers by describing them as having eyes that do not perceive, ears that do not hear, and that they are like further astray than cattle.

Tafsir Al-Jalalayn - Quran 7:179

[7:179] And We have indeed urged unto Hell many of the jinn and mankind, having hearts wherewith they do not understand, the truth, and having eyes wherewith they do not perceive, the proofs of God’s power with a perception that entails reflection, and having ears wherewith they do not hear, the signs or the admonitions, in a way so as to reflect and take heed. These, they are like cattle, in their failure to understand, perceive or listen — nay, rather they are further astray, than cattle, because [at least] they [cattle] seek what is beneficial to them and stay away from what is harmful to them: these individuals, on the other hand, are proceeding towards the Fire, out of [sheer] obstinacy. These — they are the heedless.

To read more about this Ayah, check out this Study Quran PDF (Page 1041)