that is pure.” [Surah al-Zumar 1–3]

Thus, in this surah He mentions His Word and His religion: good speech and righteous deeds. The best speech is Allah’s speech, and the foundation of righteous deeds is worshipping Allah alone, without partner, as in His saying:

“Say, ‘It is Allah I worship, devoting my religion sincerely to Him. So worship whatever you wish besides Him.’ Say, ‘The true losers are those who lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably, that is the manifest loss.’”

Then, further on, He says:

“But those who shun false gods, refusing to worship them, and turn to Allah will have glad tidings. So give glad tidings to My servants who listen to the Word and follow the best of it. Those are the ones Allah has guided, and those are the people of understanding.” [Surah al-Zumar 14–18]

He then says:

“Is one whose heart Allah has opened to Islam, so that he follows a light from his Lord, [like one whose heart is hardened]? Woe, then, to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah. They are clearly astray. Allah has sent down the best discourse: a Book consistent in its parts, repeating its teachings. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver at it; then their skins and their hearts soften at the remembrance of Allah.” [Surah al-Zumar 22–23]

He thus praises those who listen to and are spiritually moved by the discourse He has sent down, which is the best discourse. He does not praise discourse indiscriminately, nor everyone who listens to it. Rather, the context praises those who remember Him and listen to His discourse, just as He brings these two together in His saying:

“Has the time not come for those who believe that their hearts should humbly submit to the remembrance of Allah and to the truth that has been sent down?” [Surah al-Hadīd 16]

And in His saying:

“The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned,