Thus He urged them to ponder it, comprehend it, understand it, take heed through it, and reflect upon it, without excluding any part of it. Indeed, several passages explicitly establish that this applies to the whole Quran, such as His words:
“Do they not ponder the Quran, or are there locks upon their hearts?”
And His words:
“Do they not ponder the Quran? Had it been from anyone other than Allah, they would surely have found many contradictions in it.”
Clearly, ruling out contradictions within it requires pondering it in its entirety. Pondering only part of it does not warrant concluding that the unexamined portions contain nothing that contradicts what one has examined.
When ‘Alī, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked, “Did the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, leave anything with you?” he replied:
“No, by Him who split the seed and created the soul, except an understanding of His Book that Allah grants a servant, and what is in this document.”
He thus indicated that understanding of the Quran varies within the Muslim community. Understanding is more specific than knowledge and judgment. Allah Most High says:
“We gave Solomon understanding of the matter, and to each We gave judgment and knowledge.”
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
“Many a transmitter understands better than a hearer.”
He also said:
“Convey from me, even if only a single verse.”
Furthermore, the early generations—the Companions, the Successors, and the rest of the Muslim community—discussed all the passages of the Quran, including the verses concerning the divine attributes and others. They explained them in accordance with what they signify and make clear, and narrated many hadiths from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that accord with the Quran. The leading Companions were foremost in this regard, such as ‘Abd Allāh ibn Mas‘ūd, who used to say:
“If I knew of anyone more knowledgeable about Allah’s Book than myself whom I could reach by camel, I would go to him.”
And ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Abbās, for whom the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed