then the truth remains unknown, the verse and its meaning are not understood, and the guidance and knowledge intended by the revelation of the Book are not attained.

Abū ‘Abd al-Rahmān al-Sulamī said:

“Those who taught us the Quran—‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān, ‘Abd Allāh ibn Mas‘ūd, and others—told us that whenever they learned ten verses from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, they would not proceed beyond them until they had learned the knowledge and practice they contained. They said, ‘Thus we learned the Quran, knowledge, and practice together.’”

Al-Hasan al-Basrī said:

“Allah has not revealed any verse without loving that people should know what it was revealed concerning and what was meant by it.”

Allah Most High has said:

“Do they not reflect upon the Quran?”

Reflecting upon speech is beneficial only when it is understood. He also says:

“Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Quran so that you may understand.”

The messengers explain to people what has been sent down to them from their Lord, and their duty is to convey the message clearly. People, in turn, are required to understand what the messengers convey. Such understanding encompasses both knowledge and action. Whoever knows good and evil but neither follows good nor guards against evil is not exercising sound reason. Thus, only someone who does what benefits him and avoids what harms him is considered reasonable. An insane person who cannot distinguish between the two may cast himself into peril and may flee from what benefits him.