people do not take admonition from the Qur’an, for hardness has settled in their hearts. About such a person—when the verses are recited to him he says, “Legends of the former peoples,” and we seek refuge in Allah—the Most High says: “No indeed! Rather, the stain of what they earned has covered their hearts” ⦗83:14⦘. That is, the evil deeds they kept amassing sealed those hearts so that they no longer feel the Qur’an as the devout feel it—those upon whom Allah has bestowed His favor. We ask Allah to grant that favor to us and to you.

Yet it may happen that a man whom Allah has endowed with clarity, eloquence, and knowledge stands up to admonish the people; he reminds them and softens from their hearts what was not softened when the Qur’an was recited to them. This is something we have actually witnessed.

We were once at a funeral in Baqīʿ al-Gharqad—the cemetery now known in Madinah. Al-gharqad is a well-known type of tree, and the burial ground took its name from the abundance of that tree there. It is the resting place of the people of Madinah. The Prophet ﷺ supplicated three times, “O Allah, forgive the people of Baqīʿ al-Gharqad.” While they were at the funeral the Prophet ﷺ came, sat down, and the people sat around him, for everyone loved to be in the company of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They gathered around him, and in his hand was a small staff