سُوْرَةُ الْحَجِّ
Surah Al-Hajj (22) — Ayah 46
أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَآ أَوْ ءَاذَانٌ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا ۖ فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرُ وَلَـٰكِن تَعْمَى ٱلْقُلُوبُ ٱلَّتِى فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ ﴿46﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Have they not travelled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand and ears wherewith to hear? Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَفَلَمْ
afalam
So have not
يَسِيرُوا۟
yasīrū
they traveled
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the land
فَتَكُونَ
fatakūna
and is
لَهُمْ
lahum
for them
قُلُوبٌۭ
qulūbun
hearts
يَعْقِلُونَ
yaʿqilūna
(to) reason
بِهَآ
bihā
with it
أَوْ
aw
or
ءَاذَانٌۭ
ādhānun
ears
يَسْمَعُونَ
yasmaʿūna
(to) hear
بِهَا ۖ
bihā
with it
فَإِنَّهَا
fa-innahā
For indeed, [it]
لَا
lā
not
تَعْمَى
taʿmā
(are) blinded
ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرُ
l-abṣāru
the eyes
وَلَـٰكِن
walākin
but
تَعْمَى
taʿmā
(are) blinded
ٱلْقُلُوبُ
l-qulūbu
the hearts
ٱلَّتِى
allatī
which
فِى
fī
(are) in
ٱلصُّدُورِ
l-ṣudūri
the breasts
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 46) ➊ { اَفَلَمْ يَسِيْرُوْا فِي الْاَرْضِ … :} The people of Arabia used to travel far and wide for trade, so in the summer they would go towards Syria and in the winter towards Yemen. In Surah Quraysh, Allah Almighty has especially mentioned this favor upon them. Yemen was the dwelling place of the people of ‘Ad, and during the journey to Syria, they would pass by the ruined towns of Madain Salih and the people of Lot. Regarding the people of Lot, it is said: « وَ اِنَّكُمْ لَتَمُرُّوْنَ عَلَيْهِمْ مُّصْبِحِيْنَ (137) وَ بِالَّيْلِ اَفَلَا تَعْقِلُوْنَ » [ الصافات : ۱۳۷، ۱۳۸ ] “And indeed, you pass by them in the morning and at night. Will you not then understand?” And regarding the people of Lot and the people of Shu‘ayb (the companions of the thicket), it is said: «{ وَ اِنَّهُمَا لَبِاِمَامٍ مُّبِيْنٍ }» [ الحجر : ۷۹ ] “And indeed, both of them (the towns) are on a clear highway.” The region of Madyan was also located in the northwest of Hijaz. In travel, a person gains not only financial benefits but also intellectual benefits, countless experiences, and lessons, and the greatest benefit of travel is this. Abu al-‘Ala al-Ma‘arri says:
{وَ قِيْلَ أَفَادَ بِالْأَسْفَارِ مَالاً ¤ فَقُلْنَا هَلْ أَفَادَ بِهَا فُؤَادًا}
“People said that he gained much wealth in various journeys, so we said, did he gain any heart from them?” That is, did he gain any wisdom, advice, or lesson from those journeys? In this verse, it is being said to those who made these journeys: Did these people not travel through the land so that by seeing the ancient remains of various nations, their hearts would reason and they would take advice and lesson, or at least take lesson by hearing from others? The purpose is that the benefit of travel is to reflect, understand, and take lesson, and indeed you saw much with your eyes and heard much with your ears during these journeys, but when you did not take lesson and wisdom from it, then understand that you are blind despite having eyes and deaf despite having ears. It is said: «وَ مَثَلُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا كَمَثَلِ الَّذِيْ يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ اِلَّا دُعَآءً وَّ نِدَآءً صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُوْنَ » [ البقرۃ : ۱۷۱ ] “And the example of those who disbelieve is like that of one who shouts at what hears nothing but calls and cries—deaf, dumb, blind, so they do not understand.” Thus, whoever’s heart is devoid of reason, his eyes and ears are of no benefit to him. Similarly, in this verse, those who have not traveled are being encouraged to travel the world, so that by seeing with their eyes and hearing with their ears, they may gain advice and lesson.
➋ After {فَاِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْاَبْصَارُ … : ’’ إِنَّ ‘‘}, {’’ هَا ‘‘} is called the pronoun of the story; it also comes in the masculine form, as in one recitation of this verse {’’ فَإِنَّهُ لَا تَعْمَي الْأَبْصَارُ‘‘}, at which point it is called the pronoun of the matter. The meaning of both is the same: the reality is that… Sight is of two types: one is the sight of the eyes, called basarat, and the other is the sight of the heart, called basirat. Similarly, blindness is also of two types: one is the blindness of the eyes, and the other is the blindness of the heart. Allah Almighty said, the reality is that the eyes do not become blind, but the hearts become blind which are in the chests. Here, the meaning of the eyes not becoming blind is that there is no harm in the eyes being blind; the real harm is in the heart being blind and deprived of insight.
➌ Some scholars have given the example of basarat (sight) and basirat (insight) as that of a mount and its rider: if the rider can see, then the mount being blind is not a particular harm, but if the rider is blind, then no matter how sharp the mount’s vision is, it is of no benefit.
➍ Modern science says that thinking and understanding is the work of the brain, not the heart, whereas Allah Almighty has declared the heart in the chest as the center of reason, not the brain in the head. Now some people have said that the Qur’an did not speak in the language of science, but in literary language, but this is not correct, because scientific theories keep changing, whereas the word of Allah is unchanging and can never be wrong. Everyone knows that the brain receives blood only from the heart; it is quite possible that the brain is merely a storehouse whose button is in the heart, and it is also quite possible—and has happened countless times—that science may also reach the real truth here and accept the heart as the center of reason.
{وَ قِيْلَ أَفَادَ بِالْأَسْفَارِ مَالاً ¤ فَقُلْنَا هَلْ أَفَادَ بِهَا فُؤَادًا}
“People said that he gained much wealth in various journeys, so we said, did he gain any heart from them?” That is, did he gain any wisdom, advice, or lesson from those journeys? In this verse, it is being said to those who made these journeys: Did these people not travel through the land so that by seeing the ancient remains of various nations, their hearts would reason and they would take advice and lesson, or at least take lesson by hearing from others? The purpose is that the benefit of travel is to reflect, understand, and take lesson, and indeed you saw much with your eyes and heard much with your ears during these journeys, but when you did not take lesson and wisdom from it, then understand that you are blind despite having eyes and deaf despite having ears. It is said: «وَ مَثَلُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا كَمَثَلِ الَّذِيْ يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ اِلَّا دُعَآءً وَّ نِدَآءً صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُوْنَ » [ البقرۃ : ۱۷۱ ] “And the example of those who disbelieve is like that of one who shouts at what hears nothing but calls and cries—deaf, dumb, blind, so they do not understand.” Thus, whoever’s heart is devoid of reason, his eyes and ears are of no benefit to him. Similarly, in this verse, those who have not traveled are being encouraged to travel the world, so that by seeing with their eyes and hearing with their ears, they may gain advice and lesson.
➋ After {فَاِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْاَبْصَارُ … : ’’ إِنَّ ‘‘}, {’’ هَا ‘‘} is called the pronoun of the story; it also comes in the masculine form, as in one recitation of this verse {’’ فَإِنَّهُ لَا تَعْمَي الْأَبْصَارُ‘‘}, at which point it is called the pronoun of the matter. The meaning of both is the same: the reality is that… Sight is of two types: one is the sight of the eyes, called basarat, and the other is the sight of the heart, called basirat. Similarly, blindness is also of two types: one is the blindness of the eyes, and the other is the blindness of the heart. Allah Almighty said, the reality is that the eyes do not become blind, but the hearts become blind which are in the chests. Here, the meaning of the eyes not becoming blind is that there is no harm in the eyes being blind; the real harm is in the heart being blind and deprived of insight.
➌ Some scholars have given the example of basarat (sight) and basirat (insight) as that of a mount and its rider: if the rider can see, then the mount being blind is not a particular harm, but if the rider is blind, then no matter how sharp the mount’s vision is, it is of no benefit.
➍ Modern science says that thinking and understanding is the work of the brain, not the heart, whereas Allah Almighty has declared the heart in the chest as the center of reason, not the brain in the head. Now some people have said that the Qur’an did not speak in the language of science, but in literary language, but this is not correct, because scientific theories keep changing, whereas the word of Allah is unchanging and can never be wrong. Everyone knows that the brain receives blood only from the heart; it is quite possible that the brain is merely a storehouse whose button is in the heart, and it is also quite possible—and has happened countless times—that science may also reach the real truth here and accept the heart as the center of reason.
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
46. 1. And when a nation reaches such a level of misguidance that it loses even the capacity for taking heed, then instead of guidance, destruction becomes its destiny just like the previous nations. In the verse, the relationship between action and intellect is attributed to the heart, which clarifies that the seat of intellect is the heart, and some say that the seat of intellect is the brain. And some say that there is no difference between these two statements, therefore, in the attainment of intellect and understanding, both the intellect and the brain have a deep connection with each other (Fath al-Qadeer).
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
46. Have they not traveled through the land so that their hearts might become capable of understanding, or their ears capable of hearing? Indeed, it is not the eyes that become blind, but it is the hearts [74] within the chests that become blind.
[74]
Is the Source of Reflection and Contemplation the Brain or the Heart?
That is, from these destroyed towns which fall on their way, these people never take any lesson. Nor do they ever think about why such an end befell these towns. But to think about such matters, one needs a seeing eye, and they do not possess it. To take a lesson, it is not the eyesight that is needed, but the insight of the heart. As a poet has said:
Seek from God a seeing heart
The light of the eye is not the light of the heart
Here, it should be remembered that at every place, Allah the Exalted has related intellect, understanding, reflection, and thought to the heart. In addition, all kinds of emotions such as love, sympathy, mercy, brotherhood, and on the contrary, emotions such as hatred, malice, enmity, and jealousy—all have been declared to originate from the heart. Whereas, according to modern medicine, at least intellect, understanding, reflection, and thought, etc., are not related to the heart but to the brain. Nevertheless, in the idiom of every language, the heart is considered the source of these things. As in the above-mentioned couplet, “seeing heart” is used, or for example:
This is what came to my heart, to leave the house
While strolling, let’s go to the garden for a while
From this couplet, it is also clear that intention arises after thought, as it is attributed to the heart instead of the brain, and the Quran was revealed according to the idiom of the people, especially the Quraysh. And even more than this, the current theory is subject to change and alteration, and it is quite possible that after this research, with new research, the real center of all these things may be declared to be the heart instead of the brain, and all the thoughts and reflections of the brain may also be subject to the ideas and emotions of the heart. Therefore, we must always keep in mind that the statement of that Being can be the most correct, Who is Himself the Creator of these things and is fully aware of every kind of state of the heart.
[74]
Is the Source of Reflection and Contemplation the Brain or the Heart?
That is, from these destroyed towns which fall on their way, these people never take any lesson. Nor do they ever think about why such an end befell these towns. But to think about such matters, one needs a seeing eye, and they do not possess it. To take a lesson, it is not the eyesight that is needed, but the insight of the heart. As a poet has said:
Seek from God a seeing heart
The light of the eye is not the light of the heart
Here, it should be remembered that at every place, Allah the Exalted has related intellect, understanding, reflection, and thought to the heart. In addition, all kinds of emotions such as love, sympathy, mercy, brotherhood, and on the contrary, emotions such as hatred, malice, enmity, and jealousy—all have been declared to originate from the heart. Whereas, according to modern medicine, at least intellect, understanding, reflection, and thought, etc., are not related to the heart but to the brain. Nevertheless, in the idiom of every language, the heart is considered the source of these things. As in the above-mentioned couplet, “seeing heart” is used, or for example:
This is what came to my heart, to leave the house
While strolling, let’s go to the garden for a while
From this couplet, it is also clear that intention arises after thought, as it is attributed to the heart instead of the brain, and the Quran was revealed according to the idiom of the people, especially the Quraysh. And even more than this, the current theory is subject to change and alteration, and it is quite possible that after this research, with new research, the real center of all these things may be declared to be the heart instead of the brain, and all the thoughts and reflections of the brain may also be subject to the ideas and emotions of the heart. Therefore, we must always keep in mind that the statement of that Being can be the most correct, Who is Himself the Creator of these things and is fully aware of every kind of state of the heart.
