إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِمَن كَانَ لَهُ قَلْبٌ أَوْ أَلْقَى السَّمْعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ
“No doubt, in that there is a powerful reminder for anyone who has a heart or casts his hearing (or ear) whilst he is present”.
A reminder that lands where the heart is alive, and where the ear is cast with full, present attention.
This verse indicates that the study of history and the history of nations is a spiritual exercise just like the study of nature and Allah’s physical creation is a spiritual exercise as mentioned in the beginning of this Surah. Allah described the beauty and benefits of the sky and the earth and then stated that it was:
تَبْصِرَةً وَذِكْرَىٰ لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ
“As an insight and reminder for every returning slave”.
Here, after mentioning how Allah destroyed many powerful nations before, Allah again states that this is a powerful reminder. It highlights how the rise and fall of nations has important spiritual lessons and insights for us.
Nature is something that people quickly connect to the spiritual aspect and by mentioning تَبْصِرَةً (Tabsirah) first before ذِكْرَىٰ (Dhikraa) Allah is placing the intellectual aspect attached to “insight” before the spiritual aspect attached to “remembrance”, to highlight its importance which may be neglected.
In respect to these verses, where history is primarily viewed from the intellectual aspect Allah is highlighting that its spiritual aspect is important, when He states: “No doubt, in that there is a powerful reminder for anyone who has a heart” by connecting it firstly to the heart. It can also be an intellectual exercise which is understood from His statement: “Or whoever dropped an attentive ear whilst being witness”.
The reminder anchors first in the heart, foregrounding the spiritual receptivity necessary for reflection on the fates of nations.
أَلْقَى السَّمْعَ (Alqaa As‑Sam’) “to cast or drop the hearing (or an ear)” is an Arabic expression to mean “To listen” to something.
Ibn ‘Ashour stated that this expression is a demonstrative metaphor for intense listening. He likens it to someone casting their hearing entirely toward listening to the Qur’an and exhortations of the Prophet ﷺ, undistracted by anything else. He contrasts this with mere passive hearing, emphasizing that this kind of listening is deliberate and focused, akin to throwing one's full attention into the act as if he is unable to hear anything else.
وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ (Wa Huwa Shaheed) “Whilst he is witnessing” adds to the meaning of listening to mean that his mind and attention is present i.e., he is not just listening in a vague sense but is rather listening attentively and focusing upon what is being said.