An-Nisa · Madani · ayah 63 of 176

An-Nisa 4:63

أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ ٱللَّهُ مَا فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَعِظْهُمْ وَقُل لَّهُمْ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ قَوْلًۢا بَلِيغًا

“Those are the ones of whom Allāh knows what is in their hearts, so turn away from them[196] but admonish them and speak to them a far-reaching [i.e., effective] word.”

Saheeh International

Essence

Allah answers a polished oath with one fact, that He knows their hearts, then teaches: decline the excuse, spare the person, reach the soul.

A reflection

The One who reads the turning heart

They had just sworn by Allah, with the finest words they could find. The reply does not argue with a single word. It states one fact: those are the people whose hearts Allah knows. A classical commentary puts it plainly. He knew that what was in their hearts was the opposite of what was on their tongues.

The Arabic word for heart, qalb, carries two pictures, and the lexicons record both. One is turning over: bread flipped on the fire, goods turned in the hand to find the flaw. An old line of verse says the heart was only called qalb for its turning. The other is the pure core, like the tender white heart of a palm. The heart is both the best of you and the part that never keeps still.

Allah knows both, every core and every turn. That is where the ego shrinks. A nephew helps carry his uncle's coffin, and mourners praise his devotion. He knows part of his mind is on the will, to be read next week. None of them can see it. He can barely admit it to himself. Allah sees it whole.

Sahih Muslim records the Prophet ﷺ saying that Allah does not look at your forms and your wealth. He looks at your hearts and your deeds. Pride lives on the image others hold of us. Before Him there is no image, only the heart as it is.

Why, then, does Allah tell us He knows? Not for His sake. He is free of all need (35:15). One commentary says the benefit is ours: know who they are. An air traffic controller tells a pilot in fog: I have you on radar. It is not a boast. It is the sentence the pilot most needs.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.