The Necessity of Striving for Conscious Listening

The greatest regret of the inhabitants of Hellfire is that, in this world, they refrained from listening and reasoning. They neglected the very means by which a servant is guided to the greatest truth — one that will stand vividly before them as they witness Hell on the Day of Resurrection. “And they will lament, 'If only we had listened and reasoned, we would not be among the residents of the Blaze!'” (67:10).

Listening opens the pathways of reasoning, and reasoning is shaped by what is heard; for this reason, the Sacred Law is built upon listening — namely, the transmission of the words of Allah (swt) and the authentic sayings of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.

The inhabitants of Hellfire regret listening first, because their refusal to listen in worldly life produced minds that think according to desire, rather than guidance. Listening is a sign of a living heart; thus, there is a difference between hearing as a mere faculty and conscious listening that leads to understanding and reasoning. As Allah (swt) says: “And among them are those who listen to you — but can you make the deaf hear, even if they do not reason?” (10:42). And He says: “Indeed, when the water overflowed, We carried you [i.e., your ancestors] in the sailing ship, so that We might make it a reminder for you, and that a conscious ear might retain it” (69:11–12). In this latter verse, there is an implicit reproach of the polytheists, for they did not take admonition from the account of the Flood and the Ark, by which the believers were saved. Rather, they received it as they would humorous stories.

The denial of reasoning in their case stems from their lack of guidance. Whoever is not guided is deaf, mute, and blind, as Allah (swt) says: “The example of those who disbelieve is like that of one who shouts at what hears nothing but calls and cries [i.e., cattle or sheep] — deaf, dumb, and blind, so they do not understand” (2:171). Such people are unable to grasp the meaning of the message or understand its content because they have barred themselves from reasoning by turning away from listening with a present heart and a conscious ear.

Therefore, the believers must know that in their covenant with Allah, when they say, “We hear and we obey,” the phrase “we hear” is the key to guidance, and “we obey” is the key to success. Allah says: “And remember the favor of God upon you and His covenant with which He bound you when you said, ‘We have listened and we have obeyed.’ And fear God; indeed, God is Knowing of what is within the hearts” (5:7). 

The lack of striving for conscious listening disrupts steadfastness upon guidance and constitutes a shortcoming that leads to dullness of perception. Indeed, the Exalted Lord has made attaining mercy contingent upon attentive listening to the words of Allah, as He says: “When the Quran is recited, listen to it and remain silent so that you may receive mercy” (7:204).

Listening and attentive hearing lead the listener to reflection, reasoning, and guidance through the meanings of the Quran. Continuous listening to the words of Allah (swt) and the guidance of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ensures that the light of understanding continues to flow into the heart. Such listening elevates the servants and purifies them from engaging in the frivolities in which the heedless indulge. The conscious listener observes from above, discerns matters clearly, and acts with moderation, away from excess and misguidance. Perseverance in conscious listening is therefore a guarantee of steadfastness upon guidance.

Conscious listening, the kind that affirms guidance, faces many obstacles. To ensure that hearing does not remain merely receiving a sound without affecting behavior or faith, the servant must cultivate a pure heart, a sincere intention, humility before the truth, and freedom from personal desires. This forms the arena of the believer’s daily spiritual struggle.

Upon reflection, the primary reason a person resists listening is satisfaction with their present state and attachment to the knowledge they already possess. As Allah (swt) says: “And when their messengers came to them with clear proofs, they merely rejoiced in what they had of knowledge, but they were enveloped by what they used to ridicule” (40:83). Consequently, when confronted with a call, an invitation, or a recitation, the servant may respond with arrogance, neglect, or heedlessness, seeking to maintain his/her current state — the status quo.

For instance, when the believer from the people of Pharaoh sought to influence Pharaoh’s court, Pharaoh responded: “'I show you nothing but what I see, and I guide you only to the way of right conduct'” (40:29). In this way, his pride, obstinacy, and arrogance blocked the effect of sincere listening.

The greatest challenge in listening is the resistance to change, which the self naturally exhibits. Accepting righteous change requires submission of the will to the divine, whereas rejecting it manifests as turning away from God’s message, as Allah says: “And those who disbelieve say, ‘Do not listen to this Quran and speak loudly during its recitation, that perhaps you may overcome’” (41:26).

To maintain conscious listening, one must continually strive for change in order to preserve balance. Imbalance is natural, but what matters is sustaining equilibrium. Strengthening one’s resolve and channeling it toward meaningful change is what protects and nurtures true listening.

Here, change means examining oneself in light of the Book of Allah and illuminating one’s heart with divine light, so that it remains steadfast upon guidance. Neglecting conscious listening leads to a lack of reasoning and falling into aimless involvement — involvement driven by blind imitation, a corrupt environment, bad company, and the influence of desires and passions.

Therefore, true life resides in conscious listening, as Allah says: “O believers! Respond to Allah and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life” (8:24). And prior to this, He says: “O believers! Obey Allah and His Messenger and do not turn away from him while you hear ˹his call˺. And do not be like those who say, 'We hear,' but in fact they are not listening” (8:20-21).

A servant should not say, “I listened” and then disobey, for this reveals that their heart has been shaped by the corrupt beliefs of the environment in which they live — just as the Children of Israel absorbed the worship of the calf into their hearts. Their inclination toward the worship of the calf stemmed from the habits they had grown accustomed to, which prevented their faith from attaining the purification needed to rise above the remnants of ignorance.

This leads the servant to chase after a mirage and to live in darkness. It is a portrait of the heedless person who wrongs their own soul. Imagine this scene: one surrounded by mirage and darkness — there is no salvation or refuge except through a conscious, attentive ear and a present heart that truly comprehends the truth.

Yet for those who persist in heedlessness, calamities descend upon them like a hammer — perhaps so that their hearing may be opened and they may gain insight.

Honoring the self, purifying it, and sanctifying it begins with conscious listening. Therefore, listen, understand, and obey, before ending up saying: “'If only we had listened or reasoned, we would not have been among the companions of the Blaze'” (67:10).