سورة الرعد

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): أَفَمَنْ یَعْلَمُ أَنَّما أُنْزِلَ إِلَیْکَ مِنْ رَبِّکَ الحَقُّ [Is he then who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth]; that is, Amir al-Mu'minin Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), and the blind one in the verse is his enemy. And Ulul-Albab (those possessed of understanding) are the Shia of Ali (peace be upon him), who are described thus: those who fulfil the covenant of Allah and do not break the pledge that was taken from them in the world of dharr (the realm of atoms) concerning the wilaya (guardianship) of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and the day of Ghadir.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): أَ فَمَن یَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَیْکَ مِن رَبِّکَ الحَقُّ [Is he then who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth]; the one meant is Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Uqbah ibn Khalid said: I came to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him). He gave me permission to enter, but the Imam (peace be upon him) was not in the reception room. Then he came out to us from the side of his house, from his wives, without a jilbab (formal outer garment) on. When he saw us, he said: "I love to meet and see you." Then he sat down and said: "You are the ones described in the Quran as possessors of understanding and intellect; Allah the Exalted has said: إِنَّمَا یَتَذَکَّرُ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَابِ [Only those possessed of understanding will mind]."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Abu Umamah al-Bahili said: One day we were sitting in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) when Amir al-Mu'minin Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) came, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) stood up [to leave]. When he saw Ali (peace be upon him), he sat down and said: "O son of Abu Talib! Allah has taken a covenant from me and from you and your lovers and your Shia until the Day of Resurrection [that we will not tread any path other than His path]. My intercession concerns you." Then he recited this verse: إِنَّما یَتَذَکَّرُ أُولُوا الْأَلْبابِ [Only those possessed of understanding will mind] [and said]: "O Ali (peace be upon him)! They are your Shia."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): One hour of reflection is better than a year of worship; for Allah has said: إِنَّمَا یَتَذَکَّرُ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَابِ [Only those possessed of understanding will mind].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): أُولُوا الْأَلْبابِ; that is, the possessors of intellect.

Imam Hasan (peace be upon him): If you seek a need, seek it from those who are its people. It was said: "O son of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! Who are its people?" He said: "Those whom Allah has related and mentioned in His Book, and He said: إِنَّما یَتَذَکَّرُ أُولُوا الْأَلْبابِ [Only those possessed of understanding will mind], and He said: They are the people of intellect."

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Hisham ibn Hakam said: Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) said: Then the Lord the Exalted mentioned the people of understanding and their attributes with the best of titles and adorned them with the best of adornments, and said: أَفَمَن یَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَیْکَ مِن رَبِّکَ الْحَقُّ کَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَی إِنَّمَا یَتَذَکَّرُ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَابِ [Is he then who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth like him who is blind? Only those possessed of understanding will mind].

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Allah has not apportioned anything to His servants better than reason ('aql). The sleep of the wise man is better than the night vigil of the ignorant; the breaking of fast by the wise man is better than the fasting of the ignorant; and the staying at home of the wise man is better than the travelling of the ignorant. Allah did not send any messenger or prophet except for the perfection of reason, and the reason of the Prophet is superior to the reasons of all his followers. What the Prophet holds within himself is greater than the striving of all the strivers. The wise man does not fulfil the obligations of Allah except through the reason [given] to him from Allah, and all the worshippers, in the merit of their worship, do not reach [the level of] the worship of the wise man. Indeed the wise are the ulul-albab (those possessed of understanding) about whom Allah the Mighty and Majestic has said in the Qur'an: إِنَّما یَتَذَکَّرُ أُولُوا الْأَلْباب [Only those possessed of understanding will mind].