True Intelligence

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The Quran is to guide us, counsel us, advice us, and a powerful reminder for those who have sound minds, i.e. those people who are wise enough to understand and benefit from that reminder. The Quran mentions several special groups of people. If you’re among a special group, you’re worthy of a special reward, a special mercy bestowed by Allah, Exalted is He. One of these groups of people is what the Quran terms as Ulul Albab (أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ).

Who are the Ulul Albab?

The Ulul Albab are the People of Intellect. They are the people who not only have a brain, which all of us are given one, but are gifted in knowing how to put it to its correct use. They don’t need to have the signs of Quran drilled into them by constant repetition. All they need is to look at the sky– and they can read in its vastness, its seamless beauty, the presence of One God who is Merciful, the Best Creator, the one who is Beautiful and loves beauty, the Subtle.

إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ‌ٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْ‌ضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ‌ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿١٩٠

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for Ulul Albab. [Qur'an, AleImrn 3:190]

Ulul Albab are the ones who are doing good and intelligent enough to worship Allah. The intelligence can be  manifested in every single field, agriculture, engineering, chemistry, mathematics, physics, etc.  A type of intelligence that is abstract is great but the ultimate intelligence that is far more precious and useful, in fact of all them combined, is the intelligence of recognizing your Creator and the intelligence of worshipping Allah.

The one who has gone to the moon and back but hasn't discovered his own purpose in life is truly not intelligent. The one who can solve the most abstract mathematical equation but doesn't know who created the unverse, that person's intelligence has failed him. The Muslim who doesn't kow this fancy stuff but knows he will go back to Allah and prepares for that Day, that is the most intelligent person.

Do not be deluded by those who might have intellignce in certain facet of this world but don't understand why he is here, who created him and what is purpose of this world. 

Allah mentions that the righteous are those who follow to the best that they can do. Allah only wants to see your best effort and that is going to be accepted by Him. Those who have taqwa are going to have mansions in Paradise, built high up with streams flowing underneath. This is Allah's promise and Allah does not break His promise.

The Qualities of Ulul Albab

1- The ayat (signs) of Allah, whether natural (the sky, trees, mountains, flowers) or revealed (the Taurat, the Injeel, and the Qur'an) penetrate into their hearts very easily:

كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَـٰرَ‌كٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُ‌وٓا۟ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ‌ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿٢٩

[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded. [Qur'an, Sad 38:29]

And as a result, they automatically develop the love for natural beauty, and for the beauty of Revelation.

2- They remember Allah at all times, and are aware of His constant presence in their lives.

ٱلَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُ‌ونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَـٰمًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُ‌ونَ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ‌ٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْ‌ضِ

... Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides ... [Qur'an, AleImran 3:191]

3- They pray to Allah. The Quran specifically mentions the following du'as:

رَ‌بَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَـٰذَا بَـٰطِلًا سُبْحَـٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ‌

...Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire. (191)

رَ‌بَّنَآ إِنَّكَ مَن تُدْخِلِ ٱلنَّارَ‌ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُۥ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ‌ۢ

Our Lord, indeed whoever You admit to the Fire - You have disgraced him, and for the wrongdoers there are no helpers. (192)

رَّ‌بَّنَآ إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِى لِلْإِيمَـٰنِ أَنْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِرَ‌بِّكُمْ فَـَٔامَنَّا ۚ رَ‌بَّنَا فَٱغْفِرْ‌ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ‌ عَنَّا سَيِّـَٔاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ ٱلْأَبْرَ‌ارِ‌

Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], 'Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous. (193)

رَ‌بَّنَا وَءَاتِنَا مَا وَعَدتَّنَا عَلَىٰ رُ‌سُلِكَ وَلَا تُخْزِنَا يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ إِنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ ٱلْمِيعَادَ

Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in [Your] promise." (194)
[Qur'an, AleImran 3:191-194]

رَ‌بَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَ‌حْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ ﴿٨﴾ رَ‌بَّنَآ إِنَّكَ جَامِعُ ٱلنَّاسِ لِيَوْمٍ لَّا رَ‌يْبَ فِيهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ ٱلْمِيعَادَ ﴿٩

Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower. Our Lord, surely You will gather the people for a Day about which there is no doubt. Indeed, Allah does not fail in His promise.
[Quran, AleImran 3:8-9]

4- They are wise.

يُؤْتِى ٱلْحِكْمَةَ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُؤْتَ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِىَ خَيْرً‌ۭا كَثِيرً‌ۭا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ‌ إِلَّآ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿٢٦٩

He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good. And none will remember except those of understanding.[Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:269]

5- They fulfill their obligations to Allah in an excellent manner

أَفَمَن يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّ‌بِّكَ ٱلْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَىٰٓ ۚ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ‌ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿١٩﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَنقُضُونَ ٱلْمِيثَـٰقَ ﴿٢٠﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ‌ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦٓ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيَخْشَوْنَ رَ‌بَّهُمْ وَيَخَافُونَ سُوٓءَ ٱلْحِسَابِ ﴿٢١﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُ‌وا۟ ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ رَ‌بِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَو‌ٰةَ وَأَنفَقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَ‌زَقْنَـٰهُمْ سِرًّ‌ۭا وَعَلَانِيَةً وَيَدْرَ‌ءُونَ بِٱلْحَسَنَةِ ٱلسَّيِّئَةَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عُقْبَى ٱلدَّارِ‌ ﴿٢٢

Then is he who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth like one who is blind? They will only be reminded who are people of understanding - (19) Those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and do not break the contract, (20) And those who join that which Allah has ordered to be joined and fear their Lord and are afraid of the evil of [their] account, (21) And those who are patient, seeking the countenance of their Lord, and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided for them secretly and publicly and prevent evil with good - those will have the good consequence of [this] home - (22)
[Quran, Ar-Ra'd 13:20-22]

6- They are extremely afraid of the Hellfire

7- They remain patient in difficult situations in order to make Allah pleased with them.

And those who are patient, seeking the countenance of their Lord... [Qur'an, Ar-Ra'd 13:22]

8- They don’t nurture the attitude of retaliation. Rather they forgive others and reciprocate evil with good.

... and prevent evil with good... [Qur'an, AleImran 13:22]

The Reward for Ulul Albab

The special reward for these people is nothing less than Jannah, where they will live eternally with the righteous ones from their family– their parents, spouses, and children. And when they will be entering into their eternal homes, the gatekeeper angels will say to them:

سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكُم بِمَا صَبَرْ‌تُمْ ۚ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى ٱلدَّارِ‌ ﴿٢٤

Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home.

[Quran, Ar-Ra'd 13: 24]

May Allah grant us the qualities of the Ulul Albab and the highest Paradise. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam