The Power of Humble Knowledge: Responding to the Qur’an Like People of True Understanding

Introduction

This week marks the passing of three towering figures in Islamic scholarship: Allāmah Ḥillī, Shaykh al-Ṭūsī, and Mullā Muḥammad Narāqī.

These names echo through centuries of Islamic thought, representing not only an intellectual legacy but also a deep spiritual commitment to knowledge, service, and piety. Islam granted immense value to knowledge at a time in human history when education held little public importance. While the modern world prizes science and information, Islam’s emphasis extends beyond accumulation, it includes how we act on knowledge, and whether it leads to humility and submission to Allah.

This week’s Qur’anic reflection takes us to the verses of 107, 108, and 109 of Sūrat al-Isrāʼ (17:107–109). These verses portray a profound image of those granted knowledge: they fall in prostration upon hearing the Qur’an, overcome with awe, gratitude, and reverence. Their emotional and physical response reminds us of what true scholarship and belief look like, a fusion of intellect, humility, and heartfelt connection to the Divine Word:

قُلْ آمِنُوا بِهِ أَوْ لَا تُؤْمِنُوا إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ إِذَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ يَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا ﴿١٠٧﴾ وَيَقُولُونَ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنْ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولًا ﴿١٠٨﴾ وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعًا ﴿١٠٩﴾  (سوره الاسراء)

Say: Believe in it or do not believe. Surely those who were given knowledge before it, when it is recited to them, they fall upon their faces in prostration, (17:107) And they say, “Glory be to our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord is always fulfilled.” (17:108) And they fall upon their faces weeping, and it increases them in humility. (17:109)

Living the Qur’an Today

In today’s fast-paced, information-driven society, these verses remind us that true knowledge is not just intellectual, it is spiritual and transformative. The Qur’an is not merely a book to be analysed, but a divine message that reshapes our hearts, our emotions, and our actions. For Muslims, especially those living in secular environments, it’s easy to disconnect religious knowledge from personal life. These āyāt challenge us to re-centre our lives around the Qur’an, allowing it to move us, humble us, and guide us in how we learn, react, and live.

The legacy of our scholars – like ʿAllāmah Ḥillī, Shaykh al-Ṭūsī, and Mullā Narāqī – wasn’t just preserved in books. It was alive in their humility before God’s word, and in their efforts to pass on beneficial knowledge with reverence.

Educational Messages from the Verses for Youth and Teenagers

Message 1. Let the Qur’an Touch Your Heart

When those with knowledge hear the Qur’an, “they fall upon their faces weeping” (17:109). This is not just about reading, it’s about feeling. Let the Qur’an move you emotionally. Read it slowly, reflect on its meanings, and allow its verses to speak to your life challenges.

Practical Challenge: Choose one verse this week and journal your emotional response to it.

Message 2. True Knowledge Makes You More Humble

The Qur’an says the learned “fall in prostration” (يَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا). Knowledge in Islam isn’t about superiority; it’s about humility before Allah SWT. As you study at school or university, let success make you more grateful, not arrogant.

Practical Challenge: After each achievement (exam result, award, etc.), do sujūd of gratitude for Allah.

Message 3. True Knowledge Brings You Closer to Allah

The Qur’an praises those who were “given knowledge” because it led them to prostration, tears, and increased humility (17:107–109). That’s the test of true knowledge: does it make your heart softer, your prayers more focused, your actions more sincere? If what you learn – whether at school, online, or even in religious settings – doesn’t connect you more deeply to Allah, it may not be the kind of knowledge Allah honours.

Practical Challenge: At the end of each week, ask yourself: “What have I learned this week that brought me closer to Allah?” Write it down, or notice if the answer is missing, and take action accordingly.

Educational Messages from the Verses for Parents

Message 4. Model Respect for the Qur’an at Home

The people described in this āyah (يَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ) react with awe. Children learn reverence from observation. Show them that the Qur’an is not a background sound, but a presence that deserves pause, attention, and humility.

Practical Challenge: Pause daily activities when Qur’an plays and sit with your children to listen.

Message 5. Prioritise Spiritual Intelligence, Not Just Academic Success

Those “granted knowledge” fell in sujūd (17:107), showing that true success is spiritual. Balance school focus with Qur’anic discussions at home. Equip children with moral clarity, not just grades.

Practical Challenge: Once a week, reflect as a family on a verse before bedtime.

Message 6. Teach That Crying Before Allah is a Strength, Not Weakness

In these verses, the most knowledgeable cry out of awe. Teach your children that it’s okay to show emotion in prayer and to turn to Allah in every state: joy, fear, or guilt.

Practical Challenge: Share a time when you felt deeply moved by the Qur’an or a prayer.

Message 7: Nurture Emotional and Spiritual Sensitivity in Your Children

The verse says: “وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ” – They fall upon their faces weeping… (17:109).

This verse highlights how true faith and knowledge affect the heart, not just the mind. In an age where emotional numbness and distraction are widespread, parents should encourage children to connect emotionally with the Qur’an and their prayers. Ask them: “What does this verse make you feel?”

Practical Challenge: Watch or listen to a Qur’anic recitation together with your child and discuss how it made each of you feel emotionally and spiritually.

Message 8: Encourage Quiet Moments of Reflection with the Qur’an

The people described in the verse don’t just hear the Qur’an. They pause, reflect, and are moved deeply. Create a calm space at home where your child can read or listen to the Qur’an without distraction. Make reflection a regular habit, even for a few minutes daily.

Practical Challenge: Designate a “Qur’an corner” at home with a translation and a notebook where each family member can write one reflection per week.

Message 9: Teach That Knowledge is a Trust, not a Trophy

The honoured individuals in the verse don’t boast about their knowledge, they humble themselves: “It increases them in humility.” (17:109)

In a world where success is often measured by degrees or competition, remind your children that Islamic knowledge is a trust (amānah). It’s meant to serve others and deepen one’s relationship with Allah, not to gain praise or dominance.

Practical Challenge: Help your child choose one small way to share something they’ve learned (e.g. explain a verse to a younger sibling, make a short reflection video, or share a lesson at a youth group).

Educational Messages from the Verses for Imams and Religious Leaders

Message 10: Teach with Humility, Not Authority Alone

“…إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ… يَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا” – Indeed, those who were given knowledge before it, fall upon their faces in prostration… (17:107)

The verse emphasises how deep knowledge leads to humility, not arrogance. As religious leaders, it’s essential to embody this trait. Avoid presenting religious knowledge as a power tool; use it to soften hearts, not to win arguments.

Practical Challenge: Begin one khutbah or lecture by sharing a personal moment when a Qur’anic verse deeply humbled or changed you.

Message 11: Cultivate a Community That Feels, Not Just Knows

These verses show the emotional response of those who truly absorb the Qur’an. Encourage your community not only to understand the Qur’an intellectually but also to connect to it spiritually and emotionally.

Practical Challenge: In your next tafsīr or Friday khutbah, include a moment of guided reflection. Pose a heartfelt question like: “What would this verse mean to you if you heard it for the first time today?”

Message 12: Emphasise Khushūʿ Over Rhetoric

Khushūʿ (deep reverence) is the outcome of sincere engagement with the Qur’an. In a time of polished delivery and media-savvy preaching, remind your audience that humble submission to Allah is the goal, not applause or influence.

Practical Challenge: In a class or sermon, pause after reading a verse and invite a minute of silent reflection before continuing. Let stillness speak.

Message 13. Translate the Qur’an into Contemporary Emotional Language

The verse shows intense emotional reactions. Bridge the gap for modern audiences by connecting these divine reactions to human struggles such as loneliness, anxiety, and longing. Show how the Qur’an heals hearts.

Practical Challenge: In your next lecture, use a Qur’anic verse to address a common emotional challenge today.