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In the twelfth verse of Surah Ḥāqqah, it is mentioned: “That We might make it a reminder for you, and that receptive ears might remember it.”[1] The term Ta‘īhā here has been taken from the root word of Wa‘ā (based on the weight of Sa‘ā). Rāghib in his Mufradāt and Ibn Manẓūr in his Lisān al-‘Arab have mentioned that this term means to take care or guard something in the heart. It is for this reason that every container is called a Wi‘āÞ[2], because it holds something within itself. In the aforementioned verse, this attribute has been mentioned in reference to the ears; these are specifically ears which hear the truth and take hold of them (in a way, they utilize them).
With this explanation, it is sometimes the case that someone can hear something and quickly forget it. There is even a saying that mentions: In from one ear and out the other. During other instances, the individual will ponder on what they have heard and that information will act as a guiding principle in their lives. This is what is considered as a Wi‘ā in the Arabic language. In many of the famous Islamic books in regards to commentary and the traditions, it has been mentioned that: The Prophet (ṣ) said the following when the verse of «وَ تَعِیَها أُذُنٌ واعِیَة» was being revealed: I asked God to make the ears of ‘Alī (‘a) ears which hear and which absorb the realities. It was after this event that Imam ‘Alī (‘a) said: I did not hear anything from the Prophet (ṣ) after this that I forgot; rather, I kept it all to memory.[3]
In the text of GhayāÞ al-Marām, sixteen traditions have been narrated in regards to this subject from both Shia and Sunni sources. Muḥadith Baḥrānī in his commentary of Al-Burhān has narrated from Muḥammad ibn ‘Abbās that: Thirty traditions have been narrated on this subject from both Shia and Sunni sources. This is a great virtue that has been mentioned for Imam ‘Alī (‘a) and it is clear that after the passing of the Prophet (ṣ), both friends and foe alike would flock towards the Imam (‘a) whenever issues arose in the society that needed to be resolved. Many of these events have been recorded in the books of history of both the Shia and the Sunni as well.[4]
With this explanation, it is sometimes the case that someone can hear something and quickly forget it. There is even a saying that mentions: In from one ear and out the other. During other instances, the individual will ponder on what they have heard and that information will act as a guiding principle in their lives. This is what is considered as a Wi‘ā in the Arabic language. In many of the famous Islamic books in regards to commentary and the traditions, it has been mentioned that: The Prophet (ṣ) said the following when the verse of «وَ تَعِیَها أُذُنٌ واعِیَة» was being revealed: I asked God to make the ears of ‘Alī (‘a) ears which hear and which absorb the realities. It was after this event that Imam ‘Alī (‘a) said: I did not hear anything from the Prophet (ṣ) after this that I forgot; rather, I kept it all to memory.[3]
In the text of GhayāÞ al-Marām, sixteen traditions have been narrated in regards to this subject from both Shia and Sunni sources. Muḥadith Baḥrānī in his commentary of Al-Burhān has narrated from Muḥammad ibn ‘Abbās that: Thirty traditions have been narrated on this subject from both Shia and Sunni sources. This is a great virtue that has been mentioned for Imam ‘Alī (‘a) and it is clear that after the passing of the Prophet (ṣ), both friends and foe alike would flock towards the Imam (‘a) whenever issues arose in the society that needed to be resolved. Many of these events have been recorded in the books of history of both the Shia and the Sunni as well.[4]
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