9 Attributes of People of Understanding
Who are people understanding?
Allah says in the Quran:
أَفَمَن يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ٱلْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَىٰٓ ۚ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ
Now, can the one who knows that whatever has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, be equal to one who is blind? Only the people of understanding respond to the advice [13:20]
One of the most important parts of Surat al-Ra’d is the set of ayahs where Allah describes ulul albab, the people of understanding and intellect. The term ‘people of understanding’ appears 16 times across 10 Syrah’s of the Quran.
Al-lubb (with a damma on the lam and a doubled ba) in Arabic means the pure essence of something, its core, its intellect, and its heart. It is used to refer to the precious inner part (such as the kernel of a fruit or a nut), or to an intellect purified from impurities (al-albab).
In today’s world we have many definitions for what makes a smart person – it might be someone who has cunning plans and does deals under the table. But the Quran has its own definition, which is described by nine attributes listed in these ayahs.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَنقُضُونَ ٱلْمِيثَـٰقَ
those who fulfill (their) pledge with Allah and do not break the covenant, [13:21]
1. Those who fulfil their pledge with Allah – i.e. those who fulfil all the trusts given to us by Allah, such as salah and siyam, avoiding haram and doubtful matters, etc.
2. Those who don’t break their covenants. One of the attributes of the hypocrites is repeatedly breaking their promises, and believers are the ones who do the opposite and always fulfil their promises.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦٓ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَيَخَافُونَ سُوٓءَ ٱلْحِسَابِ
and those who maintain the relationships Allah has commanded to be maintained and fear their Lord and fear strict judgment, [13:22]
3. Maintain relationships Allah has commanded to be retained. This is referring to silatul rahim, connecting blood ties – i.e. having good relationships with your family. There are many verses in the Quran which stress the importance of this, whether with your parents, siblings, close family or extended. Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) also said:
مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُبْسَطَ لَهُ فِي رِزْقِهِ، وَأَنْ يُنْسَأَ لَهُ فِي أَثَرِهِ، فَلْيَصِلْ رَحِمَهُ.
Anyone who wants to have his provision expanded and his term of life prolonged should maintain ties of kinship. [Bukhari and Muslim]
4. Those who fear their Lord and are obedient to Him.
5. Those who are frightened of having a bad reckoning, hisab. Prophet Muhammad used to make dua for Allah to make our hisab easy. People of understanding are those who fear that on the Day of Judgement when their books are read, Allah will make things difficult for them. Inshallah He will make easy for all of us.
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رضي الله عنها قَالَتْ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يَقُولُ فِي بَعْضِ صَلَاتِهِ: «اللَّهُمَّ حَاسِبْنِي حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا». فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، مَا الْحِسَابُ الْيَسِيرُ؟ قَالَ: «يَنْظُرُ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَيَتَجَاوَزُ لَهُ عَنْهُ، إِنَّهُ مَنْ نُوقِشَ الْحِسَابَ يَا عَائِشَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍ هَلَكَ».
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saying in some of his prayers: “O Allah, bring me to account with an easy reckoning.” When he finished, I said: “O Messenger of Allah, what is an easy reckoning?” He replied: “That his record is looked at and he is pardoned. Whoever is thoroughly examined in the reckoning on that Day, O Aishah, will be ruined.” (Ahmad, Ibn Hibban, and al-Hakim)
وَٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا۟ ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنفَقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ سِرًّۭا وَعَلَانِيَةًۭ وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِٱلْحَسَنَةِ ٱلسَّيِّئَةَ
and those who observe patience in order to seek the pleasure of their Lord and establish Salāh and spend secretly and openly from what We have given to them, and repel evil with good. [13:22]
6. Those who observe patience for His sake. There are three levels of sabr: 1) Doing ibadah, as you need sabr to wake up, do suhur, do fajr, etc. 2) Refraining from haram, as this takes self-control. 3) Having sabr in the face of Allah’s tests. This is one of the attributes of pious people who are close to Allah.
7. Establish salah – i.e. always do it on time, in the way it was passed down from Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), with khushu (focus).
8. Spend from what We have provided for them. Your rizq comes from Allah, and He is asking you to pay your obligation. The absolute minimum is zakat, 2.5%.
9. Those who repel evil with good. If you are faced with evil, don’t respond with evil but with good. This can be dependent on the scenario, but it is the general rule. It also applies to doing something bad yourself, and following it up with a good deed. This is in line with the hadith:
وَأَتْبِعْ السَّيِّئَةَ الْحَسَنَةَ تَمْحُهَا،
follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, [Ahmad]
Your daily checklist
These are the people who will be close to Allah and who are promised Jannah. These nine attributes are like a checklist you can keep in your pocket to review every day. Ask yourself, am I doing all of these things?
May Allah make all of us and our families and loved ones among ulul albab. Ameen
Delivered by Shaykh Haytham Tamim on Ramadan Night 2. Transcribed by Hana Khan
A reflection on Ulul Albab
By Samia Ahmed – Blossoming Believers
There are certain passages in the Qur’an that feel as though they are speaking directly to the heart of the believer who wants depth, not just information. Surah ar-Ra’d is one of them.
Allah ﷻ says:
“Is he who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth like one who is blind? Only the people of understanding take heed.” (13:19)
This verse always stops me.
Because Allah ﷻ does not ask, who has memorised more.
He does not ask, who speaks more.
He asks, who truly knows that this revelation is the truth.
And then He tells us, only the People of Understanding take heed.
Understanding is not information
The Qur’an uses the term Ulul Albāb. The word lubb means the pure core of something. Not the outer shell. Not the noise. The essence.
The People of Understanding are those who live from their core. Their faith is not cultural habit. It is conscious conviction.
They are not spiritually reactive. They are spiritually anchored.
As Shaykh Haytham explained in his lecture between Tarawih, In Surah ar-Raʿd, Allah ﷻ describes them through qualities that feel deeply practical and deeply transformative at the same time.
They fulfil their covenant with Allah.
They do not break what Allah has commanded to be joined.
They fear their Lord.
They are patient seeking the Face of Allah.
They establish prayer.
They give from what He has provided them.
They resist evil with good.
This is not abstract spirituality. This is lived faith.
The sabr of the People of Understanding
One of the most powerful descriptions is that they are:
“Those who are patient, seeking the Face of their Lord.” (13:22)
This sabr is not passive rather it is intentional.
Our scholars explain that sabr is of three types.
First, sabr in obedience to Allah. Remaining consistent in prayer when tired. Fasting when it is difficult. Showing up for worship even when the heart feels heavy.
Second, sabr in staying away from the haram. Restraining the tongue. Lowering the gaze. Walking away from what is easy but displeases Allah.
Third, sabr when tested. When health shifts. When relationships strain. When outcomes are not what we hoped.
The People of Understanding practise all three.
They understand that worship requires discipline.
That self-restraint requires strength.
That trials require trust.
And they seek Allah in all of it.
They repel evil with good
This quality feels particularly deep in our time.
To repel evil with good is not weakness. It is mastery. It is the ability to respond from principle, not ego.
When hurt does not turn you harsh.
When criticism does not make you cruel.
When misunderstanding does not make you abandon your character.
That is understanding.
Surah ar-Raʿd invites a quiet self-reflection, and it made me think.
Do I treat knowledge as accumulation or transformation?
Is my sabr visible only when others see me, or when Allah alone sees me.
Understanding is when knowledge moves from the tongue into the heart, and from the heart into conduct.
The blind person in the verse is not one without sight. It is the one who refuses to see truth despite clarity.
The People of Understanding, on the other hand, see signs everywhere. In the alternation of night and day. In the rain that revives the earth. In the way one water produces different fruits. They reflect. They connect. They internalise. Everything that occurs is not by coincidence but has an intended purpose.
And Allah ﷻ concludes their description with a promise:
“For them is the good end of the Home.” (13:22)
May Allah make us people of depth, not surface.
People whose sabr is steady in worship, firm against the haram, and trusting in trials.
May we become them and not be of those who simply admire Ulul Albāb.
Ameen.