Reasoning in the Qur’an: Remembering and Living the Covenant in Light of Surah Al-Mulk, Verse 10
📖 Reasoning in the Qur’an: Remembering and Living the Covenant in Light of Surah Al-Mulk, Verse 10
Covenant (Mīthāq) and Reason (‘Aql) in the Qur’an
Mīthāq is a conscious and binding covenant made between human beings and Allah.
Reasoning (‘aql) means:
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Remembering this covenant spiritually,
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Embracing it with one’s conscience,
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Living it out in daily life.
The Qur’anic expression “afalā taʿqilūn?” ("Will you not reason?") serves to awaken this consciousness. It essentially asks: “Why have you forgotten the covenant?” and “Why did you not understand and apply it?”
Thus, to violate the mīthāq is to fail to reason. Conversely, to reason is to embody and uphold the covenant in one’s life.
This article examines the concept of ‘aql (reasoning) in the Qur’an, focusing on Surah Al-Mulk, verse 10.
The main argument is that reasoning in the Qur’an is not merely a cognitive act but a moral consciousness rooted in the divine covenant (mīthāq).
By analyzing verses that mention the covenant and those containing forms of “yaʿqilūn”, the study reveals that the intellect functions as a bridge between fitrah (primordial nature) and revelation (wahy).
📖 1. Reasoning and Listening in Al-Mulk 67:10
1.1. The Relationship between Listening and Reasoning
The verse states:
“They will say: ‘If only we had listened or reasoned, we would not be among the people of the blazing fire.’” (Surah Al-Mulk 67:10)
This verse highlights two essential faculties:
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Listening (samʿ): Paying heed to the voice of revelation and divine guidance.
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Reasoning (ʿaql): Comprehending the divine message and relating it to one’s life; remaining loyal to the covenant.
The pairing of these two faculties shows that reasoning is not limited to intellectual reflection. It involves a moral awareness informed by both fitrah and wahy.
📖 2. The Concept of Mīthāq in the Qur’an
The mīthāq in the Qur’an refers to conscious covenants made between humans and God:
| Verse | Subject of the Covenant |
|---|---|
| Baqarah 2:83 | Worship of Allah and commitment to social justice |
| Baqarah 2:93 | Loyalty and obedience to the Divine Book |
| Āl-i ʿImrān 3:81 | Pledge by prophets to support a future messenger |
Thus, the mīthāq is not merely verbal consent; it is a lived commitment acknowledged by both reason and conscience.
📖 3. Al-Mulk 67:10 and the Covenant
3.1. From Not Listening to Not Reasoning
The regret expressed in this verse arises from forgetting the covenant. The people in question:
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Did not listen to revelation (neglecting samʿ),
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Ignored the voice of their fitrah (neglecting ‘aql).
These neglects led to a rupture with the covenant, resulting in their damnation.
3.2. Reasoning = Remembering the Covenant
The Qur’anic calls “afalā taʿqilūn?” urge humans to:
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Recall their innate recognition of God (cf. Aʿrāf 7:172),
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Fulfill the promises they consciously made (the mīthāq),
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Respond to the reminders sent through revelation.
📖 4. Practical Implications of Covenant and Reason
🧠 Reason is not just a cognitive tool but a faculty of moral will and responsibility.
📖 Covenant (mīthāq) is a moral pledge rooted in both fitrah and revelation.
🔥 Those who fail to reason—as shown in Mulk 67:10—face deep regret for neglecting their sacred commitment.
📖 Conclusion
Surah Al-Mulk verse 10 clarifies the Qur’anic concept of reasoning:
Reason is the faculty that unites the testimony of fitrah with the call of revelation to uphold the divine covenant.
Those who fail to reason are not merely intellectually negligent—they are unfaithful to their primordial and revealed commitments to Allah.
Thus, to reason (taʿqil) in the Qur’anic sense is to live in ontological loyalty and moral fidelity to the covenant made with the Creator.
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