Which Surah and Juz is Quran 39:18 from?

This ayah is from Surah Az-Zumar (The Groups), the 39th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 23.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 39:18?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sunan Abu Dawud, Sunan Ibn Majah.

What tafsir is available for Quran 39:18?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Kathir, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 39:18 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Allah, Prophethood, Wisdom, Idolatry, Tawhid.

Ayah 17

وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱجْتَنَبُوا۟ ٱلطَّٰغُوتَ أَن يَعْبُدُو...

39:18Az-Zumar

Q: What does Quran 39:18 mean?

Quran 39:18 (Surah Az-Zumar, Ayah 18) translates to: "Who listen to speech and follow the best of it. Those are the ones Allah has guided, and those are people of understanding."

Ayah 19

أَفَمَنْ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ كَلِمَةُ ٱلْعَذَابِ أَفَأَ...

ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ ٱلْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمْ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ

Allazeena yastami'oonal qawla fayattabi'oona ahsanah; ulaaa'ikal lazeena hadaahumul laahu wa ulaaa'ika hum ulul albaab

Who listen to speech and follow the best of it. Those are the ones Allah has guided, and those are people of understanding.

Themes in this ayah

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Qualities of the believers94 Knowledge & reflection86

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

11 other themes with weak connections

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39:18Ayah 175

7 ayahs in Az-Zumar are strongly about the qualities of the believers. This is one of them.

← Previous on Qualities of the believers39:17But those who have avoided Taghut, lest they worship it, and turned back to Allah - for them are good tidings. So give good tidings to My servants Next on Qualities of the believers →39:22So is one whose breast Allah has expanded to [accept] Islam and he is upon a light from his Lord [like one whose heart rejects it]?

Tafsir

Scholars largely agree on this ayah

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 39:18→

who listen to the words of God and follow the best sense of it which is that which contains the means to righteousness for them. Those they are the ones whom God has guided; and those they are the people of pith the possessors of intellect.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited this verse: “He it is who has sent down to thee the Book: in it are verses basic or fundamental . . . .” Up to “men of understanding”. She said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then said: When you see those people who follow that which is allegorical in the Quran, those are the people whom Allah has named (in the Quran). So avoid them.

Sunan Abu Dawud #1453'Uthman reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying:Da'if

The best among you is he who learns and teaches the Qur'an.

Sunan Ibn Majah #4315It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said:Hasan

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'May Allah cause to flourish a slave (of His) who hears my words and understands them, then he conveys them from me. There are those who have knowledge but no understanding, and there may be those who convey knowledge to those who may have more understanding of it than they do.'"

Sunan Ibn Majah #3962It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:Sahih

“The people of Paradise are those whose ears Allah fills with the praise of people when they are listening, and the people of Hell- fire are those whom He fills their ears with condemnation when they are listening.”

Sunan Ibn Majah #4312It was narrated that Abu Bakrah said:Sahih

"The Messenger of Allah delivered a religious speech on the Day of Sacrifice and said: 'Let those who are present convey to those who are absent. For perhaps the one to whom it is conveyed will understand it better than the one who (first) hears it.'"