Listening attentively
INsights 082, Friday 27th June 2025
Listening attentively
INsights 082, Friday 27th June 2025
There is good news for those who shun the worship of false gods and turn to God, so give good news to My servants who listen attentively to what is said and follow the best of it. These are the ones God has guided; these are the people of understanding.
Chapter 39 | Verses 17-18
It's been almost two months since I started my journey as a podcaster.
Although a few of the episodes published so far have been designed primarily for me to share my views, I've also published and recorded a number of episodes with a wide variety of guests where I'm doing the asking.
I was reflecting this week how hosting conversations has been a humbling training ground in listening more and talking less.
I've realised quickly that if I'm too busy planning my next response or just waiting to share my own perspective, I can easily miss the gems in my guest's words.
I’ve found that the more I suspend my urge to interject and instead absorb the other person’s perspective, the more I gain, not just during but well after the conversation.
This sounds obvious but it can be very hard in practice.
As the French philosopher Simone Weil said, "Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity."
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Listening well requires humility - a willingness to admit, “I don’t know everything; perhaps this person has a piece of the truth I need.”
It also requires patience and self-control, to quiet one’s own thoughts and ego, in order to fully engage with what is being said.
God invites us to bring these qualities into our relationship with both His guidance and human discourse.
Regarding divine guidance, we are told, "So pay attention and listen quietly when the Quran is recited, so that you may be given mercy." (Chapter 7 | Verse 204)
To listen actively is to worship God, the challenge being whether or not we do so to understand genuinely and move closer to truth, or merely to find ammo to defend our own preconceived ideas?
The "people of understanding" described in the opening verses above are those who listen with their hearts open. Since "what is said" (al-qawl) doesn't just refer to revelation here but to all manner of speech, it suggests that they can sift through a cacophony of voices - faithful or secular, more or less informed, friendly or critical - and, by the grace of God, recognise the notes of wisdom among them all.
Rather than fearing different perspectives, they engage and examine them with an open mind. Once they discern the best course - that which aligns with justice, beauty, and God’s pleasure - they follow it wholeheartedly. These are the "ones God has guided".
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So some notes for myself which may be helpful to you too...
- Hold your horses: In your next conversation, make a goal to listen more than you speak. Pay attention even if you initially disagree. Resist the temptation to make a point. Ask clarifying questions. You might catch the kernel of truth or goodness in the other person’s viewpoint that you would have otherwise missed, not to mention improving your personal relationship with them.
- Seek diverse counsel: Don’t shy away from reading or hearing viewpoints outside your echo chamber. As long as we stay anchored in our core principles, exploring other perspectives often sharpens our understanding and empathy.
- Filter and follow: Not every opinion is correct, and not every story is true. Use revelation as your criterion to evaluate what you hear. Ask: “Does this resonate with the reality of divine oneness, the values of excellence and balance?” If yes, embrace it and let it improve you. If not, discard it in a dignified manner and move on.
In summary, a mantra that's been going around my head in the last couple of days is simply as follows:
Less opinion, more attention!
Until next time.
Peace.
Iqbal
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