Oh those of you who believe! Obey Allah and His messenger, and do not turn away from Him after you hear him. And do not be like those who said “We have heard” when they do not hear. Indeed, the worst creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and dumb who do not use reason.
This is admonition to Muslims who hear the Qur’an, yet fail to verify their socio-political ideas and their actions by the Qur’an. It is completely irrational for Muslims to say that they believe Allah (SWT) created everything, but then take their own thoughts and feelings as an authority over the Qur’an.
Az-Zamakhshari (RH) stated that the deaf refers to those who are deaf to the truth, which comes from Allah (SWT).
We cannot underestimate to influence of humanism and individualism on our thinking processes as Muslims in the West. Western society has crafted the idea that individuals can independently discern right from wrong as a part of personal freedom. People can advocate for policies, garner majority sentiments of voters then institute laws, thus making their own rights from wrongs as matters of public policy. Behaviors that were once off-limits and deemed despicable then gain social currency and acceptance.
What Allah (SWT) and His messenger command us to do and inform us to stay away from is not up for voting or our ignoring from the perspective of the Qur’an. Muslims who turn away are like the deaf and dumb, who have not followed Qur’anic logic to its logical conclusion.
May Allah (SWT) make us of those who hear and obey, and may He (SWT) protect us from the foolery of thinking that our independent reasoning is equal to the Qur’an. AMEEN.