Continuation of the benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “Those who listen to the statement and then follow the best of it. Those are the ones whom Allah has guided, and those are the people of understanding.”

It is more significant than the blessing of food and drink, because everyone eats and drinks, even the animals. But guidance is not for everyone; therefore, Allah’s blessing upon man with knowledge and practical guidance is greater than His blessing upon him with food and drink. Yes, and among the benefits of this noble verse is that those who hold fast to the religion of Allah and follow the best of speech are the people of intellect. They are the people of intellect. It is common among people now that when they see a rational person, meaning when they see a clever, prudent person in matters, they say, “This is a rational person, what Allah willed, a rational person,” even if he is one of the most sinful of people. And the truth is that we say the rational person is the one whom Allah the Exalted has guided to knowledge and action, even if he is one of the most dull-witted of people in terms of intelligence.
And among the benefits of this verse is that there is no necessary connection between intelligence and intellect. Intelligence is one thing, and intellect is another thing. Even in the intellect of perception, there is no necessary connection between intelligence and the intellect of perception, because among people there is one whom you find to be intelligent, keen in observation, who understands things quickly and gives the answer quickly, but in his conduct? He is a fool; he has no intellect. And among people there is one who is the opposite; he has some dullness, but in his conduct he is rational and prudent. But the most rational of people are the most obedient of people to Allah. There is no doubt that the most rational of people are the most obedient to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). For this reason, He said:
And among the benefits of the verse is the indication of the division of people into two groups: the successful and the unsuccessful. Because His saying indicates that there is another group, namely those who were not successful and whom Allah did not guide. The matter is so, and reality is so. The verse indicated this, and reality bears witness to it.
If someone were to ask, “Why did not Allah (Mighty and Majestic) make the people one religion, one community?” We say, “Because this contradicts wisdom.” Allah the Exalted said: If this division did not exist, the Fire would not have been filled, and indeed, no one would have entered it. If this division did not exist, man would not have known the value of Allah’s blessings upon him through faith and righteous deeds. If this faith did not exist, those who believed and did good would not have been praised. Why? Because people are such that they cannot escape what they are. If this did not exist, there would be no arena for jihad, because you cannot fight one who is like you in faith and righteous deeds. If this did not exist, there would be no arena for enjoining good and forbidding evil. If this did not exist, there would be no arena for calling to Allah, nor for the many other benefits that are lost by the loss of this division. As for divine power, Allah is able to make the people one community upon the religion, upon the true religion. But divine wisdom forbids that. And you have known a little of the much, much wisdom in the division of people into a believer and a disbeliever.