Quran Universe
4:46

مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلۡكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعۡنَا وَعَصَيۡنَا وَٱسۡمَعۡ غَيۡرَ مُسۡمَعٖ وَرَٰعِنَا لَيَّۢا بِأَلۡسِنَتِهِمۡ وَطَعۡنٗا فِي ٱلدِّينِۚ وَلَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ قَالُواْ سَمِعۡنَا وَأَطَعۡنَا وَٱسۡمَعۡ وَٱنظُرۡنَا لَكَانَ خَيۡرٗا لَّهُمۡ وَأَقۡوَمَ وَلَٰكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفۡرِهِمۡ فَلَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا

Mina allatheena hadoo yuharrifoona alkalima AAan mawadiAAihi wayaqooloona samiAAna waAAasayna waismaAA ghayra musmaAAin waraAAina layyan bialsinatihim wataAAnan fee alddeeni walaw annahum qaloo samiAAna waataAAna waismaAA waonthurna lakana khayran lahum waaqwama walakin laAAanahumu Allahu bikufrihim fala yuminoona illa qaleelan

Among the Jews are those who distort words from their [proper] usages and say, "We hear and disobey" and "Hear but be not heard" and "Ra'ina," twisting their tongues and defaming the religion. And if they had said [instead], "We hear and obey" and "Wait for us [to understand]," it would have been better for them and more suitable. But Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few.

Word by word
  1. مِّنَOf
  2. ٱلَّذِينَthose who
  3. هَادُواْare Jews
  4. يُحَرِّفُونَthey distort
  5. ٱلۡكَلِمَthe words
  6. عَنfrom
  7. مَّوَاضِعِهِۦtheir places
  8. وَيَقُولُونَand they say
  9. سَمِعۡنَاWe hear [d]
  10. وَعَصَيۡنَاand we disobey [ed]
  11. وَٱسۡمَعۡand " Hear
  12. غَيۡرَnot
  13. مُسۡمَعٖto be heard
  14. وَرَٰعِنَاand " Raina
  15. لَيَّۢاtwisting
  16. بِأَلۡسِنَتِهِمۡ[with] their tongues
  17. وَطَعۡنٗاand defaming
  18. فِي[in]
  19. ٱلدِّينِۚthe religion
  20. وَلَوۡAnd if
  21. أَنَّهُمۡ[that] they
  22. قَالُواْ(had) said
  23. سَمِعۡنَاWe hear [d]
  24. وَأَطَعۡنَاand we obey [ed]
  25. وَٱسۡمَعۡand " Hear
  26. وَٱنظُرۡنَاand look (at) us
  27. لَكَانَsurely it (would) have been
  28. خَيۡرٗاbetter
  29. لَّهُمۡfor them
  30. وَأَقۡوَمَand more suitable
  31. وَلَٰكِن[And] but
  32. لَّعَنَهُمُcursed them
  33. ٱللَّهُAllah
  34. بِكُفۡرِهِمۡfor their disbelief
  35. فَلَاso not
  36. يُؤۡمِنُونَthey believe
  37. إِلَّاexcept
  38. قَلِيلٗاa few
An-Nisa · 4:46Madinah

We hear and we obey would have been better.

Twisting words versus sincere listening

Twisted words
we hear and disobeylistening without intent
a twist of the tonguemockery dressed as respect
What would have been better
we hear and disobeyclever, mocking
we hear and obeyhelp us understand

The verse describes some in Madinah who twisted words from their meaning, and spoke to the Prophet ﷺ with phrases that sounded polite but carried mockery. It then shows a better way: we hear and we obey, and help us understand. That, it says, would have been better and more upright.

Someone gives you advice and you say, sure, fine, with a tone that says the opposite. You quote a verse with a twist to win an argument. It is easy to listen only to reply. Try saying: I hear you, help me understand.

I can listen politely and still do what I want.

Sincere listening sounds like: we hear, we obey, and help us understand.

Try this

In your next disagreement, say: help me understand what you mean. Then listen.

Related2:1042:88
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 4:44)

Have you not seen those (the Jews) who were given a portion of the Book, purchasing the wrong path, and wishing that you should go astray from the right path (44)Allah has full knowledge of your enemies, and Allah is sufficient as a Wali (Protector), and Allah is sufficient as a Helper (45)Among those who are Jews, there are some who displace words from (their) right places and say: "We hear your word and disobey," and "Hear and let you hear nothing." And Ra'ina with a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the religion. And if only they had said: "We hear and obey", and "Do make us understand," it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not except a few (46)

Chastising the Jews for Choosing Misguidance, Altering Allah's Words, and Mocking Islam

Allah states that the Jews, may Allah's continued curse fall on them until the Day of Resurrection, have purchased the wrong path instead of guidance, and ignored what Allah sent down to His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ. They also ignored the knowledge that they inherited from previous Prophets, about the description of Muhammad ﷺ, so that they may have a small amount of the delights of this life.

وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن تَضِلُّوا السَّبِيلَ

(and wishing that you should go astray from the right path.) for they would like that you disbelieve in what was sent down to you, O believers, and that you abandon the guidance and beneficial knowledge that you have.

وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِأَعْدَائِكُمْ

(Allah has full knowledge of your enemies) meaning, Allah has better knowledge of your enemies, and He warns you against them.

وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ نَصِيرًا

(and Allah is sufficient as a Wali (Protector), and Allah is Sufficient as a Helper) He is a Sufficient Protector for those who seek refuge with Him and a Sufficient Supporter for those who seek His help. Allah then said,

يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِ 

(there are some who displace words from (their) right places) meaning, they intentionally and falsely alter the meanings of the Words of Allah and explain them in a different manner than what Allah meant,

وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا

(And say: "We hear your word and disobey) saying, "We hear what you say, O Muhammad, but we do not obey you in it," as Mujahid and Ibn Zayd explained.

This is the implied meaning of the Ayah, and it demonstrates the Jews' disbelief, stubbornness and disregard for Allah's Book after they understood it, all the while aware of the sin and punishment that this behavior will earn for them. Allah's statement,

وَاسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ 

(And "Hear and let you hear nothing.") means, hear our words, may you never hear anything, as Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn 'Abbas. This is the Jews' way of mocking and jesting, may Allah's curse descend on them.

وَرَاعِنَا لَيًّا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِي الدِّينِ

(And Ra'ina, with a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the religion.) meaning, they pretend to say, 'Hear us,' when they say, Ra'ina (an insult in Hebrew, but in Arabic it means 'Listen to us.').' Yet, their true aim is to curse the Prophet ﷺ. We mentioned this subject when we explained Allah's statement,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقُولُوا رَاعِنَا وَقُولُوا انظُرْنَا 

(O you who believe! Say not Ra'ina but say Unzurna (make us understand)). [2:104] Therefore, Allah said about them, while they pretend to say other than what they truly mean,

لَيًّا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِي الدِّينِ

(With a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the religion) because of their cursing the Prophet ﷺ. Allah then said,

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاسْمَعْ وَانظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَٰكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

(And if only they had said: "We hear and obey", and "Do make us understand," it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not except a few.) meaning, their hearts are cast away from the path of righteousness and therefore, no beneficial part of faith enters it. Earlier, when we explained,

فَقَلِيلًا مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ

(so little is that which they believe)[2:88] which means they do not have beneficial faith.