Wise remembers His favour

He grants Hikmah to whom He wills, and he, to whom Hikmah is granted, is indeed granted abundant good. But none remember (will receive admonition) except men of understanding. (2: 269)

Tafsir (Ibn Kathir)

The Meaning of Al-Hikmah

Allah said,

(He grants Hikmah to whom He wills.)

`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, “That is knowledge of the Qur’an. For instance, the abrogating and the abrogated, what is plain and clear and what is not as plain and clear, what it allows, and what it does not allow, and its parables.” Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said that he heard the Messenger of Allah saying,

“There is no envy except in two instances: a person whom Allah has endowed with wealth and he spends it righteously, and a person whom Allah has given Hikmah and he judges by it and teaches it to others.” This was also collected by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, An-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah.

Allah’s statement,

(But none remember (will receive admonition) except men of understanding.) means, “Those who will benefit from the advice are those who have sound minds and good comprehension with which they understand the words (of advice and reminder) and their implications.”