Listening vs. viewing

Advancing hearing over sight

Allah the Almighty says; “And pursue not that you have no knowledge of; surely the hearing, the sight, the heart- all of those shall be questioned of.” (17:36),

(ولا تقف ما ليس لك به علم إن السمع والبصر والفؤاد كل أولئك كان عنه مسؤولا) الإسراء 36 .

and; “Not so did you cover yourselves, lest your hearing, your eyes and your skins should bear witness against you; but you thought that Allah would never know much of the things that you were working.” (41: 22),

( وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَتِرُونَ أَنْ يَشْهَدَ عَلَيْكُمْ سَمْعُكُمْ وَلَا أَبْصَارُكُمْ وَلَا جُلُودُكُمْ وَلَكِن ظَنَنتُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَعْلَمُ كَثِيراً مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ). (22- فصلت)

and: “Say; ‘Think you, if Allah took away your hearing and your sight, and sealed up you hearts, who – a god other than Allah – could restore them to you?’” (6:46)

(قل أرأيتم إن أخذ الله سمعكم وأبصاركم وختم على قلوبكم من إله غير الله يأتيكم به) الأنعام 46 .

What are the possible reasons behind advancing “hearing” over “sight” in Quran ?
1-     Hearing develops before sight in the embryo stage , and it is the first sense that functions in life.  The function of hearing starts immediately with the baby after deliver, in contrary to the eye which does not function the time the baby is brought to life.  In other words, Allah the Almighty conveys to us that it is hearing that functions at first.  If a disturbing sound is produced near the newly born baby, he/ she feels terrified and cries.  But if a hand is approached near the same baby, he/ she does not move or sense any sort of danger.
2-     Ear is preferred over and more superior than the eye, as it does not stop function by sleep.  Since the very beginning of life, the ear functions at the first instance after delivery, while some other organs may wait days, or years to function.  The eye needs light to see.  Rays of light are reflected on things, then enter the eye to see things.  If it is dark, the eye cannot function, but the ear can function day and night.
3-     Ear is the link between man and the world.  When Allah the Almighty decreed that the Men of the Cave sleep hundred of years, He said; “Then We smote their ears many years in the Cave.” (18 : 11)
فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَى آذَانِهِمْ فِي الْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدا [الكهف: 11]
Hence when ear was out of function, men of the Cave were able to sleep hundred of years without any disturbance.  Noisy daylight movements, contrary to night quietness, prevent man to sleep deeply.  Yet the ears never sleep or lose attention.
It is noticed that the word hearing advances the word sight in the whole of Quran, except in one verse, which tackles doomsday: “If only you could see when the guilty ones will bend low their heads before their Lord! ‘Our Lord, we have seen and we have heard; now return us, that we may do righteousness, for we do have sure faith.’” (32: 12)

( ولو ترى إذ المجرمون ناكسوا رءوسهم عند ربهم ربنا أبصرنا وسمعنا فارجعنا نعمل صالحا إنا موقنون ) سورة السجدة  12

In this only verse, Allah forwards the word “see” over that of  “hear”, as the horrible scenes of Doomsday (the day of judgment) when overwhelming people, will be seen first before heard of.  Allah knows best.
Another interesting point :
It is also noticed that the word ear is always referred to in the singular form while the word eyes in the plural form. Allah says: “Not so did you cover yourselves, lest your hearing, your eyes and your skins should bear witness against you; but you thought that Allah would never know much of the things that you were working.” (41: 22),
( وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَتِرُونَ أَنْ يَشْهَدَ عَلَيْكُمْ سَمْعُكُمْ وَلَا أَبْصَارُكُمْ وَلَا جُلُودُكُمْ وَلَكِن ظَنَنتُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَعْلَمُ كَثِيراً مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ) (22- فصلت)
and: “Say; ‘Think you, if Allah took away your hearing and your eyes, and sealed up your hearts, who – a god other than Allah – could restore them to you?’” (6:46)

(قل أرأيتم إن أخذ الله سمعكم وأبصاركم وختم على قلوبكم من إله غير الله يأتيكم به) الأنعام 46 .

Why is it in the Quran the word “ear” is singular while “eyes” is plural ?

Why is it, in the Holy Quran, that the word “ear” is always singular, while the word “eyes” is plural? Why could it not be “ears and eyes”, or “ear and eye”?   Allah the Almighty, in such an accurate expression, seeks to reveal to us  the precision of the Holy Quran.  The sense of sight can be willingly controlled by man, as he is opt whether to see or not.  Man can close his eyes for the things he does not like to see, but he cannot do the same with his sense of hearing, as he has no control over ear whether to hear or not.   In other words, when someone is in a room where ten people are talking, their voices will reach his ear whether he is willing or not.   The sense of sight vary among people; someone sees something while another sees something else due to a different variation of sight, while someone else closes his eyes and sees nothing. For hearing, we all share the same sound,  if we are assembled in one place.  Hence eyes vary but ears stand single.