Has intelligence been mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah, and is the story of the three Abdullahs (Al-Abadilah) evidence for it, or is it a myth?
Intelligence is the quickness of understanding, the sharpness of mind, the breadth of perception, astuteness, and shrewdness. It is a quality for which a person is praised. The ancients used the term "intellect" (al-ʿaql), which is broader than intelligence. Books were written about it, such as "Al-ʿAql wa Faḍluh" (Intellect and Its Virtue) by Ibn Abi al-Dunya, and "Rawḍat al-ʿUqalāʾ" (The Garden of the Wise) by Ibn Ḥibbān. Intellect is the knowledge of right conduct and the awareness of avoiding error. It grows with use and perfects one's religion. Intelligence is sharpness in affairs and the swiftness in deciding upon the truth. It may be one of the causes for the growth of intellect. As for the story of the three ʿAbādilah, it has no basis.
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