← Surah 2

2:171

وَمَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَآءً وَنِدَآءً ۚ صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ

Word by word

وَمَثَلُ
And (the) example
Noun
Root: مثل
Grammar (i'rab)
وَPrepositionresumption، prefix
مَثَلُNounmasculine، nominative
ٱلَّذِينَ
(of) those who
Noun
Grammar (i'rab)
ٱلَّذِينَNounrelative، masc. plur.
كَفَرُوا۟
disbelieve[d]
Verb
Root: كفر
Grammar (i'rab)
كَفَرُVerbperfect، 3rd masc. plur.
وا۟Nounpronoun، suffix، 3rd masc. plur.
كَمَثَلِ
(is) like (the) example
Noun
Root: مثل
Grammar (i'rab)
كَPrepositionpreposition، prefix
مَثَلِNounmasculine، genitive
ٱلَّذِى
(of) the one who
Noun
Grammar (i'rab)
ٱلَّذِىNounrelative، masc. sing.
يَنْعِقُ
shouts
Verb
Root: نعق
Grammar (i'rab)
يَنْعِقُVerbimperfect، 3rd masc. sing.
بِمَا
at what
Preposition
Grammar (i'rab)
بِPrepositionpreposition، prefix
مَاNounrelative
لَا
not
Preposition
Grammar (i'rab)
لَاPrepositionnegative
يَسْمَعُ
(does) hear
Verb
Root: سمع
Grammar (i'rab)
يَسْمَعُVerbimperfect، 3rd masc. sing.
إِلَّا
except
Preposition
Grammar (i'rab)
إِلَّاPrepositionrestriction
دُعَآءً
calls
Noun
Root: دعو
Grammar (i'rab)
دُعَآءًNounmasculine، indefinite، accusative
وَنِدَآءً
and cries
Noun
Root: ندي
Grammar (i'rab)
وَPrepositionconjunction، prefix
نِدَآءًNounverbal noun، masculine، indefinite، accusative
صُمٌّۢ
deaf
Noun
Root: صمم
Grammar (i'rab)
صُمٌّۢNounpreposition، indefinite، nominative
بُكْمٌ
dumb
Noun
Root: بكم
Grammar (i'rab)
بُكْمٌNounpreposition، indefinite، nominative
عُمْىٌ
(and) blind
Noun
Root: عمي
Grammar (i'rab)
عُمْىٌNounmasc. plur.، indefinite، nominative
فَهُمْ
[so] they
Preposition
Grammar (i'rab)
فَPrepositionresumption، prefix
هُمْNounpronoun، 3rd masc. plur.
لَا
(do) not
Preposition
Grammar (i'rab)
لَاPrepositionnegative
يَعْقِلُونَ
understand
Verb
Root: عقل
Grammar (i'rab)
يَعْقِلُVerbimperfect، 3rd masc. plur.
ونَNounpronoun، suffix، 3rd masc. plur.

Translation

EN

The parable of those who reject Faith is as if one were to shout Like a goat-herd, to things that listen to nothing but calls and cries: Deaf, dumb, and blind, they are void of wisdom.

A. Yusuf Alipublic-domain

Calling to disbelievers is like a herdsman calling to things that hear nothing but a shout and a cry: they are deaf, dumb, and blind, and they understand nothing.

M.A.S. Abdel Haleemall-rights-reserved

The likeness of those who disbelieve (in relation to the messenger) is as the likeness of one who calleth unto that which heareth naught except a shout and cry. Deaf, dumb, blind, therefore they have no sense.

M. Pickthallpublic-domain

The example of those who disbelieve is like that of one who shouts at what hears nothing but calls and cries [i.e., cattle or sheep] - deaf, dumb and blind, so they do not understand.

Saheeh Internationalall-rights-reserved

TR

İnkar edenlerin durumu, çağırma ve bağırmadan başkasını duymayarak haykıran gibidir. Sağırdırlar, dilsizdirler, kördürler, bu yüzden akledemezler.

Diyanet İşleriall-rights-reserved

O kâfirlerin hali, sadece bir çağırma veya bağırmadan başkasını işitmeyerek haykıranın haline benzer; onlar sağırdırlar, dilsizdirler, kördürler, akıl da etmezler.

Elmalılı Hamdi Yazırpublic-domain

Kâfir olanların durumu, (çobanın) bağırıp çağırmasından başka bir şey duymayan (hayvanlar)a haykıranın durumuna benzer. (Onlar gerçeğe karşı) sağırdır, dilsizdir, kördür; onlar akıl da etmezler.

Mehmet Okuyanall-rights-reserved

AR

وصفة الذين كفروا وداعيهم إلى الهدى والإيمان كصفة الراعي الذي يصيح بالبهائم ويزجرها، وهي لا تفهم معاني كلامه، وإنما تسمع النداء ودَوِيَّ الصوت فقط. هؤلاء الكفار صُمٌّ سدُّوا أسماعهم عن الحق، بُكْم أخرسوا ألسنتهم عن النطق به، عُمْي لا ترى أعينهم براهينه الباهرة، فهم لا يعملون عقولهم فيما ينفعهم.

Tafsir al-Muyassarfree-distribution

Related verses

In earlier scriptures

  • Mark 8:18parallel
    Eyes that see not, ears that hear not

    Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

    Note

    ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντες οὐ βλέπετε, καὶ ὦτα ἔχοντες οὐκ ἀκούετε; καὶ οὐ μνημονεύετε,

    Thematic parallel: Jesus' 'Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not?' (Mark 8:18) runs alongside Qur'an 2:171, 'deaf, dumb, blind — they do not reason.' (Interpretation.)

    King James Version (KJV)public-domain

  • Matthew 13:13parallel
    Eyes that see not, ears that hear not

    Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

    Note

    διὰ τοῦτο ἐν παραβολαῖς αὐτοῖς λαλῶ, ὅτι βλέποντες οὐ βλέπουσιν καὶ ἀκούοντες οὐκ ἀκούουσιν οὐδὲ συνίουσιν·

    Thematic parallel: 'seeing they see not; hearing they hear not, neither understand' (Matthew 13:13) shares the same motif as Qur'an 2:171's emphasis on not reasoning. (Interpretation.)

    King James Version (KJV)public-domain

Where this verse appears