2:171
وَمَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَآءً وَنِدَآءً ۚ صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
Word by word
Grammar (i'rab)
Grammar (i'rab)
Grammar (i'rab)
Grammar (i'rab)
Grammar (i'rab)
Grammar (i'rab)
Grammar (i'rab)
Grammar (i'rab)
Grammar (i'rab)
Grammar (i'rab)
Grammar (i'rab)
Grammar (i'rab)
Translation
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
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
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
- 2:44Content: Is the call to reason unique to the Qur'an? — an honest comparison with earlier scriptures
۞ أَتَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
Enjoin ye righteousness upon mankind while ye yourselves forget (to practise it)? And ye are readers of the Scripture! Have ye then no sense?
- 5:32Content: Is the call to reason unique to the Qur'an? — an honest comparison with earlier scriptures
مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنَّهُۥ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًۢا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَآ أَحْيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًا ۚ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ
For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. Our messengers came unto them of old with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty), but afterwards lo! many of them became prodigals in the earth.
- 5:45Content: Is the call to reason unique to the Qur'an? — an honest comparison with earlier scriptures
وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَآ أَنَّ ٱلنَّفْسَ بِٱلنَّفْسِ وَٱلْعَيْنَ بِٱلْعَيْنِ وَٱلْأَنفَ بِٱلْأَنفِ وَٱلْأُذُنَ بِٱلْأُذُنِ وَٱلسِّنَّ بِٱلسِّنِّ وَٱلْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٌ ۚ فَمَن تَصَدَّقَ بِهِۦ فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ
And We prescribed for them therein: The life for the life, and the eye for the eye, and the nose for the nose, and the ear for the ear, and the tooth for the tooth, and for wounds retaliation. But whoso forgoeth it (in the way of charity) it shall be expiation for him. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are wrong-doers.
- 7:179Content: Is the call to reason unique to the Qur'an? — an honest comparison with earlier scriptures
وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ ۖ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ ءَاذَانٌ لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَآ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ كَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْغَـٰفِلُونَ
Already have We urged unto hell many of the jinn and humankind, having hearts wherewith they understand not, and having eyes wherewith they see not, and having ears wherewith they hear not. These are as the cattle - nay, but they are worse! These are the neglectful.
- 8:22Content: Is the call to reason unique to the Qur'an? — an honest comparison with earlier scriptures
۞ إِنَّ شَرَّ ٱلدَّوَآبِّ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلصُّمُّ ٱلْبُكْمُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
Lo! the worst of beasts in Allah's sight are the deaf, the dumb, who have no sense.
- 21:105Content: Is the call to reason unique to the Qur'an? — an honest comparison with earlier scriptures
وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِى ٱلزَّبُورِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلذِّكْرِ أَنَّ ٱلْأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِىَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ
And verily we have written in the Scripture, after the Reminder: My righteous slaves will inherit the earth:
- 25:44Content: Is the call to reason unique to the Qur'an? — an honest comparison with earlier scriptures
أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ ۚ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ ۖ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا
Or deemest thou that most of them hear or understand? They are but as the cattle - nay, but they are farther astray?
- 36:62Content: Is the call to reason unique to the Qur'an? — an honest comparison with earlier scriptures
وَلَقَدْ أَضَلَّ مِنكُمْ جِبِلًّا كَثِيرًا ۖ أَفَلَمْ تَكُونُوا۟ تَعْقِلُونَ
Yet he hath led astray of you a great multitude. Had ye then no sense?
In earlier scriptures
- Mark 8:18parallelEyes 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 13:13parallelEyes 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