وَمَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَآءً وَنِدَآءً ۚ صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ 171
Translations
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.
Transliteration
Wa mathalu alladhina kafaroo kamathal alladhee yanAAiqu bima la yasmaAAu illa duwaa-an wa nidaa-an. Summun bukmun AAumyun fahum la yaAAqiloon.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a parable of disbelievers, comparing them to livestock that hears only the sound of a shepherd's call without understanding its meaning—they are deaf, dumb, and blind to the signs of Allah and the message of the Quran. Ibn Kathir explains that the disbelievers reject divine guidance not from lack of clarity in the message, but from their own spiritual blindness and hardened hearts; they possess the faculties to understand yet refuse to use them. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this describes the complete spiritual incapacity of those who deny truth: they cannot perceive it (deaf), cannot articulate it (dumb), and cannot recognize it (blind).
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Baqarah's discussion of different categories of people's responses to the Quranic message (verses 2:26-27 introduce parables, and verses 2:164-171 discuss those who reject despite clear signs). The surah was revealed in Madinah and addresses the Jewish tribes and hypocrites who rejected the Prophet's message despite intellectual capacity.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The example of the one who recites the Quran and does not act upon it is like the example of a green plant that has a pleasant smell but a bitter taste' (Tirmidhi). Related to the theme that understanding alone without acceptance is meaningless, similar to how animals hear sounds without comprehension.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that possessing the physical ability to hear or read the Quran is insufficient without sincere hearts open to guidance; believers should reflect on whether they hear the Quran with understanding and implement it, lest they resemble those described in this parable despite their external access to truth.
Related Ayahs
فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۗ وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ ۖ قُلْ إِصْلَاحٌ لَّهُمْ خَيْرٌ ۖ وَإِن تُخَالِطُوهُمْ فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْمُفْسِدَ مِنَ ٱلْمُصْلِحِ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَأَعْنَتَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
To this world and the Hereafter. And they ask you about orphans. Say, "Improvement for them is best. And if you mix your affairs with theirs - they are your brothers. And Allāh knows the corrupter from the amender. And if Allāh had willed, He could have put you in difficulty. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise."
وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَأَنجَيْنَـٰكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَآ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ
And [recall] when We parted the sea for you and saved you and drowned the people of Pharaoh while you were looking on.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُبْطِلُوا۟ صَدَقَـٰتِكُم بِٱلْمَنِّ وَٱلْأَذَىٰ كَٱلَّذِى يُنفِقُ مَالَهُۥ رِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۖ فَمَثَلُهُۥ كَمَثَلِ صَفْوَانٍ عَلَيْهِ تُرَابٌ فَأَصَابَهُۥ وَابِلٌ فَتَرَكَهُۥ صَلْدًا ۖ لَّا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ مِّمَّا كَسَبُوا۟ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
O you who have believed, do not invalidate your charities with reminders [of it] or injury as does one who spends his wealth [only] to be seen by the people and does not believe in Allāh and the Last Day. His example is like that of a [large] smooth stone upon which is dust and is hit by a downpour that leaves it bare. They are unable [to keep] anything of what they have earned. And Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people.
قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَّا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِى ٱلْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَّا شِيَةَ فِيهَا ۚ قَالُوا۟ ٱلْـَٔـٰنَ جِئْتَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ
He said, "He says, 'It is a cow neither trained to plow the earth nor to irrigate the field, one free from fault with no spot upon her.'" They said, "Now you have come with the truth." So they slaughtered her, but they could hardly do it.