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Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 171

سورة البقرة، الآية ١٧١

2:171 Juz 2 Hizb 3 Page 26 of the mushaf Medinan surah

Text of verse 2:171

وَمَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَآءً وَنِدَآءً صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ ۝١٧١

Transliteration

wamathalu alladhīna kafarū kamathali alladhī yanʿiqu bimā lā yasmaʿu illā duʿāan wanidāan ṣummun buk'mun ʿum'yun fahum lā yaʿqilūna

Translation

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.

Translation in another language
Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary Read in the surah

Verse 171 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:171), a Medinan surah, is in juz 2, on page 26 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 69 reciters.

Listen to verse 171 of Surah Al-Baqarah

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Tafsir of verse 171

Al-Mukhtasar

The example of those who disbelieve and stubbornly follow the path of their fathers is like the example of the shepherd who shouts, calling to his animals that hear his voice, but do not understand what he says. They are deaf to hearing the truth so that it will benefit them, dumb as they are unable to speak about the truth, and blind to seeing it, and because of this they do not understand the guidance which you call them to.

Tafsir of the whole Surah Al-Baqarah

Other translations of verse 171

The similitude of those who disbelieved is like cattle not understanding the calls of the shepherd except shouts and cries. They are deaf, dumb, and blind75; and they understand nothing.

Notes

[75] Their senses are not tuned to divine admonition.

And the example of those who disbelieve is as that of him who shouts to those (flock of sheep) that hears nothing but calls and cries. (They are) deaf, dumb and blind. So they do not understand. (Tafsîr Al-Qurtubi )

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.

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.

And the parable of those who disbelieve is as the parable of one who calls out to that which hears no more than a call and a cry; deaf, dumb (and) blind, so they do not understand.

And the likeness of the ones who have disbelieved is as the likeness of one who screams to that which does not hear (anything) except an invocation and a calling out; deaf, dumb and blind; so they do not consider.

Verse 171 word by word

  1. وَمَثَلُ wamathalu And (the) example م ث ل
  2. ٱلَّذِينَ alladhīna (of) those who
  3. كَفَرُوا۟ kafarū disbelieve[d] ك ف ر
  4. كَمَثَلِ kamathali (is) like (the) example م ث ل
  5. ٱلَّذِى alladhī (of) the one who
  6. يَنْعِقُ yanʿiqu shouts ن ع ق
  7. بِمَا bimā at what
  8. لَا lā not
  9. يَسْمَعُ yasmaʿu (does) hear س م ع
  10. إِلَّا illā except
  11. دُعَآءً duʿāan calls د ع و
  12. وَنِدَآءً wanidāan and cries ن د ي
  13. صُمٌّۢ ṣummun deaf ص م م
  14. بُكْمٌ buk'mun dumb ب ك م
  15. عُمْىٌ ʿum'yun (and) blind ع م ي
  16. فَهُمْ fahum [so] they
  17. لَا lā (do) not
  18. يَعْقِلُونَ yaʿqilūna understand ع ق ل

Verses related to verse 171

Cited by Ibn Kathir in his explanation of this verse

  • An-Nahl 16:60

    لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مَثَلُ ٱلسَّوْءِ وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَثَلُ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ

    For those who do not believe in the Hereafter is the description [i.e., an attribute] of evil; and for Allāh is the highest attribute. And He is Exalted in Might, the Wise.

  • Al-An’am 6:39

    وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا صُمٌّ وَبُكْمٌ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ مَن يَشَإِ ٱللَّهُ يُضْلِلْهُ وَمَن يَشَأْ يَجْعَلْهُ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

    But those who deny Our verses are deaf and dumb within darknesses. Whomever Allāh wills - He sends astray; and whomever He wills - He puts him on a straight path.

Verses with similar wording

They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.

  • Al-Baqarah 2:18

    صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ

    Deaf, dumb and blind - so they will not return [to the right path].

All similar verses of Surah Al-Baqarah

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