Quran 2:171 — Al-Baqara, verse 171
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
Calling to disbelieversis 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.
وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَاءً وَنِدَاءً ۚ صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
wamathalu alladhīna kafarū kamathali alladhī yanʿiqu bimā lā yasmaʿu illā duʿāan wanidāan ṣummun buk'mun ʿum'yun fahum lā yaʿqilūna
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- The likeness of those who disbelieve is as the likeness of one who shouts to that which hears nothing, save a call and a cry; deaf, dumb, blind -- they do not understand.
- Muhammad Asad
- And so, the parable of those who re bent on denying the truth is that of the beast which hears the shepherd's cry, and hears in it nothing but the sound of a voice and a call. Deaf are they, and dumb, and blind: for they do not use their reason.
- Sahih International
- 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.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَمَثَلُwamathalu | And (the) example | مثل |
| 2 | ٱلَّذِينَalladhīna | (of) those who | — |
| 3 | كَفَرُوا۟kafarū | disbelieve[d] | كفر |
| 4 | كَمَثَلِkamathali | (is) like (the) example | مثل |
| 5 | ٱلَّذِىalladhī | (of) the one who | — |
| 6 | يَنْعِقُyanʿiqu | shouts | نعق |
| 7 | بِمَاbimā | at what | — |
| 8 | لَاlā | not | — |
| 9 | يَسْمَعُyasmaʿu | (does) hear | سمع |
| 10 | إِلَّاillā | except | — |
| 11 | دُعَآءًۭduʿāan | calls | دعو |
| 12 | وَنِدَآءًۭ ۚwanidāan | and cries | ندو |
| 13 | صُمٌّۢṣummun | deaf | صمم |
| 14 | بُكْمٌbuk'mun | dumb | بكم |
| 15 | عُمْىٌۭʿum'yun | (and) blind | عمي |
| 16 | فَهُمْfahum | [so] they | — |
| 17 | لَاlā | (do) not | — |
| 18 | يَعْقِلُونَyaʿqilūna | understand | عقل |