Study the Quran

Tafsir

Scholarly commentary explaining a verse — its context, its meaning and how the scholars have understood it.

An-Naml 27:80

Word by word

إِنَّكَ لَا تُسْمِعُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ وَلَا تُسْمِعُ ٱلصُّمَّ ٱلدُّعَآءَ إِذَا وَلَّوْا۟ مُدْبِرِينَ

Indeed, you will not make the dead hear, nor will you make the deaf hear the call when they have turned their backs retreating.

Ibn Kathir (Abridged) English Ma'arif al-Qur'an English Tafsir Muyassar Arabic Tafsir Ibn Kathir Arabic All sources

Ibn Kathir (Abridged)

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Qur'an tells the Story of the Differences among the Children of Israel, and Allah judges between Them

Allah tells us about His Book and the guidance, proof and criterion between right and wrong that it contains. He tells us about the Children of Israel, who were the bearers of the Tawrah and Injil.أَكْثَرَ الَّذِى هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ(most of that in which they differ.) such as their different opinions about `Isa. The Jews lied about him while the Christians exaggerated in praise for him, so the Qur'an came with the moderate word of truth and justice: that he was one of the servants of Allah, and one of His noble Prophets and Messengers, may the best of peace and blessings be upon him, as the Qur'an says:ذلِكَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِى فِيهِ يَمْتُرُونَ (Such is `Isa, son of Maryam. (It is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt) (19:34).وَإِنَّهُ لَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤمِنِينَ (And truly, it is a guide and a mercy for the believers.) meaning, it is guidance for the hearts of those who believe in it, and a mercy to them.

Then Allah says:إِن رَبَّكَ يَقْضِى بَيْنَهُم(Verily, your Lord will decide between them) meaning, on the Day of Resurrection,بِحُكْمِهِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ(by His judgement. And He is the All-Mighty,) means, in His vengeance,الْعَلِيمُ(the All-Knowing.) Who knows all that His servants do and say.

The Command to put One's Trust in Allah and to convey the Messageفَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ(So, put your trust in Allah;) in all your affairs, and convey the Message of your Lord.إِنَّكَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ الْمُبِينِ(surely, you are on manifest truth.) meaning, you are following manifest truth, even though you are opposed by those who oppose you because they are doomed. The Word of your Lord has been justified against them, so that they will not believe even if all the signs are brought to them. Allah says:إِنَّكَ لاَ تُسْمِعُ الْمَوْتَى(Verily, you cannot make the dead to hear) meaning, you cannot cause them to hear anything that will benefit them. The same applies to those over whose hearts is a veil and in whose ears is deafness of disbelief. Allah says:وَلاَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ الدُّعَآءَ إِذَا وَلَّوْاْ مُدْبِرِينَوَمَآ أَنتَ بِهَادِى الْعُمْىِ عَن ضَلَـلَتِهِمْ إِن تُسْمِعُ إِلاَّ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِـئَايَـتِنَا فَهُم مُّسْلِمُونَ-(nor can you make the deaf to hear the call, when they flee, turning their backs. Nor can you lead the blind out of their error.

You can only make to hear those who believe in Our Ayat, so they submit (became Muslims).) meaning, those who have hearing and insight will respond to you, those whose hearing and sight are of benefit to their hearts and who are humble towards Allah and to the Message that comes to them through the mouths of the Messengers, may peace be upon them.

Ma'arif al-Qur'an

Mufti Muhammad Shafi

Commentary

It was the demand of love and affection the Holy Prophet ﷺ had for all human beings that he should save them all from the fire of jahannam by making them accept the message of Allah. It used to hurt him a lot if someone did not accept it. He used to feel as if someone's children were proceeding toward the fire by not heeding to the advice of his parents. Therefore, Qur'an has adopted different expressions to console him at many places. One such advice was contained in the sentence وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا تَكُن فِي ضَيْقٍ مِّمَّا يَمْكُرُ‌ونَ (And do not grieve for them, and do not be straitened because of what they plan - 27:70) which has appeared in the earlier verse. In the above verse he has been consoled in a slightly different manner, that his job was only to convey the message of truth, which he had done admirably. If someone had not accepted this, it was not his fault or deficiency. So, he need not worry and be despondent. Rather it is their own fault that they have lost their sense of direction.

Qur'an has described the loss of their sense of direction by presenting three examples. First, that they were like dead bodies in the matter of acceptance of truth, and thus cannot take any one's advice to their advantage. Second, that they were like the deaf man who does not wish to hear anything, rather they turn their back and go away if someone tries to give them any advice. Third, that they were like the blind that cannot see even if someone tries to show them the path. After providing these three examples it is said:

Tafsir Muyassar

Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Saudi Arabia

إنك -أيها الرسول- لا تقدر أن تُسمع الحق مَن طبع الله على قلبه فأماته، ولا تُسمع دعوتك مَن أصمَّ الله سمعه عن سماع الحق عند إدبارهم معرضين عنك، فإن الأصم لا يسمع الدعاء إذا كان مقبلا، فكيف إذا كان معرضًا عنه موليًا مدبرًا؟

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

( إنك لا تسمع الموتى ) أي : لا تسمعهم شيئا ينفعهم ، فكذلك هؤلاء على قلوبهم غشاوة ، وفي آذانهم وقر الكفر ; ولهذا قال : ( إنك لا تسمع الموتى ولا تسمع الصم الدعاء إذا ولوا مدبرين )

Tafsir is provided for educational reference. Paragraph breaks are added for readability — the wording of each commentary is unchanged. For religious guidance, consult a qualified scholar.