۞ إِنَّ شَرَّ ٱلدَّوَآبِّ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلصُّمُّ ٱلْبُكْمُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ 22
Translations
Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allāh are the deaf and dumb who do not use reason [i.e., the disbelievers].
Transliteration
Inna sharra ad-dawābbi ʿinda Allāhi as-summu al-bukmu alladhīna lā yaʿqilūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes those who reject faith and refuse to understand Allah's signs as the worst of creatures in Allah's sight—characterized metaphorically as deaf, dumb, and lacking intellect. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this not as literal physical disabilities, but as spiritual blindness and willful rejection of truth; those who have the capacity to hear, speak, and reason but choose not to use these faculties for understanding divine guidance are more blameworthy than animals. The comparison emphasizes that deliberate rejection of guidance is more despicable than mere animal ignorance, as it represents a conscious turning away from reason and revelation.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan surah Al-Anfal, which addresses the believers after the Battle of Badr. The verse is part of a broader section describing the qualities of those who deny Allah's signs and reject the message of the Prophet (peace be upon him), contrasting them with the believers who use their intellect to accept and follow divine guidance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027), which implicitly contrasts with those who reject understanding. Additionally, 'A man's religion is his companion; choose your companions carefully' (Tirmidhi 3641) relates to the theme of choosing wisdom and understanding over heedlessness.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that possessing physical faculties—ears to hear, tongues to speak, and minds to reason—carries spiritual responsibility; we must actively use these gifts to seek and understand divine truth, for deliberate rejection of guidance despite capacity to understand is a grave offense. It encourages believers to reflect deeply on the Qur'an and remain humble before Allah's signs, recognizing that arrogance and willful ignorance are the true impediments to spiritual growth.