إِنَّكَ لَا تُسْمِعُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ وَلَا تُسْمِعُ ٱلصُّمَّ ٱلدُّعَآءَ إِذَا وَلَّوْا۟ مُدْبِرِينَ 80
Translations
Indeed, you will not make the dead hear, nor will you make the deaf hear the call when they have turned their backs retreating.
Transliteration
Innaka laa tusmi'u al-mawta wa laa tusmi'u as-summa ad-du'aa idha wallaw mudbirin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) cannot make the spiritually dead hear the message of Allah, nor can he make the deaf hear his call when they turn away in rejection. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret 'the dead' as those whose hearts are sealed by disbelief, while 'the deaf' refers to those who obstinately reject guidance. The ayah emphasizes that the Prophet's role is to convey the message clearly, but belief and acceptance ultimately depend on Allah's will and the listener's openness of heart.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Naml, which addresses the challenges the Prophet faced in calling people to Islam during the Meccan period. It provides solace to the Prophet by clarifying the limits of his responsibility—he is a messenger, not responsible for forcing belief upon those who deliberately close their hearts and ears to the truth.
Related Hadiths
The principle is supported by Surah 30:52-53 and the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet said, 'The example of one who listens to the Quran and does not act upon it is like a garden that is watered but produces no fruit.' This illustrates the necessity of receptiveness alongside hearing.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that while we have the responsibility to convey Islamic truth sincerely and clearly to others, we cannot force acceptance—true understanding requires both sincere communication and the recipient's willingness to listen with an open heart. It also provides comfort in knowing that our spiritual effort's results are ultimately in Allah's hands, freeing us from frustration when people reject guidance despite our best efforts.
Related Ayahs
وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَـٰنُ دَاوُۥدَ ۖ وَقَالَ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ عُلِّمْنَا مَنطِقَ ٱلطَّيْرِ وَأُوتِينَا مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ ۖ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلْفَضْلُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
And Solomon inherited David. He said, "O people, we have been taught the language of birds, and we have been given from all things. Indeed, this is evident bounty."
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَـٰلِحًا أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَإِذَا هُمْ فَرِيقَانِ يَخْتَصِمُونَ
And We had certainly sent to Thamūd their brother Ṣāliḥ, [saying], "Worship Allāh," and at once they were two parties conflicting.
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهَا نُودِىَ أَنۢ بُورِكَ مَن فِى ٱلنَّارِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَسُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
But when he came to it, he was called, "Blessed is whoever is at the fire and whoever is around it. And exalted is Allāh, Lord of the worlds.
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُو قَالَ أَكَذَّبْتُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِى وَلَمْ تُحِيطُوا۟ بِهَا عِلْمًا أَمَّاذَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
Until, when they arrive [at the place of Judgement], He will say, "Did you deny My signs while you encompassed them not in knowledge, or what [was it that] you were doing?"