An-Naml 27:80
The Ant · Juz 20 · Page 384
إِنَّكَ لَا تُسۡمِعُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ وَلَا تُسۡمِعُ ٱلصُّمَّ ٱلدُّعَآءَ إِذَا وَلَّوۡاْ مُدۡبِرِينَ ٨٠
Indeed, you will not make the dead hear, nor will you make the deaf hear the call when they have turned their backs retreating.
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 27:80
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:
Page 384
27:77
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَهُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٞ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٧٧
And indeed, it is guidance and mercy for the believers.
27:78
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقۡضِي بَيۡنَهُم بِحُكۡمِهِۦۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٧٨
Indeed, your Lord will judge between them by His [wise] judgement. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.
27:79
فَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَى ٱلۡحَقِّ ٱلۡمُبِينِ ٧٩
So rely upon Allāh; indeed, you are upon the clear truth.
27:80
إِنَّكَ لَا تُسۡمِعُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ وَلَا تُسۡمِعُ ٱلصُّمَّ ٱلدُّعَآءَ إِذَا وَلَّوۡاْ مُدۡبِرِينَ ٨٠
Indeed, you will not make the dead hear, nor will you make the deaf hear the call when they have turned their backs retreating.
27:81
وَمَآ أَنتَ بِهَٰدِي ٱلۡعُمۡيِ عَن ضَلَٰلَتِهِمۡۖ إِن تُسۡمِعُ إِلَّا مَن يُؤۡمِنُ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا فَهُم مُّسۡلِمُونَ ٨١
And you cannot guide the blind away from their error. You will only make hear those who believe in Our verses so they are Muslims [i.e., submitting to Allāh].
27:82
۞ وَإِذَا وَقَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ أَخۡرَجۡنَا لَهُمۡ دَآبَّةٗ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ تُكَلِّمُهُمۡ أَنَّ ٱلنَّاسَ كَانُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا لَا يُوقِنُونَ ٨٢
And when the word [i.e., decree] befalls them,1 We will bring forth for them a creature from the earth speaking to them, [saying] that the people were, of Our verses, not certain [in faith].
1 translator’s note
- At the approach of the Hour. ↩
27:83
وَيَوۡمَ نَحۡشُرُ مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٖ فَوۡجٗا مِّمَّن يُكَذِّبُ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا فَهُمۡ يُوزَعُونَ ٨٣
And [warn of] the Day when We will gather from every nation a company of those who deny Our signs, and they will be [driven] in rows
27:84
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُو قَالَ أَكَذَّبۡتُم بِـَٔايَٰتِي وَلَمۡ تُحِيطُواْ بِهَا عِلۡمًا أَمَّاذَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ ٨٤
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?"
27:85
وَوَقَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ عَلَيۡهِم بِمَا ظَلَمُواْ فَهُمۡ لَا يَنطِقُونَ ٨٥
And the decree will befall them1 for the wrong they did, and they will not [be able to] speak.
1 translator’s note
- Allāh's decree will come into effect upon them, and His promise will be fulfilled. ↩
27:86
أَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّا جَعَلۡنَا ٱلَّيۡلَ لِيَسۡكُنُواْ فِيهِ وَٱلنَّهَارَ مُبۡصِرًاۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٨٦
Do they not see that We made the night that they may rest therein and the day giving sight? Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.
27:87
وَيَوۡمَ يُنفَخُ فِي ٱلصُّورِ فَفَزِعَ مَن فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَّا مَن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ وَكُلٌّ أَتَوۡهُ دَٰخِرِينَ ٨٧
And [warn of] the Day the Horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will be terrified except whom Allāh wills. And all will come to Him humbled.
27:88
وَتَرَى ٱلۡجِبَالَ تَحۡسَبُهَا جَامِدَةٗ وَهِيَ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ ٱلسَّحَابِۚ صُنۡعَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَتۡقَنَ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍۚ إِنَّهُۥ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَفۡعَلُونَ ٨٨
And you see the mountains, thinking them motionless,1 while they will pass as the passing of clouds. [It is] the work of Allāh, who perfected all things. Indeed, He is Aware of that which you do.
1 translator’s note
- Or "solid and rigid." ↩