Page 179
ʾinna sharra d-dawābbi ʿinda llāhi ṣ-ṣummu l-bukmu lladhīna lā yaʿqilūna
Indeed the worst of beasts in Allah’s sight are the deaf and dumb who do not exercise their reason.
— Ali Quli Qarai
8Al-AnfālالأنفالVerse 22 of 75
The Spoils of War8. Al-Anfālالأنفال
Al Anfāl
The Spoils of War
MedinanVerse 22 of 75
Surah Al-Anfal – Verse 22
22 . “Verily the worst of animals in the sight of Allah are the deaf, the dumb, who do not understand.”
The Arabic term /summ/, mentioned in the verse, is the plural form of /asamm/ which means ‘deaf’ ; and the Qur’anic term /bukm/ is the plural form of /’abkam/ which philologically means ‘dumb’. Those who do not accept the teachings of divine prophets are differently defined in the Qur'an. Sometimes they are resembled to the dead, as it is recited in its two occurrences:
Sometimes they are resembled to beasts:
Sometimes they are introduced worse than the beasts, as the Qur'an says:
Sometimes they are considered as the worst creatures, as the verse under discussion says:
Since ‘the statements’ which are not fulfilled accordingly and ‘the hearings’ which are uneffective in action are counted one of the greatest afflictions of the human societies, which can be the origin of kinds of misfortunes, again the Qur’an emphasizes on this subject once more in this very verse, and in a delicate and nice statement, it follows that meaning by saying:
Also, in view of the fact that the Qur’an is the Book of practice, and not merely a ceremonial book, thoroughly it lays emphasis on the consequences of deeds. In this verse, too, those who have safe ears but they do not pave the way of hearkening to the revelations of Allah, and do not follow the words of truth and the programs which lead to happiness, are considered as earless persons. And, those who have a sound tongue but keep silence when they should defend the truth are considered as some deaf and dumb persons.
Such people neither struggle against injustice and mischief, nor do they lead the ignorant, nor do they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, nor do they invite others to the way of truth, but they apply this great bounty of Allah in the way of idle talks, backbiting, flatteries before the possessors of wealth and power, or they often make use of it for perverting the right and strengthening the falsehood. The Qur’an counts those who have the bounties of intellect, talent, and capability, but do not contemplate properly, as some mad ones.