Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 179

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Surely We have created for Hell a lot of people from among Jinn and mankind. They have hearts wherewith they do not understand, eyes wherewith they do not see, and ears wherewith they do not hear. They are like cattle. Rather, they are much more astray. They are the heedless.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, We have destined many jinn and humans for Hell. They have hearts they do not understand with, eyes they do not see with, and ears they do not hear with. They are like cattle. In fact, they are even less guided! Such ˹people˺ are ˹entirely˺ heedless.

Ruwwad Translation Center

We have surely created for Hell many jinn and humans. They have hearts with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle, rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.

A. J. Arberry

We have created for Gehenna many jinn and men: they have hearts, but understand not with them; they have eyes, but perceive not with them; they have ears, but they hear not with them. They are like cattle; nay, rather they are further astray. Those -- they are the heedless.

Abdul Haleem

We have created many jinn and people who are destined for Hell, with hearts they do not use for comprehension, eyes they do not use for sight, ears they do not use for hearing. They are like cattle, no, even further astray: these are the ones who are entirely heedless.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And assuredly We have created for Hell many of the genii and mankind; they have hearts wherewith they understand not, and they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hearken not; they are like unto cattle; nay, they are further astray; those! they are the negligent ones.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Many are the Jinns and men we have made for Hell; They have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not. They are like cattle,- nay more misguided; for they are heedless (of warning).

Abul Ala Maududi

And certainly We have created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind; they have hearts with which they fail to understand; and they have eyes with which they fail to see; and they have ears with which they fail to hear. They are like cattle - indeed, even more astray. Such are utterly heedless.

Ahmed Ali

Many of the jinns and human beings have We destined for Hell, who possess hearts but do not feel, have eyes but do not see, have ears but do not hear, like cattle, even worse than them. They are people unconcerned.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And indeed We have created many jinns and men for hell; they have hearts in which their is no understanding; and the eyes they do not see with; and the ears they do not hear with; they are like cattle – in fact more astray; it is they who are the neglectful.

Ali Quli Qarai

Certainly We have winnowed out for hell many of the jinn and humans: they have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, they have ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle; indeed, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.

Ali Ünal

Surely, among the jinn and humankind are many that We have created (and destined for) Hell (knowing that they would deserve it). They have hearts with which they do not seek the essence of matters to grasp the truth, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle (following only their instincts) – rather, even more astray (from the right way and in need of being led). Those are the unmindful and heedless.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And, verily, We have created many of the jinns and the ordinary people whose end is Gehenna. They have hearts wherewith they do not understand and they have eyes but they do not see with them (the truth), and they have ears but they do not hear (the Messages) with them. They are like cattle, nay, they are (even) worse. It is these who are utterly heedless (to the warnings).

English Literal

And We had created/seeded to Hell many from the Jinns , and the human/mankind, for them (are) hearts/minds they do not understand/learn with it, and for them (are) eyes/sights they do not see/look/understand with it, and for them (are) ears they do not hear/listen with it, those are as the camels/livestock, but they are more misguided, those are the ignoring/neglecting .

Faridul Haque

And indeed We have created many jinns and men for hell; they have hearts in which their is no understanding; and the eyes they do not see with; and the ears they do not hear with; they are like cattle - in fact more astray; it is they who are the neglectful.

Hamid S. Aziz

We have created for hell many of the Jinn and of Mankind; they have heart and they discern not therewith; they have eyes and they see not therewith; they have ears and they hear not therewith; they are like cattle, nay, more misguided, for they are heedless (or care not).

Hilali & Khan

And surely, We have created many of the jinns and mankind for Hell. They have hearts wherewith they understand not, they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not (the truth). They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless ones.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He whom Allah guides is on the right way; and he whom He leaves in error -- they are the losers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And certainly We have created for hell many of the jinn and the men; they have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear; they are as cattle, nay, they are in worse errors; these are the heedless ones.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Already have We urged unto hell many of the jinn and humankind, having hearts wherewith they understand not, and having eyes wherewith they see not, and having ears wherewith they hear not. These are as the cattle - nay, but they are worse! These are the neglectful.

Muhammad Sarwar

We have destined many men and jinn for hell. They have hearts but do not understand, eyes but do not see. They have ears but do not hear. They are worse than lost cattle. These are the heedless ones.

Qaribullah & Darwish

For Gehenna, We have created many jinn and many humans. They have hearts, with which they cannot understand; eyes, with which they do not see; and ears, with which they do not hear. They are like cattle, rather, they are the more misguided. Such are the heedless.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And surely, We have created many of the Jinn and mankind for Hell. They have hearts wherewith they understand not, and they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not (the truth). They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless ones.

Wahiduddin Khan

We created many of the jinn and mankind for hell. They have hearts they do not understand with; they have eyes they do not see with; and they have ears they do not hear with. Such people are like cattle -- no, they are even more misguided. Such are the heedless.

Talal Itani

We have destined for Hell multitudes of jinn and humans. They have hearts with which they do not understand. They have eyes with which they do not see. They have ears with which they do not hear. These are like cattle. In fact, they are further astray. These are the heedless.

Tafsir jalalayn

And We have indeed urged unto Hell many of the jinn and mankind, having hearts wherewith they do not understand, the truth, and having eyes wherewith they do not perceive, the proofs of God's power with a perception that entails reflection, and having ears wherewith they do not hear, the signs or the admonitions, in a way so as to reflect and take heed. These, they are like cattle, in their failure to understand, perceive or listen -- nay, rather they are further astray, than cattle, because [at least] they [cattle] seek what is beneficial to them and stay away from what is harmful to them; these individuals, on the other hand, are proceeding towards the Fire, out of [sheer] obstinacy. These -- they are the heedless.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Disbelief and the Divine Decree

Allah said,

وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ

And surely, We have created for Hell,

We made a share in the Fire for,

كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ وَالاِنسِ

many of the Jinn and mankind,

We prepared them for it by their performance of the deeds of its people.

When Allah intended to create the creation, He knew what their work will be before they existed. He wrote all this in a Book, kept with Him, fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and earth.

Muslim recorded that Abdullah bin `Amr narrated that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ اللهَ قَدَّرَ مَقَادِيرَ الْخَلْقِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضَ بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاء

Verily, Allah decided the destination and due measurement of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and earth, and His Throne was over the water.

There are many Hadiths on this subject, and certainly, the matter of Al-Qadar is of utmost importance, yet this is not where we should discuss it.

Allah said,

لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لاَّ يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لاَّ يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ اذَانٌ لاَّ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا

They have hearts wherewith they understand not, and they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not.

meaning, they do not benefit from these senses that Allah made for them as a means of gaining guidance.

Similarly, Allah said,

وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ سَمْعاً وَأَبْصَـراً وَأَفْيِدَةً فَمَأ أَغْنَى عَنْهُمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَلَا أَبْصَـرُهُمْ وَلَا أَفْيِدَتُهُمْ مِّن شَىْءٍ إِذْ كَانُواْ يَجْحَدُونَ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ

And We had assigned them the (faculties of) hearing, seeing, and hearts; but their hearing, seeing, and their hearts availed them nothing since they used to deny the Ayat. (46;26)

Allah also said about the hypocrites,

صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ

(They are) deaf, dumb, and blind, so they return not (to the right path). (2;18),

and about the disbelievers,

صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ

(They are) deaf, dumb and blind. So they do not understand. (2;171)

However, they are not deaf, dumb or blind, except relation to the guidance.

Allah said;

وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لَاسْمَعَهُمْ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ

Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen; and even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned away with aversion (to the truth). (8;23)

فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الاٌّبْصَـرُ وَلَـكِن تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِى فِى الصُّدُورِ

Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind. (22;46)

and,

وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَـنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَاناً فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ

وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ

And whosoever turns away blindly from the remembrance of the Most Gracious (Allah), We appoint for him Shaytan to be an intimate companion to him. And verily, they hinder them from the path, but they think that they are guided aright! (43;36-37)

Allah's statement,

أُوْلَـيِكَ كَالَانْعَامِ

They are like cattle,

means, those who neither hear the truth, nor understand it, nor see the guidance, are just like grazing cattle that do not benefit from these senses, except for what sustains their life in this world.

Allah said in a similar Ayah,

وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلاَّ دُعَأءً وَنِدَاءً

And the example of those who disbelieve is as that of one who shouts to those who hear nothing but calls and cries. (2;171)

meaning, their example, when they are called to the faith, is the example of cattle that hear only the voice of their shepherd, but cannot understand what he is saying.

Allah further described them

بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ

nay even more astray,

than cattle, because cattle still respond to the call of their shepherd, even though they do not understand what he is saying.

As for the people described here, they are unlike cattle, which fulfill the purpose and service they were created for. The disbeliever was created to worship Allah alone in Tawhid, but he disbelieved in Allah and associated others in His worship. Therefore, those people who obey Allah are more honorable than some angels, while cattle are better than those who disbelieve in Him. So Allah said;

أُوْلَـيِكَ كَالَانْعَامِ

بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ

أُوْلَـيِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ



They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless ones