Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anfal Verse 22

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Surely, the worst of all animals in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb who do not understand.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, the worst of all beings in the sight of Allah are the ˹wilfully˺ deaf and dumb, who do not understand.[[ This refers metaphorically to the disbelievers who fail to see and hear the truth.]]

Ruwwad Translation Center

The worst of creatures before Allah are those that are deaf and dumb, who do not understand.

A. J. Arberry

Surely the worst of beasts in God's sight are those that are deaf and dumb and do not understand.

Abdul Haleem

the worst creatures in God’s eyes are those who are [wilfully] deaf and dumb, who do not reason.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Verily the vilest of beasts with Allah are the deaf and dumb who understand not.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb,- those who understand not.

Abul Ala Maududi

Indeed the worst kind of all beasts in the sight of Allah are the people that are deaf and dumb, and do not understand.

Ahmed Ali

The worst of creatures in the eyes of God are those who are deaf and dumb and devoid of sense.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Indeed the worst beasts in the sight of Allah are those (people) who are deaf, dumb – who do not have any sense.

Ali Quli Qarai

Indeed the worst of beasts in Allah’s sight are the deaf and dumb who do not exercise their reason.

Ali Ünal

Indeed the worst kind of all living creatures in God’s sight are the deaf and dumb, who do not reason and understand.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Surely, the worst of animal that walk or crawl in the sight of Allâh are those that are deaf and dumb and who are devoid of understanding.

English Literal

That the worst walker/creeper at God (is) the deaf, the mute those who do not reason/understand.

Faridul Haque

Indeed the worst beasts in the sight of Allah are those (people) who are deaf, dumb - who do not have any sense.

Hamid S. Aziz

Verily, the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the deaf, the dumb who understand not.

Hilali & Khan

Verily! The worst of (moving) living creatures with Allah are the deaf and the dumb, those who understand not (i.e. the disbelievers).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And be not like those who say, We hear; and they hear not.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely the vilest of animals, in Allah's sight, are the deaf, the dumb, who do not understand.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! the worst of beasts in Allah's sight are the deaf, the dumb, who have no sense.

Muhammad Sarwar

The most wicked beasts in the sight of God are the deaf and the dumb who have no understanding.

Qaribullah & Darwish

The worst beasts before Allah are those who are deaf, dumb, and do not understand.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Verily, the worst of living creatures with Allah are the deaf and the dumb (the disbelievers), who understand not.

Wahiduddin Khan

the worst creatures in God's eyes are those who are deaf and dumb, and who possess no understanding.

Talal Itani

The worst of animals to God are the deaf and dumb—those who do not reason.

Tafsir jalalayn

Surely the worst of beasts in God's sight are those who are deaf, to hearing the truth, and dumb, [unable] to utter it, those who do not understand.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابَّ عِندَ اللّهِ الصُّمُّ

Verily, the worst of living creatures with Allah are the deaf,

who do not hear the truth,

الْبُكْمُ

and the dumb,

who cannot comprehend it,

الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ



who understand not.

These indeed are the most wicked creatures, for every creature except them abide by the way that Allah created in them. These people were created to worship Allah, but instead disbelieved.

This is why Allah equated them to animals, when He said,

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

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

and,

أُوْلَـيِكَ كَالَانْعَـمِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُوْلَـيِكَ هُمُ الْغَـفِلُونَ

They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless ones. (7;179)

It was also said that;

the Ayah (8;22) refers to some of the pagans of Quraysh from the tribe of Bani `Abd Ad-Dar, according to Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and Ibn Jarir.

Muhammad bin Ishaq said that;

this Ayah refers to hypocrites, as we stated.

There is no contradiction here, because both disbelievers and hypocrites are devoid of sound comprehension, in addition to having lost the intention to do good.

Allah states here that such are those who neither have sound understanding nor good intentions, even if they have some type of reason