7. Sura al-Araf

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَاهُ بِهَا وَلَـكِنَّهُ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ...

7: 176. If it had been Our will We should have elevated him with our signs; but he inclined to the earth, and followed his own vain desires.

C1150. Notice the contrast between the exalted spiritual honours which they would have received from Allah if they had followed His Will, and the earthly desires which eventually bring them low to the position of beasts and worse.

...فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ ...

His similitude is that of a dog:

... إِن تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ ...

if you attack him, he lolls out his tongue, or

C1151. The dog, especially in the hot weather, lolls out his tongue, whether he is attacked and pursued and is tired, or he is left alone. It is part of his nature to slobber. So with the man who rejects Allah.

Whether he is warned or left alone, he continues to throw out his dirty saliva. The injury he will do will be to his own soul. But there may be infection in his evil example,. So we must protect others. And we must never give up hope of his own amendment. So we must continue to warn him and make him think.

...أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَث ...

if you leave him alone he (still) lolls out his tongue.

... ذَّلِكَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا...

That is the similitude of those who reject our signs;

...فَاقْصُصِ الْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿١٧٦﴾

so relate the story; perchance they may reflect.

سَاء مَثَلاً الْقَوْمُ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَأَنفُسَهُمْ كَانُواْ يَظْلِمُونَ ﴿١٧٧﴾

7: 177. Evil as an example are people who reject Our signs and wrong their own souls.

Other versions:

7: 176

Asad ……….Thus, his parable is that of an [excited] dog: if you approach him threateningly, he will pant with his tongue lolling; and if you leave him alone, he will pant with his tongue lolling [note 142]. Such are the parable of those who are bent on giving the lie to Our messages. Tell [them], then, this story, so that they might take thorught.

Pickthall And had We willed We could have raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust. Therefore his likeness is as the likeness of a dog; if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may take thought.

Transliteration Wa lau syi'na_ larafa'na_hu biha_ wa la_kinnahu_ akhlada ilal ardi wattaba'a hawa_h(u), fa masaluhu_ ka masalil kalb(i), in tahmil 'alaihi yalhas au tatruk-hu yalhas, za_lika masalul qaumil lazina kazzabu_ bi a_ya_tina_, faqsusil qasasa la'allahum yatafakkaru_n(a).

7: 177

Pickthall Evil as an example are the folk who denied Our revelations, and were wont to wrong themselves.

Transliteration Sa_'a masalanil qaumul lazina kazzabu_ bi a_ya_tina_ wa anfusahum ka_nu_ yazlimu_n(a).

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2. Surah Al Baqarah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لاَ يَسْمَعُ إِلاَّ دُعَاء وَنِدَاء...

2: 171. The parable of those who reject faith is as if one were to shout like a goat-herd, to things that listen to nothing but calls and cries;

C170. If you reject all faith, the highest wisdom and the most salutary regulations are lost on you. You are like "dumb driven cattle" who can merely hear calls, but cannot distinguish intelligently between shades of meaning or subtle differences of values.

... صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿١٧١﴾

deaf, dumb, and blind, they are void of wisdom.

C171. Cf. 2:18, where we are told that the rejecters of faith are "deaf, dumb and blind: they will not return to the path."

Here the consequence of their not using their senses is that they have no wisdom. In each context there is just the appropriate deduction.

Other versions:

2: 171

Asad And so, the parable of those who are bent on denying the truth is that of the beast which hears the shepherd’s cry, and hears in it nothing but the sound of a voice and a call. Deaf are they, and dumb, and blind: for they do no use their reason.

Pickthall The likeness of those who disbelieve (in relation to the messenger) is as the likeness of one who calleth unto that which heareth naught except a shout and cry. Deaf, dumb, blind, therefore they have no sense.

Transliteration Wa masalul lazina kafaru_ ka masalil lazi yan'iqu bima_ la_ yasma'u illa_ du'a_'aw wa nida_'a(n), summum bukmun'umyun fahum la_ ya'qilu_n(a).