سُوْرَةُ فَاطِرٍ
Surah Faatir (35) — Ayah 22
وَمَا يَسْتَوِى ٱلْأَحْيَآءُ وَلَا ٱلْأَمْوَٰتُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُسْمِعُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِمُسْمِعٍ مَّن فِى ٱلْقُبُورِ ﴿22﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Nor are (alike) the living (i.e. the believers) and the dead (i.e. the disbelievers). Verily, Allâh makes whom He wills to hear, but you cannot make hear those who are in graves.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَا
wamā
And not
يَسْتَوِى
yastawī
equal
ٱلْأَحْيَآءُ
l-aḥyāu
(are) the living
وَلَا
walā
and not
ٱلْأَمْوَٰتُ ۚ
l-amwātu
the dead
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
يُسْمِعُ
yus'miʿu
causes to hear
مَن
man
whom
يَشَآءُ ۖ
yashāu
He wills
وَمَآ
wamā
and not
أَنتَ
anta
you
بِمُسْمِعٍۢ
bimus'miʿin
can make hear
مَّن
man
(those) who
فِى
fī
(are) in
ٱلْقُبُورِ
l-qubūri
the graves
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 22) ➊ { وَ مَا يَسْتَوِي الْاَحْيَآءُ وَ لَا الْاَمْوَاتُ :} This is the example of the believers and the disbelievers: the believers are like the living, and the disbelievers are like the dead. Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Just as these mutually contradictory and different things are not equal—that the blind and the seeing are not equal, rather there is much difference and distance between them—and just as darkness and light are not equal, and shade and scorching heat are not equal, likewise the living and the dead are not equal. This is the example that Allah Almighty has given for the believers, that they are alive, and for the disbelievers, that they are dead, as Allah Almighty has said: «اَوَ مَنْ كَانَ مَيْتًا فَاَحْيَيْنٰهُ وَ جَعَلْنَا لَهٗ نُوْرًا يَّمْشِيْ بِهٖ فِي النَّاسِ كَمَنْ مَّثَلُهٗ فِي الظُّلُمٰتِ لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِّنْهَا » [ الأنعام : ۱۲۲ ] “And is the one who was dead, then We gave him life and made for him a light by which he walks among the people, like the one whose case is that he is in darknesses, never to emerge from them?” And He said: «مَثَلُ الْفَرِيْقَيْنِ كَالْاَعْمٰى وَ الْاَصَمِّ وَ الْبَصِيْرِ وَ السَّمِيْعِ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيٰنِ مَثَلًا » [ ھود : ۲۴ ] “The example of the two groups is like the blind and deaf and the seeing and hearing; are they equal in example?” Thus, the believer is one who hears and sees, walking on the straight path in light in this world and the Hereafter, until this journey brings him to the abode of gardens with shade and springs. And the disbeliever is blind and deaf, walking in darknesses, never able to come out of them. He wanders in his rebellion and misguidance in this world and the Hereafter, until this journey brings him to the scorching heat and boiling water of Hell, as He said: «وَ ظِلٍّ مِّنْ يَّحْمُوْمٍ (43) لَّا بَارِدٍ وَّ لَا كَرِيْمٍ » [ الواقعۃ : ۴۳، ۴۴ ] “And they will be in the shade of black smoke, neither cool nor honorable.”
➋ { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُسْمِعُ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ :} The meaning of making hear is to make hear with the divine enablement (Tawfiq) to think, understand, and accept. That is, the will and wish of Allah Almighty is another matter; He can make whomever He wills hear, even make lifeless stones hear if He wills. No one else has this power, nor is it within the Messenger’s ability to instill his words into the hearts of those whose hearts have died, or to make the deaf ears of those who do not want to listen hear the voice of truth. He can only make those hear who are willing to listen to reasonable words and reflect upon them.
➌ { وَ مَاۤ اَنْتَ بِمُسْمِعٍ مَّنْ فِي الْقُبُوْرِ :} This is the example of the polytheists: they are like the dead who do not hear. That is, just as it is not within your power to make the dead buried in graves hear your words, likewise you cannot make those whose hearts have died hear the verses of Allah, nor can you guide them to the right path.
➍ This verse is also a clear proof that the dead do not hear. See Surah An-Naml (80, 81).
➋ { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُسْمِعُ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ :} The meaning of making hear is to make hear with the divine enablement (Tawfiq) to think, understand, and accept. That is, the will and wish of Allah Almighty is another matter; He can make whomever He wills hear, even make lifeless stones hear if He wills. No one else has this power, nor is it within the Messenger’s ability to instill his words into the hearts of those whose hearts have died, or to make the deaf ears of those who do not want to listen hear the voice of truth. He can only make those hear who are willing to listen to reasonable words and reflect upon them.
➌ { وَ مَاۤ اَنْتَ بِمُسْمِعٍ مَّنْ فِي الْقُبُوْرِ :} This is the example of the polytheists: they are like the dead who do not hear. That is, just as it is not within your power to make the dead buried in graves hear your words, likewise you cannot make those whose hearts have died hear the verses of Allah, nor can you guide them to the right path.
➍ This verse is also a clear proof that the dead do not hear. See Surah An-Naml (80, 81).
