Surah As-Saffat — Verse 92

Word Meanings:

• Mā lakum (مَا لَكُمْ): What is the matter with you? / What is wrong with you?
• Lā tanṭiqūn (لَا تَنطِقُونَ): You do not speak / You do not utter a word.

Tafsir (Explanation):

Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), having grown deeply distressed by his people’s worship of lifeless idols, turned to those carved stones with a tone of sharp, yet profound, rebuke. He had already asked them sarcastically, "Do you not eat?" — pointing to the food that the priests would place before them, which they never touched. Then came this second, even more piercing question: "What is the matter with you that you do not speak?"

These idols could not eat, nor could they speak, nor could they answer any question posed to them. They were deaf, dumb, and utterly helpless. So Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was exposing their absolute inability through a series of rhetorical questions, each one stripping away any false claim of divinity. If these stones cannot even move their tongues to defend themselves or respond to their worshippers, how could they possibly be worthy of worship alongside the Creator of the heavens and the earth?

The question is not merely an observation — it is a challenge, a demonstration of the absurdity of shirk (associating partners with Allah). It invites every rational mind to reflect: Can something that cannot speak, hear, or see be a god? The answer is self-evident.

A Call to Reflection and Faith:

This verse carries a timeless lesson for every human being. It calls us to use the very faculties Allah has given us — speech, reason, and intellect — to recognize the truth. If you can speak, then speak the truth. If you can reason, then reason about your Creator. Do not be like those who have ears but do not hear, and tongues but do not utter what is right.

Islam invites you to a living relationship with Allah — the One who hears your prayers, answers your calls, and speaks to you through His revelation. Do not waste your gift of speech on that which is false, and do not bow down to that which cannot even answer you. Turn to the One who created you, who hears your every whisper, and who responds to those who call upon Him with sincerity.

Indeed, the idols of the past were stones that could not speak — but today, many people have made idols of their desires, their wealth, or their status. These too are deaf and mute to the soul’s true needs. Only Allah — the Living, the Self-Sustaining — deserves your worship, your love, and your devotion.