Surah Al-Baqarah (البقرة) • The Cow

Quran 2:26

2:26

۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْىِۦٓ أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَّا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَـٰذَا مَثَلًا ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِى بِهِۦ كَثِيرًا ۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ

inna l-laha lā yastaḥyī an yaḍriba mathalan mā baʿūḍatan famā fawqahā fa-ammā alladhīna āmanū fayaʿlamūna annahu l-ḥaqu min rabbihim wa-ammā alladhīna kafarū fayaqūlūna mādhā arāda l-lahu bihādhā mathalan yuḍillu bihi kathīran wayahdī bihi kathīran wamā yuḍillu bihi illā l-fāsiqīna

Indeed, Allāh is not timid to present an example - that of a mosquito or what is smaller than it. And those who have believed know that it is the truth from their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, they say, "What did Allāh intend by this as an example?" He misleads many thereby and guides many thereby. And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient,

— Saheeh International

God does not shy from drawing comparisons even with something as small as a gnat, or larger: the believers know it is the truth from their Lord, but the disbelievers say, ‘What does God mean by such a comparison?’ Through it He makes many go astray and leads many to the right path. But it is only the rebels He makes go astray:

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

Verily, Allâh is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it. And as for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord, but as for those who disbelieve, they say: "What did Allâh intend by this parable?" By it He misleads many, and many He guides thereby. And He misleads thereby only those who are Al-Fâsiqûn (the rebellious, disobedient to Allâh).

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

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Word by Word

۞ إِنَّinnaIndeed
ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
لَاlā(is) not
يَسْتَحْىِۦٓyastaḥyīashamed
أَنanto
يَضْرِبَyaḍribaset forth
مَثَلًۭاmathalanan example
مَّاmā(like) even
بَعُوضَةًۭbaʿūḍatan(of) a mosquito
فَمَاfamāand (even) something
فَوْقَهَاۚfawqahāabove it
فَأَمَّاfa-ammāThen as for
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnathose who
ءَامَنُوا۟āmanūbelieved
فَيَعْلَمُونَfayaʿlamūna[thus] they will know
أَنَّهُannahuthat it
ٱلْحَقُّl-ḥaqu(is) the truth
مِنminfrom
رَّبِّهِمْۖrabbihimtheir Lord
وَأَمَّاwa-ammāAnd as for
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnathose who
كَفَرُوا۟kafarūdisbelieved
فَيَقُولُونَfayaqūlūna[thus] they will say
مَاذَآmādhāwhat
أَرَادَarāda(did) intend
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah
بِهَـٰذَاbihādhāby this
مَثَلًۭاۘmathalanexample
يُضِلُّyuḍilluHe lets go astray
بِهِۦbihiby it
كَثِيرًۭاkathīranmany
وَيَهْدِىwayahdīand He guides
بِهِۦbihiby it
كَثِيرًۭاۚkathīranmany
وَمَاwamāAnd not
يُضِلُّyuḍilluHe lets go astray
بِهِۦٓbihiby it
إِلَّاillāexcept
ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَl-fāsiqīnathe defiantly disobedient