What does « Deaf » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Deaf (صمم) in the Quran, with 14 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

صمم

Deaf

Root: ص - م - م

Creed (aqida) 14 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 3 min read

Definition of Deaf

As-samam: loss of hearing.

It is used for one who does not listen to truth.

The Almighty says: 'deaf, dumb and blind' (Al-Baqara 18).

Spiritual deafness is worse than physical deafness as it prevents receiving guidance.

Deaf in the Quran (14)

Meccan: 9 Medinan: 5

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Baqara 2

Al-Maida 1

Al-An'am 1

Al-Anfal 1

Yunus 1

Hud 1

Al-Isra 1

Al-Anbiya 1

Al-Furqan 1

An-Naml 1

+ 3 more surahs

Surah Al-Baqara : 18 Medinan

﴿صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ﴾

Deaf, dumb and blind - so they will not return [to the right path].

Surah Al-Baqara : 171 Medinan

﴿وَمَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَآءً وَنِدَآءً صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾

The example of those who disbelieve is like that of one who shouts at what hears nothing but calls and cries cattle or sheep - deaf, dumb and blind, so they do not understand.

Surah Al-Maida : 71 Medinan

﴿وَحَسِبُوٓا۟ أَلَّا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ فَعَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ ثُمَّ تَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ عَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ كَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ﴾

And they thought there would be no [resulting] punishment, so they became blind and deaf. Then Allah turned to them in forgiveness; then [again] many of them became blind and deaf. And Allah is Seeing of what they do.

Surah Al-An'am : 39 Meccan

﴿وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا صُمٌّ وَبُكْمٌ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ مَن يَشَإِ ٱللَّهُ يُضْلِلْهُ وَمَن يَشَأْ يَجْعَلْهُ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ﴾

But those who deny Our verses are deaf and dumb within darknesses. Whomever Allah wills - He leaves astray; and whomever He wills - He puts him on a straight path.

Surah Al-Anfal : 22 Medinan

﴿إِنَّ شَرَّ ٱلدَّوَآبِّ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلصُّمُّ ٱلْبُكْمُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾

Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and dumb who do not use reason.

Surah Yunus : 42 Meccan

﴿وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَسْتَمِعُونَ إِلَيْكَ أَفَأَنتَ تُسْمِعُ ٱلصُّمَّ وَلَوْ كَانُوا۟ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾

And among them are those who listen to you. But can you cause the deaf to hear, although they will not use reason?

Surah Hud : 24 Meccan

﴿مَثَلُ ٱلْفَرِيقَيْنِ كَٱلْأَعْمَىٰ وَٱلْأَصَمِّ وَٱلْبَصِيرِ وَٱلسَّمِيعِ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلًا أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ﴾

The example of the two parties is like the blind and deaf, and the seeing and hearing. Are they equal in comparison? Then, will you not remember?

Surah Al-Isra : 97 Meccan

﴿وَمَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِهِۦ وَنَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ عُمْيًا وَبُكْمًا وَصُمًّا مَّأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ زِدْنَٰهُمْ سَعِيرًا﴾

And whoever Allah guides - he is the [rightly] guided; and whoever He sends astray - you will never find for them protectors besides Him, and We will gather them on the Day of Resurrection [fallen] on their faces - blind, dumb and deaf. Their refuge is Hell; every time it subsides We increase them in blazing fire.

Surah Al-Anbiya : 45 Meccan

﴿قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أُنذِرُكُم بِٱلْوَحْىِ وَلَا يَسْمَعُ ٱلصُّمُّ ٱلدُّعَآءَ إِذَا مَا يُنذَرُونَ﴾

Say, "I only warn you by revelation." But the deaf do not hear the call when they are warned.

Surah Al-Furqan : 73 Meccan

﴿وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَمْ يَخِرُّوا۟ عَلَيْهَا صُمًّا وَعُمْيَانًا﴾

And those who, when reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not fall upon them deaf and blind.

Surah An-Naml : 80 Meccan

﴿إِنَّكَ لَا تُسْمِعُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ وَلَا تُسْمِعُ ٱلصُّمَّ ٱلدُّعَآءَ إِذَا وَلَّوْا۟ مُدْبِرِينَ﴾

Indeed, you will not make the dead hear, nor will you make the deaf hear the call when they have turned their backs retreating.

Surah Ar-Rum : 52 Meccan

﴿فَإِنَّكَ لَا تُسْمِعُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ وَلَا تُسْمِعُ ٱلصُّمَّ ٱلدُّعَآءَ إِذَا وَلَّوْا۟ مُدْبِرِينَ﴾

So indeed, you will not make the dead hear, nor will you make the deaf hear the call when they turn their backs, retreating.

Surah Az-Zukhruf : 40 Meccan

﴿أَفَأَنتَ تُسْمِعُ ٱلصُّمَّ أَوْ تَهْدِى ٱلْعُمْىَ وَمَن كَانَ فِى ضَلَٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ﴾

Then will you make the deaf hear, [O Muhammad], or guide the blind or he who is in clear error?

Surah Muhammad : 23 Medinan

﴿أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَأَصَمَّهُمْ وَأَعْمَىٰٓ أَبْصَٰرَهُمْ﴾

Those [who do so] are the ones that Allah has cursed, so He deafened them and blinded their vision.

Words from the same root as Deaf

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Fri 24 Muharram
الجمعة 24 محرّم