Deaf, Dumb and Blind

I remember we were really young, and my older brother at that time was memorising Surah Baqarah. He would come home and recite the following ayah, “Deaf, dumb and blind — so they will not return [to the right path].” (2:16). He would recite it then tell me it meant deaf, dumb and blind. As a child, I would raise my eyebrow, thinking in my head, why would Allah call someone deaf, dumb and blind?

Obviously, I didn’t understand the context of the verse so it was really puzzling!

But today, as I recited it and pondered over this ayah, I had a scary realisation.

It’s not committing bad actions or making mistakes that we should fear the most, but it’ committing those actions and making those mistakes and not even realising we did them, that we should fear the most.

The regret, the guilt, the confusion — as painful as it is — is a blessing from Allah. Being able to acknowledge that this is where I went wrong and then actively seek ways to change, is something we take for granted.

Not everyone has that ability.

Some did. They were like you and I. But there sight, and intellect and hearing, was snatched from them. Because for so long, they had been blinded by their arrogance and ego’s.

And that’s so scary.

It starts of small.

You have an argument with someone and instead of admitting your mistake, instead of apologising, your stubbornness prevents you from hearing the truth. That you were wrong.

So you play victim. You accuse. You blame. You feel sorry for yourself.

And these small encounters — although they may resolve quickly and although they aren’t with Allah but His creation, they add up and add up, till a molehill becomes a mountain.

Till we begin to do the same thing with Allah.

We become blinded by our arrogance and ingratitude to the point we think we’re right and Allah is wrong, or that we made no mistake and they did.

And that scares me so much.

I pray that Allah keeps us all away from arrogance and pride and ingratitude.

I pray that He always grants us the light, and the ability to differentiate between right and wrong.

I pray He always keeps us humble enough to know when we made a mistake, when we committed a sin, or when we hurt His creation.

O Allah, save us from our own weaknesses and grant us light so we are always able to see clearly; protect us from being of those who are deaf, dumb and blind. Ameen ❤