Al-Kahf 18:5
The Cave · Meccan · Juz 15 · Page 294
Words Without Knowledge
مَّا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنۡ عِلۡمࣲ وَلَا لِأٓبَآئِهِمۡۚ كَبُرَتۡ كَلِمَةࣰ تَخۡرُجُ مِنۡ أَفۡوَٰهِهِمۡۚ إِن يَقُولُونَ إِلَّا كَذِبࣰا ٥
(A thing) whereof they have no knowledge, nor (had) their fathers, Dreadful is the word that cometh out of their mouths. They speak naught but a lie.
Translation: Marmaduke Pickthall
Meaning
They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers. Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths.
Insight
According to Elmalılı, those who say this speak not from knowledge but from ignorance, imitating their forefathers, whose view was not based on knowledge either.
Reflect
Question an idea today that you repeat blindly.
This short note is based on Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır’s Turkish commentary and has not yet been reviewed by a scholar.
Elmalılı’s commentary
An English translation of Elmalılı’s full commentary is coming soon. Read the original Turkish ›