Al-A‘rāf 7:176
The verse
And had We willed We could have raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust. Therefor his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may take thought. — Marmaduke Pickthall
The issue
This verse likens the unbeliever to a dog: “and his likeness was as the likeness of a dog, whom if thou shouldst attack he hangs out his tongue, or if thou should leave him, hangs out his tongue too...” (Q 7.176). The verse uses this analogy to imply the lowliness of the unbeliever. It is said that the verse uses this depiction because he “who lolls out his tongue is doing this because of tiredness or thirst. The dog is an exception. It lolls out its tongue, whether tired or rested, in sickness and in health, whether having water or thirsty. Allah used this analogy as an example concerning those who deny his signs”.
Question: Does this representation reflect the eloquence of Allah or the eloquence of a son of the desert?.
Arabic text of this item
تشير الآية إلى رجل، تقول عنه إن مثلَ هذا الرجل مثل الكلْب، إنْ تطرده أو تتركه يُخْرج لسانه لاهثاً: <فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ إِن تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَث> (الأعراف 7: 176). والآية تستعمل تشبيهاً يُقصد به الإيحاء بخسة المنعوت. ويقولون إن الآية اختارت هذا النعت لأن «كلّ شيء يلهث فإنّما يَلهثُ مِن إعْياءٍ أو عطشٍ، إلاّ الكلبَ فإنَّه يَلهثُ في حال الكَلالِ وحال الراحةِ، وحال المرضِ وحال الصَّحةِ، وحال الريِّ وحال العطش، فضربه الله مثلاً لمن كذّب بآياته».
ونسأل: هل هذا التشبيه ينم عن بلاغة مصدرها الله، أم عن «بلاغة» مصدرها ابن البادية؟
Sources cited
- القرطبي 9: 387.