Quran 8:21 Surah Al-Anfal English Translation, Transliteration and Tafsir (Tafseer)

21
وَلَا تَكُونُواْ كَٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ سَمِعۡنَا وَهُمۡ لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ

Wa laa takoonoo kallazeena qaaloo sami'naa wa hum laa yasma'oon

21. And be not like those who say: "We hear" and they hear not [45]. (Kanzul Imaan Translation)

(21) And do not be like those who say, "We have heard," while they do not hear. (Saheeh International Translation)

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Surah Al-Anfal Ayat 21 Tafsir

Tafseer-e-Naeemi (Ahmad Yaar Khan)
Ibn Kathir
Ala-Madudi
Shaheen International

Commentary of Surah Al-Anfal – Verse 21

"And be not like those who say: 'We hear' and they hear not [45]."

[45] The Hypocrisy of False Listeners

This verse refers to the hypocrites, who would say to the Holy Prophet ﷺ, “We have heard,” yet their hearts were closed, and they did not truly listen or obey. Their claim of listening was merely verbal, without any real understanding or intention to follow.

Believers are warned not to imitate such insincere behavior—true listening means acceptance, reflection, and obedience.

Ibn-Kathir

The tafsir of Surah Al-Anfal verse 21 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Anfal ayat 20 which provides the complete commentary from verse 21 through 23.

(8:21) And do not be like those who say: â€˜We hearâ€™, though they do not hearken.[16]

Ala-Maududi

(8:21) And do not be like those who say: ‘We hear’, though they do not hearken.^[16]

16. In the present context, ‘hearing’ means taking heed with a view to obey’. The verse alludes to those hypocrites who professed to believe and yet were not willing to carry out the commands of God.

(21) And do not be like those who say, "We have heard," while they do not hear.

Quran 8:21 Surah Al-Anfal English Translation, Transliteration and Tafsir (Tafseer)

21 وَلَا تَكُونُواْ كَٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ سَمِعۡنَا وَهُمۡ لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ Wa laa takoonoo kallazeena qaaloo sami'naa wa hum laa yasma'oon