"And the example of those who disbelieve is like that of one who shouts at animals that hear nothing but calls and cries." Al-Hasan's interpretation: Like a shepherd calling out to his sheep; they raise their heads without knowing what he is saying, then lower them. Likewise, when they are called to guidance. "Deaf, dumb, and blind": deaf to the truth, so they do not hear it; dumb regarding it, so they do not speak it; blind to it, so they do not see it.
Muhammad said: It is said: na'aqa, yan'iqu, and na'aqa, yan'aqu, which are two variants.
﴿وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلا دُعَاء ونداء﴾ تَفْسِير الحَسَن: كَمثل الرَّاعِي يَصِيح بالغنم فَترفع رءوسها لَا تَدْرِي مَا يَقُولُ، ثمَّ تضع رءوسها؛ فَكَذَلِك هُم إِذا دعوا إِلَى الْهدى ﴿صم بكم عمي﴾ صم عَنِ الْحق؛ فَلَا يسمعونه، بكم عَنْهُ؛ فَلَا ينطقون بِهِ، عمي عَنْهُ؛ فَلَا يبصرونه.
قَالَ مُحَمَّد: يُقَال: نعق يَنْعِق، ونعق ينعق لفتان.
