Parables, Dog who lolls his tongue out

Discover the profound verses and divine insights mapped to this theme.

وَلَوۡشِئۡنَالَرَفَعۡنَٰهُبِهَاوَلَٰكِنَّهُۥٓأَخۡلَدَإِلَىٱلۡأَرۡضِوَٱتَّبَعَهَوَىٰهُۚفَمَثَلُهُۥكَمَثَلِٱلۡكَلۡبِإِنتَحۡمِلۡعَلَيۡهِيَلۡهَثۡأَوۡتَتۡرُكۡهُيَلۡهَثۚذَّٰلِكَمَثَلُٱلۡقَوۡمِٱلَّذِينَكَذَّبُواْبِـَٔايَٰتِنَاۚفَٱقۡصُصِٱلۡقَصَصَلَعَلَّهُمۡيَتَفَكَّرُونَ١٧٦
Saheeh International

And if We had willed, We could have elevated him thereby,1 but he adhered [instead] to the earth2 and followed his own desire. So his example is like that of the dog: if you chase him, he pants, or if you leave him, he [still] pants. That is the example of the people who denied Our signs.3 So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought.

وَلَوْWalaw
شِئْنَاshina
لَرَفَعْنَـٰهُlarafaAAnahu
بِهَاbiha
وَلَـٰكِنَّهُۥٓwalakinnahu
أَخْلَدَakhlada
إِلَىila
ٱلْأَرْضِalardi
وَٱتَّبَعَwaittabaAAa
هَوَىٰهُ ۚhawahu
فَمَثَلُهُۥfamathaluhu
كَمَثَلِkamathali
ٱلْكَلْبِalkalbi
إِنin
تَحْمِلْtahmil
عَلَيْهِAAalayhi
يَلْهَثْyalhath
أَوْaw
تَتْرُكْهُtatrukhu
يَلْهَث ۚyalhath
ذَّٰلِكَthalika
مَثَلُmathalu
ٱلْقَوْمِalqawmi
ٱلَّذِينَallatheena
كَذَّبُوا۟kaththaboo
بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ۚbiayatina
فَٱقْصُصِfaoqsusi
ٱلْقَصَصَalqasasa
لَعَلَّهُمْlaAAallahum
يَتَفَكَّرُونَyatafakkaroona