Quran Universe
16:21

أَمۡوَٰتٌ غَيۡرُ أَحۡيَآءٖۖ وَمَا يَشۡعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبۡعَثُونَ

Amwatun ghayru ahyain wama yashAAuroona ayyana yubAAathoona

They are, [in fact], dead, not alive, and they do not perceive when they will be resurrected.

Word by word
  1. أَمۡوَٰتٌ(They are) dead
  2. غَيۡرُnot alive
  3. أَحۡيَآءٖۖnot alive
  4. وَمَاAnd not
  5. يَشۡعُرُونَthey perceive
  6. أَيَّانَwhen
  7. يُبۡعَثُونَthey will be resurrected
An-Nahl · 16:21Makkah

Lifeless, unaware, not even knowing when the Hour comes.

Why hope from what cannot hear or know

What the idols are
deadno hearing, no sight
unawaredon't know the Hour
yet asked for
help and rewardfrom the worshipper
Where hope belongs
the unknowingcannot give anything
the All-KnowingCreator of all things

Ibn Kathir explains that the idols are inanimate, they do not hear, see, or think, and do not know when the Hour will come. So how could anyone hope for benefit from them? Hope should go to the One who knows all things.

You refresh the app hoping the numbers will tell you whether you are worth something. You check a horoscope before an interview. None of these know your tomorrow. Only One knows when every story ends.

Something out there can tell me how things will turn out.

Only Allah knows what is coming, so my hope goes to Him.

Try this

Next time you feel anxious about an outcome, make one short dua instead of checking again.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 16:19)

And Allah knows what you conceal and what you reveal (19)Those whom they invoke besides Allah have not created anything, but are themselves created (20)(They are) dead, not alive; and they do not know when they will be resurrected (21)

Allah tells us that He knows what is hidden in people's hearts as well as what is apparent. He will reward or punish everyone for their deeds on the Day of Resurrection. If their deeds are good then they will be rewarded, and if their deeds are evil, then they will be punished.

The gods of the Idolators are Created, they do not create

Then Allah tells us that the idols which people call on instead of Him cannot create anything, they are themselves created, as Al-Khalil (Ibrahim) said:

أَتَعْبُدُونَ مَا تَنْحِتُونَ - وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمْ وَمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

("Do you worship that which you (yourselves) carve? While Allah has created you and what you make!")(37:95-96)

أَمْوَاتٌ غَيْرُ أَحْيَاءٍ

((They are) dead, not alive) means, they are inanimate and lifeless, they do not hear, see, or think.

وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ

(and they know not when they will be resurrected.) meaning, they do not know when the Hour will come, so how can anyone hope for any benefit or reward from these idols They should hope for it from the One Who knows all things and is the Creator of all things.