This article examines the parable concerning those who deny the verses of Allah in the Qur’an, with particular reference to QS. al-Aʿrāf [7]: 176, focusing on the symbolic dimensions embedded within the verse. The study aims to uncover the meaning and message conveyed through the construction of this parable. It employs a qualitative library research design. Data were collected through a comprehensive review of classical and contemporary tafsīr literature, as well as relevant works in semiotics. The primary data source is QS. al-Aʿrāf [7]: 176, while the secondary sources consist of exegetical works, semiotic studies, and scholarly articles related to the research topic. The analysis applies the semiotic framework of Roland Barthes by examining three levels of meaning: denotation, connotation, and myth. The findings indicate that the term kalb (dog), at the denotative level, refers literally to the animal as a signifier. At the connotative level, the term represents negative traits that are deeply embedded and difficult to relinquish. At the mythological level, the symbol of kalb constructs an ideological meaning comprising two dimensions: first, Concept I, in which kalb (dog) functions as a symbol of a firmly ingrained character that is resistant to change; and second, Concept II, in which it represents reprehensible traits that humans are urged to avoid. Thus, the parable operates not merely as a narrative device but as a profound moral critique of attitudes that reject divine revelation.
Copyrights © 2026