وَقَالُوا۟ قُلُوبُنَا فِىٓ أَكِنَّةٍ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَآ إِلَيْهِ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِنَا وَقْرٌ وَمِنۢ بَيْنِنَا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ فَٱعْمَلْ إِنَّنَا عَـٰمِلُونَ 5
Translations
And they say, "Our hearts are within coverings [i.e., screened] from that to which you invite us, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a partition, so work; indeed, we are working."
Transliteration
Wa qāloo qulūbunā fī akinnatin mimmā tad'ūnā ilayhi wa fī ādhāninnā waqrun wa min bayninā wa baynaka hijāb, fa'mal innānā 'āmilūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers are describing their obstinate rejection of the Prophet's message, claiming their hearts are veiled (wrapped in coverings) from understanding his call, their ears are heavy (deaf) to it, and a barrier exists between them and him. According to classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir, this ayah illustrates the spiritual blindness and willful rejection of the Meccan polytheists—their hearts were not naturally incapable but rather hardened through their own pride and arrogance. Their defiant challenge 'fa'mal innānā 'āmilūn' (so do your work, indeed we are doing our work) represents their stubborn determination to persist in disbelief and opposition to the divine message.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Fussilat, a Meccan chapter revealed during the early period of Da'wah when the Prophet ﷺ faced intense opposition from the Quraysh. The context addresses the escalating rejection and mockery of the disbelievers despite the clarity of the Quranic message, reflecting the spiritual state of those who heard the revelations but refused to accept them.
Related Hadiths
The concept is reflected in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet ﷺ stated that 'whoever Allah wills to misguide, He leaves their heart in confusion.' Additionally, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:7 is often cited alongside this ayah: 'Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and over their eyes is a veil.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that rejection of divine guidance is often not due to lack of clarity in the message, but rather to the spiritual condition of the heart—our own pride, arrogance, and preconceptions can become barriers to understanding truth. Modern readers should reflect on whether their hearts remain open to divine guidance or if they have allowed worldly attachments and ego to seal their hearts from receiving wisdom.
Related Ayahs
وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَـٰهُمْ فَٱسْتَحَبُّوا۟ ٱلْعَمَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ صَـٰعِقَةُ ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْهُونِ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
And as for Thamūd, We guided them, but they preferred blindness over guidance, so the thunderbolt of humiliating punishment seized them for what they used to earn.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِنَا لَا يَخْفَوْنَ عَلَيْنَآ ۗ أَفَمَن يُلْقَىٰ فِى ٱلنَّارِ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّن يَأْتِىٓ ءَامِنًا يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ مَا شِئْتُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
Indeed, those who inject deviation into Our verses are not concealed from Us. So, is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection? Do whatever you will; indeed, He is Seeing of what you do.
ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ
Those who do not give zakāh, and in the Hereafter they are disbelievers.
وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَـٰهُ رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ هَـٰذَا لِى وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآئِمَةً وَلَئِن رُّجِعْتُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّىٓ إِنَّ لِى عِندَهُۥ لَلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ فَلَنُنَبِّئَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ
And if We let him taste mercy from Us after an adversity which has touched him, he will surely say, "This is [due] to me, and I do not think the Hour will occur; and [even] if I should be returned to my Lord, indeed, for me there will be with Him the best." But We will surely inform those who disbelieved about what they did, and We will surely make them taste a massive punishment.