بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Fussilat 41:5
Explained in Detail · Juz 24 · Page 477
وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا فِيٓ أَكِنَّةٖ مِّمَّا تَدۡعُونَآ إِلَيۡهِ وَفِيٓ ءَاذَانِنَا وَقۡرٞ وَمِنۢ بَيۡنِنَا وَبَيۡنِكَ حِجَابٞ فَٱعۡمَلۡ إِنَّنَا عَٰمِلُونَ ٥
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;1 indeed, we are working."
1 translator’s note
- For your own religion or work against us. ↩
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 41:5
وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا فِي أَكِنَّةٍ - (And they say, " Our hearts are [ wrapped ] in covers against that to which you invite us 41:5) Here three statements of the infidels of Quraysh are reproduced. Firstly, they said that there was a cover on their hearts against his discourse, and therefore they do not understand what he says. Secondly, that their ears are deaf to listen to his speech. Thirdly, that there are barriers between him and them. The Holy Qur'an has reproduced this statement of theirs in the context of denouncing it, which indicates that these statements are wrong. But at another place, Qur'an has also stated their condition to be the same. A verse of Surah An'am states:
وَجَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا
But We have put coverings on their hearts, so that they do not understand, and heaviness in their ears. - 6:25.
One may doubt that there is a conflict between this verse and that of Surah An'am in this respect. But the answer is that the infidels, by saying the above, meant that they were helpless and excusable, because their hearts were curtained, their ears were leaden and there were barriers between them and him. So how could they listen to him and accept what he said? This is how they proved themselves to be helpless. And when the Holy Qur'an stated their condition (in Surah An'am) to be the same, it did not consider them to be helpless, rather held them fully capable of hearing and understanding. It is when they refused even to hear, and had no intention of understanding, then as a punishment, heedlessness and ignorance were imposed upon them, but not to the degree that they were deprived of their volition; rather if they had changed their minds even then, their abilities of hearing and understanding would have been restored fully. (Bayan-ul-Qur’ an)
Page 477
سورة فصلت
Fussilat
Explained in Detail · Meccan · 54 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
41:1
حمٓ ١
Ḥā, Meem.1
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 2:1. ↩
41:2
تَنزِيلٞ مِّنَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٢
[This is] a revelation from the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful -
41:3
كِتَٰبٞ فُصِّلَتۡ ءَايَٰتُهُۥ قُرۡءَانًا عَرَبِيّٗا لِّقَوۡمٖ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٣
A Book whose verses have been detailed, an Arabic Qur’ān1 for a people who know,
1 translator’s note
- i.e., revealed in the Arabic language. ↩
41:4
بَشِيرٗا وَنَذِيرٗا فَأَعۡرَضَ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ ٤
As a giver of good tidings and a warner; but most of them turn away, so they do not hear.
41:5
وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا فِيٓ أَكِنَّةٖ مِّمَّا تَدۡعُونَآ إِلَيۡهِ وَفِيٓ ءَاذَانِنَا وَقۡرٞ وَمِنۢ بَيۡنِنَا وَبَيۡنِكَ حِجَابٞ فَٱعۡمَلۡ إِنَّنَا عَٰمِلُونَ ٥
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;1 indeed, we are working."
1 translator’s note
- For your own religion or work against us. ↩
41:6
قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرٞ مِّثۡلُكُمۡ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞ فَٱسۡتَقِيمُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُوهُۗ وَوَيۡلٞ لِّلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ٦
Say, [O Muḥammad], "I am only a man like you to whom it has been revealed that your god is but one God; so take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness." And woe to those who associate others with Allāh –
41:7
ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ هُمۡ كَٰفِرُونَ ٧
Those who do not give zakāh, and in the Hereafter they are disbelievers.
41:8
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمۡ أَجۡرٌ غَيۡرُ مَمۡنُونٖ ٨
Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds - for them is a reward uninterrupted.
41:9
۞ قُلۡ أَئِنَّكُمۡ لَتَكۡفُرُونَ بِٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِي يَوۡمَيۡنِ وَتَجۡعَلُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَندَادٗاۚ ذَٰلِكَ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٩
Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds."
41:10
وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِيَ مِن فَوۡقِهَا وَبَٰرَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقۡوَٰتَهَا فِيٓ أَرۡبَعَةِ أَيَّامٖ سَوَآءٗ لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ ١٠
And He placed on it [i.e., the earth] firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its [creatures'] sustenance in four days without distinction1 - for [the information of] those who ask.
1 translator’s note
- Also "four equal days" or "four days of completion." ↩
41:11
ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَهِيَ دُخَانٞ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلۡأَرۡضِ ٱئۡتِيَا طَوۡعًا أَوۡ كَرۡهٗا قَالَتَآ أَتَيۡنَا طَآئِعِينَ ١١
Then He directed Himself1 to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come [into being],2 willingly or by compulsion." They said, "We have come willingly."