Quran Universe
41:4

بَشِيرٗا وَنَذِيرٗا فَأَعۡرَضَ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ

Basheeran wanatheeran faaAArada aktharuhum fahum la yasmaAAoona

As a giver of good tidings and a warner; but most of them turn away, so they do not hear.

Word by word
  1. بَشِيرٗاA giver of glad tidings
  2. وَنَذِيرٗاand a warner
  3. فَأَعۡرَضَbut turn away
  4. أَكۡثَرُهُمۡmost of them
  5. فَهُمۡso they
  6. لَا(do) not
  7. يَسۡمَعُونَhear
Fussilat · 41:4Makkah

Good news and warning, and most just turned away.

Turning away is how hearing stops

What the book brings
glad tidingsfor those who believe
warningfor those who reject
most
turn awayso they hear nothing
Why they did not hear
the message was unclear
they turned awaythe ears followed the back

Ibn Kathir notes that most of Quraysh understood nothing of it, even though it was so clear. The book carried both hope and warning. They turned their backs, and once you turn away, you stop hearing.

Your mother is talking and you are nodding, eyes on the screen. Later you cannot repeat a word she said. You did not fail to hear. You turned away first.

If something really mattered, I would notice it.

Hearing begins with facing the speaker. If I turn away, even clear words pass me by.

Try this

In your next real conversation, put the phone away and face the person fully until they finish.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 41:1)

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

حم - تَنْزِيلٌ مِنَ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ - كِتَابٌ فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ - بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا فَأَعْرَضَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ - وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا فِي أَكِنَّةٍ مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ وَفِي آذَانِنَا وَقْرٌ وَمِنْ بَيْنِنَا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ فَاعْمَلْ إِنَّنَا عَامِلُونَ

(1. Ha Mim.)(2. A revelation from the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.)(3. A Book whereof the Ayat are explained in detail – a Qur'an in Arabic for people who know.)(4. Giving glad tidings and warning, but most of them turn away, so they hear not.)(5. And they say: "Our hearts are under coverings from that to which you invite us; and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a screen, so work you (on your way); verily, we are working (on our way).")

Description of the Qur'an, and what Those Who turn away from it say

حم - تَنْزِيلٌ مِنَ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

(Ha Mim. A revelation from the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.) means, the Qur'an is revealed from the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is like the Ayat:

قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ مِنْ رَبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ 

(Say Ruh Al-Qudus (Jibril) has brought it down from your Lord with truth)(16:102).

وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنْزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ - نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ - عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ

(And truly, this is a revelation from the Lord of all that exists, Which the trustworthy Ruh (Jibril) has brought down upon your heart that you may be (one) of the warners.)(26:192-194).

كِتَابٌ فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ

(A Book whereof the Ayat are explained in detail) means, its meanings are clear and its rulings are sound and wise.

قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا

(a Qur'an in Arabic) means, because it is a clear Arabic Qur'an, its meanings are precise and detailed and its words are clear and not confusing. This is like the Ayah:

كِتَابٌ أُحْكِمَتْ آيَاتُهُ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ مِنْ لَدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ

((This is) a Book, the Ayat whereof are completed, and then explained in detail from One (Allah), Who is All-Wise Well-Acquainted)(11:1). meaning, it is miraculous in its wording and in its meanings.

لَا يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلَا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ ۖ تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ

(Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it, (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.)(41:42).

لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

(for people who know.) means, this clear style will be readily understood by scholars who are thoroughly versed in knowledge.

بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا 

(Giving glad tidings and warning,) means, sometimes it brings glad tidings to the believers, and sometimes it brings a warning to the disbelievers.

 فَأَعْرَضَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ

(but most of them turn away, so they hear not.) means, most of the Quraysh did not understand anything of it at all, despite the fact that it was so clear.

وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا فِي أَكِنَّةٍ

(And they say: "Our hearts are under coverings...") meaning, they are wrapped and screened,

مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ وَفِي آذَانِنَا وَقْرٌ

(from that to which you invite us; and in our ears is deafness,) means, 'we are deaf to the message you bring to us.'

وَمِنْ بَيْنِنَا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ

(and between us and you is a screen,) 'so nothing of what you say reaches us.'

 فَاعْمَلْ إِنَّنَا عَامِلُونَ

(so work you (on your way); verily, we are working) means, go your way, and we will go our way, and we will not follow you.