Quran Universe
41:5

وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا فِيٓ أَكِنَّةٖ مِّمَّا تَدۡعُونَآ إِلَيۡهِ وَفِيٓ ءَاذَانِنَا وَقۡرٞ وَمِنۢ بَيۡنِنَا وَبَيۡنِكَ حِجَابٞ فَٱعۡمَلۡ إِنَّنَا عَٰمِلُونَ

Waqaloo quloobuna fee akinnatin mimma tadAAoona ilayhi wafee athanina waqrun wamin baynina wabaynika hijabun faiAAmal innana AAamiloona

And they say, "Our hearts are within coverings 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."

Word by word
  1. وَقَالُواْAnd they say
  2. قُلُوبُنَاOur hearts
  3. فِيٓ(are) in
  4. أَكِنَّةٖcoverings
  5. مِّمَّاfrom what
  6. تَدۡعُونَآyou call us
  7. إِلَيۡهِto it
  8. وَفِيٓand in
  9. ءَاذَانِنَاour ears
  10. وَقۡرٞ(is) deafness
  11. وَمِنۢand between us
  12. بَيۡنِنَاand between us
  13. وَبَيۡنِكَand between you
  14. حِجَابٞ(is) a screen
  15. فَٱعۡمَلۡSo work
  16. إِنَّنَاindeed,we
  17. عَٰمِلُونَ(are) working
Fussilat · 41:5Makkah

Our hearts are covered, they said, so leave us alone.

Three walls people build against a message

What they claimed
covered heartsnothing gets in
deaf earswe do not hear you
a screenbetween us and you
so
you do your workwe do ours
What the walls are
I just cannot hear itit is how I am
I chose the wallsand named them as fate

The Quraysh told the Prophet ﷺ: our hearts are wrapped, our ears are deaf, and there is a screen between us. Ibn Kathir explains they meant nothing of what he said reached them. So go your way, and we will go ours.

A friend says something true about your temper. You say, that is just who I am, take it or leave it. It sounds like honesty. It is a wall. You built it so the words would stop reaching you.

Some advice just does not work on me, and that is fine.

When I say I cannot hear something, I may be describing a wall I put up myself.

Try this

Think of one piece of advice you keep brushing off. Listen to it again today without replying.

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.