Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 41 Fussilat, Ayat 5-5

وَقَالُوۡا قُلُوۡبُنَا فِىۡۤ اَكِنَّةٍ مِّمَّا تَدۡعُوۡنَاۤ اِلَيۡهِ وَفِىۡۤ اٰذَانِنَا وَقۡرٌ وَّمِنۡۢ بَيۡنِنَا وَبَيۡنِكَ حِجَابٌ فَاعۡمَلۡ اِنَّنَا عٰمِلُوۡنَ‏  ﴿41:5﴾

(41:5) They say: “Our hearts are securely wrapped up against what you call us to,2 and in our ears is a heaviness, and between you and us there is a veil.3 So act; we too are acting.”4

Notes

2. That is, it has no way open to reach our hearts.

3. That is, this invitation has divided us. It has cut us off from you. It has become a hindrance for us to join you.

4. It has two meanings:

(1) That we have nothing to do with you.

(2) That if you do not desist from your preaching, you may go on doing your mission, we will also not stop our opposition to you, and we will do whatever we can to defeat and frustrate your mission.