Tafsir of Al-Isra 17:46

{And We have placed over their hearts coverings}—meaning covers (the plural of kinan). The intent of this phrasing is amplification, i.e., many covers.

{Lest they understand it}—a grammatical object for a purpose (maf'ul lahu), with an implied genitive addition; meaning, "lest they reach its essence and know that it is from Allah, the Exalted." Or, it may be a direct object for an implicit verb understood from the context or from the word "coverings," such that "We have prevented them from understanding it and reaching its essence." It does not imply that "We have placed" contains this—as one might mistakenly suppose—but rather that the act of placing the covers caused the prevention of their understanding.

{And in their ears deafness}—meaning a profound heaviness that prevents them from hearing it in the manner appropriate for it; for they would indeed hear the sound, but without contemplation. As some researchers have noted, these are representational metaphors (tamthilat) expressing the perfection of their ignorance regarding the affairs of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and the extreme aversion of their hearts from understanding the Noble Qur'an, and the rejection of their hearing toward it. This was introduced as an explanation for their lack of understanding through explicit speech, following the explanation of their lack of understanding through the implication of their state. It serves as an indication that the monotheism contained in the Qur'an is of such extreme clarity that its non-comprehension is inconceivable except by a powerful barrier that afflicts the senses and nullifies them. It is also an alert that this state of theirs is more repulsive than their previous state. Those who do not consider the mention of "monotheism" in the previous verses to be literal hold this interpretation; however, if one considers it literal, it is not appropriate to construe the verse this way, as is not hidden.

Some have said: The "veil" refers to what prevents them from understanding what the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—recites to them. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Qatada that he said: "The 'veiled' barrier is the coverings upon their hearts, so that they do not understand it and do not benefit from it." Al-Zajjaj held this view as well. This has been criticized on the grounds that it does not harmonize with [the verse] "between you and those..." [17:45] except by assuming two implied genitives, meaning: "We have placed between the understanding of your recitation..." Furthermore, it necessitates repetition without a new benefit. It has been answered that the outward meaning is that no such ellipsis is assumed, and the necessity [of a critique] would only apply if it were taken literally. This is a parable for their state in failing to hear the Truth, like one who is behind a wall or a veil, just as the "coverings" are a parable for the same. As for the issue of repetition without benefit, it is refuted by the fact that the Exalted's saying "And We have placed..." is an explicit statement of its requirement—a clear articulation after the negation of understanding through the implication of their state, which is that they have been stamped with misguidance. To the fair-minded, the superiority of the former interpretation is not hidden.

Al-Jubba'i says that the "veil" refers to that which prevents them from harming the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. This is because they used to target him when he recited, in order to harm him, so Allah protected him and informed him that He, the Exalted, placed a veil between him and them during recitation so that they could not reach him. In my view, this is acceptable, even though he mentioned it in the context of evading our scholars’ use of the verse to argue that Allah, the Exalted, prevents whoever He wills from faith just as He guides whoever He wills. Yes, it is inferior to the first [interpretation] to those who contemplate.

It is said: The intent is a veil that prevented them from seeing the person of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and his noble essence. Abu Ya'la, Ibn Abi Hatim, Al-Hakim (who authenticated it), Ibn Marduyah, and Al-Bayhaqi in Al-Dala'il narrated from Asma bint Abi Bakr, may Allah be pleased with both, that she said: When "May the hands of Abu Lahab perish" was revealed, the one-eyed Umm Jamil came, wailing and holding a stone, saying: "We despise Mudammam (a derogatory play on Muhammad), and his religion we have rejected, and his command we have disobeyed." The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was sitting, and Abu Bakr was at his side. Abu Bakr said: "She has arrived, and I fear she might see you." He replied: "She will not see me," and he recited some of the Qur'an as a protection, as Allah, the Exalted, said: "And when you recite the Qur'an, We place between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter a veiled barrier." She arrived and stood right by Abu Bakr but did not see the Prophet—peace be upon him. She said: "O Abu Bakr, it has reached me that your companion has satirized me." Abu Bakr said: "No, by the Lord of this House, he has not satirized you." So she turned away saying: "The Quraysh know that I am the daughter of their chief." It is stated in one narration that when she turned to leave, Abu Bakr said: "O Messenger of Allah, she did not see you." The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: "Gabriel—peace be upon him—stood between me and her." The Imam mentioned that whenever he—peace be upon him—wished to recite the Qur'an, he would recite before it three verses: His saying, the Exalted, in Surah Al-Kahf: "And We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness," and His saying, the Exalted, in An-Nahl: "Those are the ones upon whose hearts Allah has set a seal," and His saying, the Exalted, in Surah Ha-Mim Al-Jathiyah: "Have you seen he who has taken as his god his own desire?" Allah, the Exalted, would shield him with the blessings of these verses from the eyes of the polytheists, and this is the intent of His saying, the Exalted: "And when you recite the Qur'an, We place..." etc. Our scholars have used this to argue that it is permissible for the sense of sight to be sound and the object of sight to be present, yet for it not to be seen because Allah, the Exalted, creates in the eye an obstruction that prevents sight. They said: The Prophet—peace be upon him—was present, the senses of the disbelievers were sound, yet they did not see him; and the Exalted has informed us that this is because He placed a veiled barrier between him—peace be upon him—and them. There is no other meaning for the "veiled barrier" than the condition He creates in their eyes to serve as a barrier to their vision.

Some researchers said: Carrying the [interpretation of the] "veil" to the hadith of Asma is something that sound taste does not accept, nor does the noble arrangement of the text support it. It seems he meant that interpreting it in the verse as a veil preventing sight is likewise flawed, as is what is reported from the Imam, and from this, one knows the state of the scholars' argumentation and the rebuttal to their statement—that there is no meaning for "the veil" except [as a physical obstruction in the eyes]—in that it contradicts the previous narration mentioning the intervention of Gabriel—peace be upon him—and the report narrated by Al-Daraqutni and others from Ibn Abbas that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: "There was an angel between me and her, shielding me with his wings until she left." Both reports are clear that the barrier was not in their eyes, but rather it was either Gabriel—peace be upon him—or another angel who stood between him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and them, so they did not see him. However, the discussion remains that preventing vision via a subtle being is also contrary to the norm, which is a different matter, so let it be considered. Furthermore, the report from Asma is not definitive evidence that the "veil" in the verse is a veil preventing sight, as is not hidden to those who examine it deeply. This opinion is only resorted to if one considers Al-Hakim's authentication or if one who considers his authentication among the hadith scholars declares it sound; otherwise, the matter is simple.

Al-Zamakhshari made the aforementioned a narrative of what they said: "Our hearts are in coverings from that to which you invite us, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a veil," meaning "We have placed [a barrier] according to their claim." The Shaykh al-Islam did not approve of this, because their intent in saying that was only to report what they believed regarding the Qur'an and the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—out of ignorance and disbelief, such as their claim that the Qur'an is sorcery, poetry, or myths. He related to him the state of the Prophet—peace be upon him—not the reporting that there was something beyond what they perceived that had come between them and their perception from their side. There is no doubt that this meaning is not consistent with the context. It may be said: Since the speech is driven by the enumeration of their evils and the rejection of them, the consistency is beyond doubt. Yes, Al-Zamakhshari's choice of this aspect is not free from Mu'tazilite bias, and I do not think it is hidden from you.

{And when you mention your Lord in the Qur'an}—meaning, not accompanied by the mention of any of their gods which they claim, as they used to say, for instance, "By Allah and Al-Lat." This is verified by mentioning Him, the Exalted, {alone}. Al-Zamakhshari states it is a verbal noun of the triliteral root... and it occupies the place of a circumstantial state (hal), meaning "being One." It is said: It is a verbal noun of awhada, omitting the additions, its root being i'had. Sibawayh's school of thought is that it is not a verbal noun but a noun placed in the position of a verbal noun, which is i'had, which is placed in the position of a state (hal), which is muwahhidan (monotheizing).

Yunus's school of thought is that it is in the accusative case as an adverb of time/place, and the verification of the opinions regarding it is in the Rafdah as we have previously stated. It is mentioned that it is in the state of being a circumstantial state (hal) when it occurs after a subject and object, as is the case here; it is permissible for it to be a state from either of them, i.e., "when you mention your Lord, monotheizing Him, or monotheized by the mention." {And they turned their backs}—fleeing or turning away {in aversion}. {Aversion} is a cognate object (maf'ul mutlaq) placed in the accusative by wallaw (they turned) because of the similarity in their meanings. It is also permitted that it be an object for a purpose (maf'ul li-ajlihi), i.e., "they turned for the sake of aversion and irritation," or that it be a circumstantial state (hal), assuming it is the plural of nafir (averse), meaning "they turned away being averse to that." The pronoun refers to the polytheists who do not believe in the Hereafter. Ibn Jarir and others narrated from Ibn Abbas that the apparent meaning is that it refers to the devils, but this is hardly sound from the scholar [Ibn Abbas] except through interpretation.