Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:74

"Then your hearts hardened..."

The meaning of "Then your hearts hardened": This expresses the remoteness of such hardness after the mention of things that should have necessitated the softening and tenderness of hearts.

"Then you are [still] hardening..." Describing hearts as hard and coarse is a metaphor for their resistance to reflection and the fact that admonitions have no effect upon them.

"That": A reference to the reviving of the slain man, or to all the preceding signs mentioned.

"They are like stones": In their hardness, they are like stones.

"Or even harder": Meaning: harder than stones. This is conjoined to the Kaf (in ka-l-hijarah). It is either:

1. In the sense of "or like that which is harder," where the genitive (the noun) is omitted and the genitive modifier (idafah) takes its place. This is supported by the reading of al-A‘mash with the accusative dal (i.e., ashadda), conjoined to al-hijarah.
2. Or, it is "or they themselves are harder." The meaning is: whoever knows their state compares them to stones, or to a substance harder than them, such as iron.
3. Or, whoever knows them compares them to stones, or says: "They are harder than stones."

If you ask: How can "harder" (ashaddu qaswatan) be said, when the verb of hardness (qasa) is not one from which a superlative or a verb of wonder is derived? I say: It is used because it is clearer and more indicative of extreme hardness.

Another perspective: It is not intended to mean "the hardest," but rather to describe the hardness itself with intensity, as if it were said: "The hardness of stones is intense, and their hearts are more intense in hardness." It is also read as qasawah. The pronoun of the object of comparison is omitted because there is no ambiguity, just as you say, "Zayd is generous, and ‘Amr is more generous."

His saying: "And indeed, there are stones..." This is an explanation of the superiority of their hearts over stones in the intensity of hardness, and a confirmation of his saying, "Or even harder." It is also read as wa-in (with a light nun), which is the in lightened from the heavy inna, which requires the lam of differentiation. An example of this is His saying: "And indeed, all of them will be brought before Us" (Ya-Sin: 32).

"Gushing forth": Opening up with breadth and abundance. Malik ibn Dinar read it as yanfajiru (with a nun).

"Splitting open": Meaning: cracking. Al-A‘mash read it this way. The meaning is: among stones are those with wide openings from which much abundant water flows, and among them are those that split—either lengthwise or crosswise—from which water also springs.

"Falling down": Tumbling from the top of a mountain. It is also read with a damma on the ba (i.e., yahbutu). The "fear" (of God) is a metaphor for their submission to the command of Allah, such that they do not resist what He wills for them, whereas the hearts of these people do not submit and do not do what they are commanded. It is also read as ya‘malun (with a ya and a ta), which is a threat.

"Do you covet that they would believe you, while a party of them used to hear the words of Allah and then distort it after they had understood it while they were knowing? And when they meet those who believe, they say, 'We have believed'; but when they are alone with one another, they say, 'Do you talk to them about what Allah has revealed to you so they can argue with you about it before your Lord?' Then will you not reason? Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they declare?" (75-77)