Tafsir of Al-Anbiya' 21:45-46

"Say, 'I only warn you by revelation.' But the deaf will not hear the call when they are warned."

[Exegesis of "The deaf will not hear"] It is recited: wa-lā yasmaʿu al-ṣumm (the deaf will not hear) and wa-lā tasmaʿu al-ṣumm (you [O Prophet] will not make the deaf hear), using both the tāʾ and the yāʾ.

• With the tāʾ: It means: "You, O Prophet, cannot make the deaf hear."
• With the yāʾ: It means: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cannot make them hear," or it is from the verb asmʿa (to cause to hear).

[Question and Answer] Question: If you say, "The deaf do not hear the call of the one who brings good tidings, just as they do not hear the call of the warner, so why is it specified: 'when they are warned'?"

Answer: The definite article (al-) in al-ṣumm (the deaf) refers specifically to these people being warned—it is for ʿahd (specific reference) rather than jins (generic classification). The original meaning is: "And they do not hear when they are warned." The noun (al-ṣumm) was placed in the position of the pronoun to indicate their deliberate deafness and their blocking of their own ears when warned. That is, they possess this quality of audacity and boldness in feigning deafness toward the signs of warning.

[Exegesis of "And if a touch of the punishment of your Lord should touch them..."] "And if there should touch them" — from this which they are being warned about — even the slightest thing, they would submit, humble themselves, and confess that they wronged themselves when they feigned deafness and turned away.

In the words mass (touch) and nafḥah (a puff/slight touch), there are three levels of intensification, because nafḥ carries the meaning of scarcity and smallness. It is said: "The beast nafaḥahu (kicked him slightly)," meaning a light kick, and "He nafaḥahu with a gift," meaning he gave him a small portion. It is also used for the marrah (the single instance of an action).

"And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all. And if there is [even] the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountant."