Tafsir of Fussilat 41:5

"And they said, 'Our hearts are within...'"

[Al-Akinna]: The plural of kinan, which is a covering.

[Al-Waqr]: With a fatha (vowel 'a'), it means heaviness. It is also recited with a kasra (vowel 'i').

These are metaphors for their hearts’ refusal to accept or believe in the truth, as if they are inside sheaths and coverings that prevent it from penetrating them, similar to His saying: "And they said, 'Our hearts are wrapped'" (Al-Baqarah: 88).

Their ears’ rejection of it is as if they are deaf to it. Because of the distance between the two paths and the two religions, it is as if there is a concealing veil and an impenetrable barrier—like a mountain or similar—between them and what they follow, and the Messenger of Allah and what he follows. Thus, there is no meeting and no seeing.

[So act]: According to your religion, [for we are acting] according to our religion. Or: "Act to invalidate our affair, for we are acting to invalidate your affair." It is also recited as: Inna 'amilun (Verily, we are acting).

If you ask: Does the addition of "min" (from) in His saying: "And between us and you is a veil" serve a purpose? I say: Yes. If it were said, "And between us and you is a veil," the meaning would be that a veil exists somewhere between the two sides. But with the addition of "min," the meaning is that the veil originates from our side and originates from your side; thus, the entire space between our side and your side is occupied by the veil, with no gap in it.

If you ask: Why was it not said, "Upon our hearts are coverings" ('ala qulubina akinna), just as it was said, "And in our ears is heaviness" (fi adhanina waqr), so that the speech would follow a single pattern? I say: It is on a single pattern, for there is no difference in meaning between saying "Our hearts are in coverings" and "Upon our hearts are coverings." The proof for this is His saying: "We have placed coverings over their hearts" (Al-An'am: 25). If it were said, "We have placed their hearts in coverings," the meaning would not change. You will see that those who are eloquent do not observe parallelism and strict adherence to form except in the meanings themselves.

"Say, 'I am only a man like you, to whom it has been revealed that your god is but one God; so take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness.' And woe to the polytheists—those who do not give Zakah, and in the Hereafter they are disbelievers."