Tafsir of Al-An'am 6:25

"And among them are those who listen to you" when you recite the Qur'an. It is narrated that Abu Sufyan, al-Walid, al-Nadr, 'Utbah, Shaybah, Abu Jahl, and their likes gathered to listen to the recitation of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). They said to al-Nadr, "O Abu Qutaylah, what is Muhammad saying?" He replied, "By the One who made it His House—meaning the Ka'bah—I do not know what he is saying, except that he moves his tongue and speaks the legends of the ancients, like what I have told you about past generations." Abu Sufyan said, "I truly see it as the truth." Abu Jahl said, "Not at all." Thus, this was revealed.

"And [We have placed] coverings over their hearts and deafness in their ears" is a metaphor for the repulsion of their hearts and hearing from accepting it or believing in its truth. The attribution of the action to Himself—His saying "And We have placed"—is to indicate that it is a fixed state in them that does not depart from them, as if they were created with it. Alternatively, it is a narration of what they themselves used to say: "And they said, 'Our hearts are within coverings from that to which you invite us'" (Fussilat: 5). Talhah read it as wiqran (with a kasra on the waw).

"Until, when they come to you, they argue with you" "Until" (hatta) is the one followed by a sentence, and the sentence is "when they come to you, they argue with you." The phrase "they argue with you" is in the position of a state (hal). It is also permissible for it to be a preposition, where "when they come to you" is in the genitive case, meaning "until the time of their coming," and "they argue with you" is the state. His saying "those who disbelieve say" is an explanation of it. The meaning is that their denial of the verses reached the point where they argue and dispute with you. Their argument is explained by their saying: "This is not but legends of the ancients," thereby labeling the Word of Allah—the most truthful of speech—as myths and lies, which is the ultimate form of denial.

"While they forbid [others] from it"—meaning from the Qur'an, or from the Messenger (ﷺ) and his followers—"and distance themselves from it." They go astray and lead others astray. "And they do not destroy except themselves," for the harm does not extend beyond them to others, even if they think they are harming the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

It is also said that this refers to Abu Talib, for he used to forbid the Quraysh from harming the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), yet he distanced himself from it and did not believe. It is narrated that they gathered to Abu Talib and intended evil toward the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), so he said:

By Allah, they shall never reach you with their gathering, Until I am laid in the earth, buried. So proclaim your command; there is no shame upon you, Rejoice in that, and let your eyes be cool. You invited me, and you claimed you are a sincere advisor, And you have spoken the truth, and you were then trustworthy. You presented a religion which, without doubt, is The best of the religions of all creation. Were it not for the blame or fear of insult, You would have found me compliant and clear regarding it.

Thus, this was revealed.

"If you could but see when they are made to stand before the Fire and will say, 'Oh, would that we could be returned [to life on earth] and not deny the signs of our Lord and be among the believers.' But what they concealed before has appeared to them. And even if they were returned, they would return to that which they were forbidden; and indeed, they are liars."