Among them are those who listen to you; but We place covers over their hearts, to prevent them from understanding it, and heaviness in their ears. Even if they see every sign, they will not believe in it. Until, when they come to you, to argue with you, those who disbelieve will say, “These are nothing but myths of the ancients.”
They keep others from it, and avoid it themselves; but they ruin only their own souls, and they do not realize.
If only you could see, when they are made to stand before the Fire; they will say, “If only we could be sent back, and not reject the revelations of our Lord, and be among the faithful.”
What they used to conceal before will become clear to them. And even if they were sent back, they would revert to what they were forbidden. They are liars.
And when Our revelations are recited to them, they say, “We have heard. Had we wanted, we could have said the like of this; these are nothing but myths of the ancients.”
And they said, “Our God, if this is the truth from You, then rain down on us stones from the sky, or visit us with a painful affliction.”
But God would not punish them while you are amongst them. And God would not punish them as long as they seek forgiveness.
Whenever a chapter is revealed, some of them say, “Which of you has this increased in faith?” As for those who believe: it increases them in faith, and they rejoice.
But as for those in whose hearts is sickness: it adds disgrace to their disgrace, and they die as unbelievers.
Do they not see that they are tested once or twice every year? Yet they do not repent, and they do not learn.
And whenever a chapter is revealed, they look at one another, “Does anyone see you?” Then they slip away. God has diverted their hearts, because they are a people who do not understand.
We are well aware that they say, “It is a human being who is teaching him.” But the tongue of him they allude to is foreign, while this is a clear Arabic tongue.
Those who do not believe in God’s revelations—God will not guide them, and for them is a painful punishment.
It is those who do not believe in God’s revelations who fabricate falsehood. These are the liars.
When you read the Quran, We place between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter an invisible barrier.
And We drape veils over their hearts, preventing them from understanding it, and heaviness in their ears. And when you mention your Lord alone in the Quran, they turn their backs in aversion.