The Quran

Preface

وَمَن أَظلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِآياتِ رَبِّهِ فَأَعرَضَ عَنها وَنَسِيَ ما قَدَّمَت يَداهُ ۚ إِنّا جَعَلنا عَلىٰ قُلوبِهِم أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفقَهوهُ وَفي آذانِهِم وَقرًا ۖ وَإِن تَدعُهُم إِلَى الهُدىٰ فَلَن يَهتَدوا إِذًا أَبَدًا

Yusuf Ali

And who doth more wrong than one who is reminded of the Signs of his Lord, but turns away from them, forgetting the (deeds) which his hands¹ have sent forth? Verily We have set veils over their hearts lest they should understand this, and over their ears, deafness, if thou callest them to guidance, even then will they never accept guidance.

Considering the power of sin, and how it gets hold of the hearts of men, and considering all the wrongs that men have done, it is the height of folly and injustice on their part to turn away from warnings which are given expressly for their good. But a stage of callousness is reached, when, by their own choice, they have rendered themselves impervious to God’s Grace. At that stage a veil is put over their hearts and they are left alone for a time, that they may commune with themselves and perhaps repent and seek God’s Mercy again. If they do not, it is their own loss. See next verse.