Verse Meaning

According to the classical exegete Imam Al-Tabari, verse 10:42 of Surah Yunus addresses the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) concerning the Makkans who physically listen to the Quran but derive no benefit. The verse poses a rhetorical question: 'Can you make the deaf hear, even if they do not use their reason?' This is not about physical deafness, but a spiritual state. Ibn Kathir explains that just as the Prophet cannot make a physically deaf person hear, he cannot guide those whom Allah has willed to remain spiritually deaf. [10] The crucial element, as highlighted by multiple scholars, is the qualifier 'even though they do not reason' (wa law kānū lā ya`qilūn). Al-Qurtubi clarifies that this distinguishes them from an intelligent deaf person who might understand through other means; these individuals compound their spiritual deafness with a refusal to engage their intellect. The synthesis of classical tafsirs reveals that the obstacle to guidance here is twofold: a closed heart (spiritual deafness) and a closed mind (rejection of reason), a combination that makes human-led guidance impossible and underscores that true guidance is a divine gift solely from Allah. [3, 4]