“When you recite the Quran, We place between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter a hidden barrier. And We place coverings over their hearts, preventing them from understanding it, and heaviness in their ears. When you mention your Lord alone in the Quran, they turn their backs in aversion. We know best what they are listening to when they listen to you, and when they confer in secret, when the wrongdoers say, ‘You follow only a man under a spell.’”

Allah, exalted is He, says: “When you recite the Quran, We place between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter a hidden barrier”—a barrier that prevents their hearts from understanding it and benefiting from it.

Qatadah said: “It refers to the coverings, and ‘hidden’ here means ‘concealing,’ just as in His words, ‘His promise is certain to come’ [Mary 19:61]: a passive form used in the sense of an active one.”

It was also said that it is hidden from people’s eyes, so that they cannot see it.

Some explained it as a physical veil from sight, as it is related from Sa'id ibn Jubayr that, when the verse, “Perish the hands of Abu Lahab,” was revealed, Abu Lahab’s wife came carrying a stone. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was with Abu Bakr, but she did not see him. She said to Abu Bakr, “Where is your companion? I have heard that he has lampooned me.” Abu Bakr replied, “By Allah, he neither speaks nor composes poetry.” So she turned back, saying, “I had brought this stone to crush his head.” Abu Bakr said, “Did she not see you, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “No. An angel remained between her and me, concealing me.” (1)

“And We place coverings over their hearts”—that is, veils—“preventing them from understanding it”: because they detest understanding it. It was also said: so that they would not understand it. “And heaviness in their ears”: so that they would not hear it.

“When you mention your Lord alone in the Quran”: that is, when, while reciting the Quran, you say, “There is no god but Allah.” “They turn their backs in aversion.” This is the plural of “one who flees,” like the plurals of “one who sits” and “one who is seated”; that is, they turn away fleeing.

“We know best what they are listening to.” It was said that the connecting particle is supplementary; that is, they seek to hear it. “When they listen to you”: while you recite the Quran. “And when they confer in secret”: they privately confer about you. It was also said that it means people engaged in private conference: some of them say, “He is mad”; others say, “He is a soothsayer”; others say, “He is a sorcerer”; and others say, “He is a poet.”

“When the wrongdoers say”—meaning al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah and his companions—“You follow only a man under a spell”: one affected by sorcery. Mujahid said: (2)