The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 104
CH. 11 HŪD folded or bent the thing; he turned one part of it upon the other; he drew one of its two extremities to the other; he joined or adjoined one of the things to the other. means, he turned Zaid away or back from his course, or from the object of his want. lit. he folded his breast or) ثنا صدره bosom) means, he concealed enmity in his breast or bosom; or he folded up what was in it, in concealment. ,means انهم يثنون صدورهم The expression surely they infold and conceal in their bosoms enmity and hatred; or they bend their breasts or bosoms and fold up and conceal what is therein (Lane & Aqrab). PT. 11 objections hidden in their minds and do not disclose them to others and have them removed. This is why they cannot see the right way. Unless one seeks the satisfaction of doubts by disclosing them to others who are in a position to remove them, one can never attain to truth. they) يستغشون ثيابهم The expression cover themselves with their garments) is used when a person turns a deaf ear to another man and refuses to see the truth. Thus the second reason why disbelievers were debarred from accepting the truth was that they refused to listen to the Holy Prophet. They not only themselves abstained from listening to the Holy Prophet but also prevented others from doing so, declaring that what he preached was magic and would captivate their hearts if they hearkened to it (see 21:4; 41:27; 46:8; 74:25). This attitude of disbelievers in refusing to listen to the Holy Prophet was even more injurious for them than their keeping doubts hidden in (they cover themselves with their garments). is derived from which is again derived from which means, it covered or concealed or overwhelmed. or means, he covered himself with his garment in order that he might not see or hear; or he put his garment as a covering over his ears- a phrase denoting a refusal to hearken, or, as some say, an allusion their hearts, because there is a to running (Lane). Commentary: In the previous verse, mention was made of the obstacles which of themselves happen to come in the way of men, and of the means to remove them, while the present verse speaks of the obstacles which men themselves put in their way and which can be removed only if they desire to have them removed. The expression(they fold up their breasts) means that disbelievers keep their doubts and 1312 possibility, however remote, that a person who does not disclose his doubts to others may sometimes happen to listen to a discourse dealing with the subject about which he entertains doubts and may thus have them removed by chance, but there is no hope for a person who refuses to listen to the truth. The verse points to the fact that disbelievers have to deal with a Being Who knows even their secret ideas and therefore they cannot take shelter under the false plea that, as the truth