Surah Al-Baqarah — Verse 18

Word Meanings:

• Summun (صُمٌّ): Deaf — unable to hear the truth in a way that leads to acceptance and reflection.
• Bukmun (بُكْمٌ): Mute — unable to speak or utter the truth they have come to know.
• Umyun (عُمْيٌ): Blind — unable to perceive the light of guidance, as if they have no insight or vision of the heart.
• Lā Yarji‘ūn (لَا يَرْجِعُونَ): They do not return — meaning they cannot turn back from their misguidance to the path of faith.

Explanation of the Verse:

This verse continues the description of the hypocrites, painting a vivid picture of their spiritual state. They are described as deaf — not in the physical sense, but in the sense that their hearts are sealed against the truth. When the Qur’an is recited and wisdom is proclaimed, they hear the words but do not hear the message; they do not listen with the intention to accept and obey. It is as if they never heard at all.

They are mute — for even if they acknowledge some truth within themselves, they do not speak it. They do not testify to the Oneness of Allah, nor do they call others to goodness. Their tongues are tied when it comes to truth, though they are eloquent in falsehood and deception.

They are blind — for they cannot see the signs of Allah in the universe, nor the light of guidance in the revelation. Their blindness is not of the eyes, but of the heart and the insight. They walk through life stumbling in darkness, unable to perceive the clear path that leads to salvation.

And because of all this, they do not return — they cannot turn back from their hypocrisy and misguidance to the faith they once abandoned. Their hearts have become so hardened, so sealed, that the door of repentance seems closed to them — not because Allah’s mercy is limited, but because they have chosen this path persistently and rejected every call to guidance.

A Call to Reflection:

Dear reader, this description is not meant to despair you, but to awaken you. The hypocrites are warned here because they knew the truth and turned away from it deliberately. But you — you who are reading these words — have been given a living heart, an open ear, and a seeing eye. Do not let your heart become like theirs. Do not let the noise of this world deafen you to the call of your Lord. Do not let pride silence your tongue from speaking the truth. Do not let desires blind your insight from recognizing the signs around you.

The Qur’an is a light that illuminates every darkness. The Prophet ﷺ is a mercy that guides every seeker. And Allah’s door of repentance is open until the very last moment of your life. So return to Him now, with a sincere heart, before the day comes when returning will no longer be possible. Indeed, Allah loves those who turn back to Him, and He rejoices in their repentance more than a traveler who finds his lost camel in the desert. Do not be among those who hear but do not listen, who see but do not perceive, who know but do not act. Be among those who hear the truth and embrace it, who see the light and follow it, and who return to their Lord with a heart full of submission and love.