And there are some of them who listen to you when you recite and We have placed veils covers upon their hearts so that they do not understand it so that they do not comprehend the Qur’ān; and in their ears a heaviness a deafness so that they do not hear it with a willingness to accept it. And if they were to see every sign they would not believe in it so that when they come to you to argue with you the disbelievers say ‘This Qur’ān is nothing but the fables the lies of the ancients’ similar to their jokes and strange tales asātīr ‘fables’ is the plural of ustūra.
- 6:2525
وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَجَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَنْ يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا ۚ وَإِنْ يَرَوْا كُلَّ آيَةٍ لَا يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَا ۚ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءُوكَ يُجَادِلُونَكَ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ
And some of them there are that listen to thee, and We lay veils upon their hearts lest they understand it, and in their ears heaviness; and if they see any sign whatever, they do not believe in it, so that when they come to thee they dispute with thee, the unbelievers saying, 'This is naught but the fairy-tales of the ancient ones.'
- common.revelation-Meccan
- common.hizb : 52