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Explanatory Note
The next verse portrays a vivid scene, full of details, showing their behaviour: “Whenever a sūrah is revealed, they look at one another [as if to say]: ‘Is anyone watching?’ Then they turn away. God has turned their hearts away, for they are people devoid of understanding.”
When we read this verse, the scene of these hypocrites is large in front of us. We see them at the moment when a new sūrah is revealed, with some of them looking at each other winking and wondering: “Is anyone watching?” Then they feel that the believers are preoccupied with their own business, so they go out stealthily, hoping not to be noticed: “Then they turn away.” But the eye which never loses sight of anything follows them with a curse that suits their suspicious deed: “God has turned their hearts away.” Their hearts are turned away from the right guidance. They deserve to remain deep in error, “for they are people devoid of understanding.” This is because they have kept their hearts and minds idle, unable to function properly. All of this scene is portrayed so skilfully and vividly using only a few words.