ذَٰلِكُمْ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُوهِنُ كَيْدِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ · إِن تَسْتَفْتِحُوا۟ فَقَدْ جَآءَكُمُ ٱلْفَتْحُ وَإِن تَنتَهُوا۟ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ … وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ
"So it is; and God is the one who weakens the scheming of those who disbelieve. If you were seeking a decision, the decision has now come to you. If you desist, that is better for you… Do not be like those who said 'we have heard' while they do not hear."
مُوهِنُ كَيْدِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِين — the root و-ه-ن was treated in Luqmān 31/14 and in al-ʿAnkabūt 29/41 (the loosening of strength; the flimsiness of the spider's house). I rely on that treatment.
إِن تَسْتَفْتِحُوا۟ فَقَدْ جَآءَكُمُ ٱلْفَتْحُ — the root ف-ت-ح was analysed in detail in al-Fatḥ on the occasion of the sūra's name (to open what is closed; to give judgment). I do not repeat it here.
And the lexicographers dwell on who is addressed in the sentence: to whom the request for istiftāḥ belongs (the other side, or this side) has been disputed. I transmit the disagreement and do not impose a preference.
And this pair was treated in al-Baqara 2/93 (samiʿnā wa ʿaṣaynā) and 2/285 (samiʿnā wa aṭaʿnā). al-Anfāl adds a third state: what is said is right, but there is nothing answering to it.
| Place | Word | State |
|---|---|---|
| al-Baqara 2/93 | Samiʿnā wa ʿaṣaynā | Open refusal |
| al-Baqara 2/285 | Samiʿnā wa aṭaʿnā | Acceptance |
| al-Anfāl 8/21 | Samiʿnā + wa hum lā yasmaʿūn | Empty acceptance |
This is a triad that can be verified across three sūras. I record this as my own reading: the state al-Anfāl describes does not stand somewhere between the two — it is less open than the first, but in terms of outcome it is close to it.
And in Fuṣṣilat 41/4-5 (fa-hum lā yasmaʿūn) it was recorded that not hearing is the consequence of turning away; I rely on that treatment.