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Surah 11. Hud, Ayah 5

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أَلَآ إِنَّهُمْ يَثْنُونَ صُدُورَهُمْ لِيَسْتَخْفُوا۟ مِنْهُ ۚ أَلَا حِينَ يَسْتَغْشُونَ ثِيَابَهُمْ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
Al a innahum yathnoona s udoorahum liyastakhfoo minhu al a h eena yastaghshoona thiy a bahum yaAAlamu m a yusirroona wam a yuAAlinoona innahu AAaleemun bi tha ti a l ss udoor i
Oh, verily, they [who are bent on denying the truth of this divine writ] are enshrouding their hearts in order to hide from Him.7 Oh, verily, [even] when they cover themselves with their garments [in order not to see or hear],8 He knows all that they keep secret as well as all that they bring into the open - for, behold, He has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men].
  - Mohammad Asad

Since the people referred to in this verse obviously do not believe in the divine origin of Muhammad's message, their "hiding from God" can have, in this context, only one meaning - namely, that of a metaphor for their unwillingness to listen to the truth which emanates from Him: and this also explains the statement that they are "enshrouding their hearts" (lit., "bosoms", as at the end of this verse), i.e., are allowing their hearts and minds to remain wrapped-up in prejudices, thus making them impervious to spiritual perception. See in this connection 8:55 and the corresponding note [58].

The above interpolation corresponds to the meaning given to the preceding phrase by most of the lexicographers (cf. Lane VI, 2262).

Behold! They cover up their chests to conceal their thoughts from Him! Beware! Even when they cover themselves with their garments, He knows what they conceal and what they reveal; for He knows even the inmost secrets of the chests.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Indeed, they1 enfold 'what is in' their hearts, 'trying' to hide it from Him! But even when they cover themselves with their clothes, He knows what they conceal and what they reveal. Surely He knows best what is 'hidden' in the heart.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 The hypocrites or the disbelievers.

Lo! now they fold up their breasts that they may hide (their thoughts) from Him. At the very moment when they cover themselves with their clothing, Allah knoweth that which they keep hidden and that which they proclaim. Lo! He is Aware of what is in the breasts (of men).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Behold! they fold up their hearts that they may lie hid from Him! Ah! even when they cover themselves with their garments He knoweth what they conceal and what they reveal: for He knoweth well the (inmost secrets) of the hearts. 1496 1497
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The heart (literally breast in Arabic) is already well guarded in the body; and secrets are supposed to be hidden in the heart or breast. Foolish persons might further cover up their hearts with cloaks, but even so, nothing can be hidden from Allah.

Cf. iii. 119.

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