لَاهِيَةً قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَأَسَرُّوا۟ ٱلنَّجْوَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ هَلْ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ ۖ أَفَتَأْتُونَ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَأَنتُمْ تُبْصِرُونَ
Important Words:
لاھیة (forgetful) is derived from لھا. They say لھا عنه i.e. he became diverted from it so as to forget it (Lane). See also 6:33.
أفتأتون (Will you then accede to) is derived from أتی. They say أتیته i.e. I came to him or it. أتی الشیء means, he did the thing; أتی البینة means, he advanced the proof. أتی بالذنب means, he committed the offence. آتیته علی الامر means, I agreed with him or in regard to the affair. أفتأتون السحر means, do you approach or come to, or accede to or yield to magic (Lane & Mufradat).
Commentary:
The main objection of disbelievers against every Prophet has always been that he is an ordinary man like themselves. This objection has also been mentioned in 14:11; 23:25, 34; 26:155; 36:16 & 64:7. It has been answered in 12:110; 14:12; 16:44-45 & 17:96. Here this objection is answered in v. 8 below.
It is strange that while on the one hand the disbelievers say that there is nothing in the Holy Prophet above an ordinary man, on the other they concede that he is a magician i.e. he possesses superior intellect. Divine Prophets are called magicians because their teachings produce a magical effect on the listeners. The verse implies an admission on the part of disbelievers that the Quran does possess a fascinating power and it is difficult for an unprejudiced and fair-minded person to reject its teaching.
The main objection of disbelievers against every Prophet has always been that he is an ordinary mortal like themselves (14:11; 23:25, 34; 26:155; 36:16 & 64:7). This objection has been answered in 12:110; 14:12; 16:44, 45 & 17:96. Here it is answered in v. 8. The answer is this that while on the one hand the disbelievers say that there is nothing in the Holy Prophet different from an ordinary man, on the other they concede that he is a sorcerer, i.e. he possesses superior intellect. Divine Prophets are called sorcerers because their teachings produce a magical effect on the listeners. The verse implies an admission on the part of disbelievers that the Qur’an does possess a fascinating power and that it is really difficult for an unprejudiced and fair- minded person to reject its teaching.