And the akinnah: the plural of kinan, which is the cover. And al-waqar - with the opening - is the heaviness. It is also recited with the kasrah. These are representations of the numbness of their hearts from accepting the truth and believing in it, as if they are in coverings and veils that prevent it from penetrating them, as His saying, 'And they said, Our hearts are veiled.' And their hearing is as if they have deafness from it. And due to the distance between the two doctrines and religions, it is as if there is between them and what they are upon, and between the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and what he is upon: a covering veil and a strong barrier like a mountain or similar. So there is no meeting or seeing. 'So work upon your religion; indeed, we are working upon our religion.' Or 'So work in nullifying our matter; indeed, we are working in nullifying your matter.' And it is recited, 'Indeed, we are working.' If you say:

Is there any benefit in the addition of مِنْ in His saying, "And between us and you is a barrier"? I said: Yes, because if it were said: "And between us and you is a barrier," the meaning would be that a barrier exists in the middle of the two sides. However, with the addition of مِنْ, the meaning is that a barrier has begun from us and has begun from you. Thus, the middle distance between our side and your side is entirely filled with the barrier, with no void. [Mahamud said: "If you say: What is the benefit of مِنْ in His saying, 'And between us and you is a barrier?'" He answered that its benefit is to indicate that from their side the barrier has begun, and from his side as well a barrier has begun. This necessitates that the middle distance between them is filled with the barrier and has no void in it. Were it not for the mention of مِنْ, the meaning would be that there is only a barrier in the distance between them." Ahmad said: "The meaning does not change with the entry of مِنْ from what it was before. If it were for a reason as mentioned, then مِنْ would be understood with the second 'between,' because it has been made beneficial for the beginning in the second as it is beneficial for the beginning in the first. The estimation would then be: 'And between us and you is a barrier.' This would disrupt the meaning of 'between' in a clear manner, for it rejects the repetition of the agent with it. Even if someone were to say: 'I sat between Zaid, and I sat between Amr,' it would not be correct, because the repetition of the agent makes it apply only to a singular and cuts it off from its preceding counterpart. Its nature is to apply to multiple, because within its meaning is the notion of being in the middle. Al-Zamakhshari added to this by making the second 'between' different from the first, as he made the first from their side and the second from his side. But the matter is not as he thought; rather, the first 'between' is the same as the second, and it refers to the middle position between the two addressees. Its repetition was only because the conjunction is implied and preserved, thus the repetition of its preserver, which is 'between,' is necessary. The evidence for this is that there is no difference by agreement between saying: 'I sat between Zaid and Amr,' and saying: 'I sat between Zaid and between Amr.' The mention of it with the explicit is permissible, and with the implied is obligatory, as we have explained. If this is clarified, then it appears - and Allah knows best - that the position of مِنْ here is like its position in His saying: "And We made a barrier before them and a barrier behind them." This is to indicate that the middle position, for example, between them and the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, is the beginning of the barrier and nothing else. The existence of مِنْ is close to its absence. Do you not see how at the end of this verse, it did not use مِنْ, which is His saying: "And when you recite the Quran, We made a barrier between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter, a concealed barrier. And We placed upon their hearts coverings so they do not understand it, and in their ears deafness." Al-Zamakhshari's words, if examined with the verification we have mentioned, reveal their weakness. And Allah is the grantor of success. In this verse and its like, there is such eloquence and rhetoric that it is not fitting to be found except in the pearls of the Noble Book. For it includes the mention of three successive barriers: each one sufficient in its own right. The first is the external barrier, followed by the barrier of deafness. The last is the barrier that covers the heart, and we seek refuge with Allah from it. This verse has not left any loose barrier except that it has cast it down, nor has it left these wretched ones any hope or refuge except that it has taken it away. So we ask Allah for His sufficiency. If you say: Why was it not said: 'Upon our hearts are coverings,' as it was said: 'And in our ears is deafness,' so that the speech would be in a uniform manner? I said: It is in a uniform manner, for there is no difference in meaning between saying: 'Our hearts are in coverings' and 'Upon our hearts are coverings.' The evidence for this is His saying: "Indeed, We made upon their hearts coverings." If it were said: "Indeed, We made their hearts in coverings," the meaning would not differ. And you see their scholars do not consider the balance and observation except in meanings.