This verse continues the image of the previous verse. Their light was taken away, and they were left in darknesses in which they do not see. Now verse 18 states the result in three short and heavy words: deaf, mute, blind.

These words are not merely physical descriptions. The Qur’an is speaking about people who have physical ears, tongues, and eyes, but in relation to truth their instruments of reception, expression, and discernment have stopped working. They do not hear truth, their tongues do not open to truthful admission, and they do not see the path.

The combination matters. If they were only deaf, they might still see signs. If only mute, they might still hear. If only blind, they might still hear and speak. But with deafness, muteness, and blindness together, the image is of a complete closure of the pathways of being taught and responding.

In verse 15, they were wandering blindly. In verse 17, light was taken from them. Here, the loss reaches the level of deafness, muteness, and blindness before truth.

The verse ends: “so they do not return.” Return becomes possible when a person hears something, sees a sign, or can answer truthfully. When hearing truth, seeing signs, and speaking truth are closed together, the path of return remains closed.

• Al-Baqarah 2:15— Being extended in transgression and wandering.
• Al-Baqarah 2:17— Their light was taken away and they were left in darknesses.
• Al-Baqarah 2:7— Sealing of hearts and hearing, and covering over sight.
• Al-Baqarah 2:171— The same phrase, “deaf, mute, blind,” with a different ending: “so they do not reason.”
• Al-A‘raf 7:179— Hearts that do not understand, eyes that do not see, and ears that do not hear.
• Al-Hajj 22:46— True blindness is the blindness of hearts within chests.