God (Allah)Divine JusticeQur'anic Exegesis (Tafsir)
What is the interpretation of Allah setting a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and a veil over their vision? Why would Allah do this if He wants us all to go to heaven?
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Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from ANU, Canberra. He has written and translated several Islamic texts and also prepared educational videos on Islamic rulings and practices. 858 Questions Answered & 3 Days Average Response Time.
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to religious questions. In the past, he has also spent significant time in India guiding the community. 4499 Questions Answered
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Sayed Mohammedhassan Alsheraa, Sayed MohammedHassan Alsheraa attended the Hawzah in Detroit, Michigan, in the United States. Thereafter he continued his Islamic studies in the Hawza of Karbala, Iraq. Alongside his Hawza studies, he is also a student of political science at the University of Michigan, USA. 1 Question Answered
Amir De Martino, Amir De Martino is of Italian origin and has an MA in Islamic Studies from the Islamic College and a combined BA degree in Persian Language and Studies of Religion from SOAS in London. He has also obtained a PGCE in Social Research Methods from the Department of Education at Roehampton University as part of his preparation for doctoral studies, and is a members of Westminster’s Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education.No Questions Answered
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Ayub Rashid, Shaykh Ayub Rashid is a graduate of the Islamic Seminary of Qom, Iran. He has a BA in Islamic law and MA in Islam and Community Studies from the UK and is also a qualified Muslim Chaplain from the Markfield Institute of Higher Education in Leicester.No Questions Answered
Greg Sowden, Ali Mahdi Greg Sowden studied world history at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Since then he has been a student at Al-Mustafa International University in Qom, in the Islamic Republic of Iran.No Questions Answered
Jaffer Ali Ladak, Shaykh Jaffer Ali Ladak is from Milton Keynes in the UK and has studied at Jami'a Imam as-Sadiq (a) Hawza Imam al-Jawad (a) in Karbala and at Al Mahdi Institute in Birmingham. He is currently completing his Masters Degree in Islamic Law at the Islamic College in London. He has also authored a book on Lady Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Imam Ali (a).No Questions Answered
Amina Inloes,

Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the Islamic College in London and also the Managing Editor of the Journal of Shi'a Islamic Studies.

730 Answers
Abbas Di Palma,

Shaykh Abbas Di Palma holds a BA and an MA degree in Islamic Studies, and certifications from the Language Institute of Damascus University. He has also studied traditional Islamic sciences in London, Damascus and Qom and taught for different institutions in Italy and UK.

208 Answers
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Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answer updated 3 years ago

Qur'an 2:7 says: "Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and there is a covering over their eyes"

This refers to the loss of the ability to perceive the truth, especially about matters of the divine, truth, or right and wrong. (It does not refer to physical seeing and hearing, but rather seeing and hearing as metaphorical faculties for understanding. Similarly, the heart here is understood as a spiritual organ which perceives the truth.)

Although the verse attributes the sealing of the heart and ears to Allah, it is generally understood to mean that human beings bring this upon themselves through repeated transgression and obduracy against the truth, or denying the truth for personal gain. For instance, in the time of the Prophet (S), some of his enemies were trying to kill him or torturing the Muslims. Over time, this eats away at the capability of the heart (or other faculties) to perceive the truth, until it becomes blocked.

The verse does not specify who is covering their eyes, only that they are covered, and this suggests that they themselves are drawing blinders over their ability to perceive. (In the time of the Prophet (S), some people did this directly - for instance, plugging their ears when around the Prophet (S); today, some people do this by intentionally only going to media websites which reflect their views and ideologies and refusing to consider that they could be wrong.)

Some people who hold there is a reality to deeds in the unseen world would say that the performance of certain transgressions leaves an impact on the spiritual heart - that is to say, people plug up their hearts (ears, etc) through wrong deeds, just like one might plug up a drain over a long time through running detritus through it and not cleaning it out (through repentance and good acts). 

So it is a matter of cause and effect, or action and reaction, based on our own free will. 

However, Allah is the ultimate doer of all acts and all chains of cause and effect ultimately go back to Allah since Allah is the ultimate power in the universe. Furthermore, all things happen with Allah's permission and within the framework of what the divine decree allows, as well as the physical and spiritual laws of the universe. So for these reasons, the sealing is attributed to Allah. 

As for whether Allah intends for all of us to go to heaven... as one of the few creatures around us with free will, heaven and hell are possibilities for all of us, although we can be certain of Allah's justice, and hope for Allah's mercy and the intercession of the Prophet (S) and awliya (A).

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