وَحَسِبُوٓاْ أَلَّا تَكُونَ فِتۡنَةٞ فَعَمُواْ وَصَمُّواْ ثُمَّ تَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ثُمَّ عَمُواْ وَصَمُّواْ كَثِيرٞ مِّنۡهُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرُۢ بِمَا يَعۡمَلُونَ
They supposed there would be no testing, so they became blind and deaf. Thereafter Allah accepted their repentance, yet [again] many of them became blind and deaf, and Allah watches what they do.
Agha Ali Puya Commentary
Commentary on Quran 5:71
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 5:71] The Jews wrongly supposed that, as they were once the favourites of Allah, they would never be punished for their evil deeds, so they turned deaf and blind to the truth. Out of His mercy Allah sent many prophets to them but belying the prophets of Allah and slaying them had become their second nature. Here fitna means affliction. Aqa Mahdi Puya says: This verse also refers to the usurpers, tyrants and despots who deviate from the prescribed path of Allah inspite of the warnings they receive from the pious and godly men. Instead of paying attention to the admonition, they persecute and kill the holy devotees of Allah, make some minor adjustments to deceive the people and continue to walk on the path of Shaytan. The so-called Muslim rulers, after breaking the covenant made at Ghadir Khum, followed this line of action, under the disguise of avoiding discord and trouble as if they knew more than Allah and the Holy Prophet.