"Say, I only warn you by revelation," meaning by the Quran, through which I warn you of the punishment of this world and the punishment of the Hereafter, referring to the polytheists. "But the deaf will not hear the call," meaning the summon, "when they are warned." The deaf here are the disbelievers, for they have been deafened to guidance.
﴿قل إِنَّمَا أنذركم بِالْوَحْي﴾ بِالْقُرْآنِ، أُنْذِرُكُمْ بِهِ عَذَابَ الدُّنْيَا وَعَذَابَ الْآخِرَةِ يَعْنِي: الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿وَلا يسمع الصم الدُّعَاء﴾ يَعْنِي: النِّدَاءَ ﴿إِذَا مَا يُنْذَرُونَ﴾ والصم هَاهُنَا: الْكفَّار؛ صموا عَن الْهدى
