( أَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ) (Has it not become clear): (To become clear) means to be shown or revealed.

( لِلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ الْأَرْضَ مِن بَعْدِ أَهْلِهَا) (to those who inherited the earth after its [previous] people): All people inherit the earth, with all that it includes and everything on it. We inherited it from the generations that preceded us, our fathers and ancestors, and our children will inherit it from us; this is the cycle of life. Allah (swt) says:

 وَتِلْكَ الْأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ

(And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people) (Ali-Imraan: 140)

( أَن لَّوْ نَشَاءُ أَصَبْنَاهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ) (that if We willed, We could afflict them for their sins): Everything happens according to Allah’s (swt) Divine Will. And our own will is involved as well because we actively committ sins. So, we should avoid committing sins if we want to avoid its consequences.

( وَنَطْبَعُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ ) (But We seal over their hearts): (To seal) is to enclose. Allah (swt) also says:

 خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ

(Allah has set a seal upon their hearts) (Al-Baqara: 7)

The heart is the vessel of faith, so if it is sealed, faith cannot enter it and disbelief remains within it.

( فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ) (so they do not hear): It means that they do not benefit from what they hear from the Prophets (PBUT) and from the signs and evidence they witness. It can be said that they do not truly listen. Allah (swt) says:

 فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْأَبْصَارُ وَلَٰكِن تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي الصُّدُورِ

(For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts.) (Al-Hajj: 46)