"Their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they returned their hands to their mouths."

"Their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they returned their hands to their mouths." (14:9)
Abdur-Razzaaq: The rejected what the messengers came with. Its chain is authentic.

Another opinion states: They shut the messenger's mouths with their hands to silence them.

Silencing the callers to Islam and the reformers is an old tactic.

Today, various means are used which are more sophisticated. The callers to Islam must be aware of this.