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Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

Verse 17of 286

مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى ٱسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًۭا فَلَمَّآ أَضَآءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُۥ ذَهَبَ ٱللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِى ظُلُمَٰتٍۢ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ﴿١٧

Translation (Sahih International)

Their example is that of one who kindled a fire, but when it illuminated what was around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness [so] they could not see.

Word-by-word meaning

مَثَلُهُمْmathaluhumTheir example
كَمَثَلِkamathali(is) like (the) example
ٱلَّذِىalladhī(of) the one who
ٱسْتَوْقَدَis'tawqadakindled
نَارًۭاnārana fire
فَلَمَّآfalammāthen, when
أَضَآءَتْaḍāatit illuminated
مَاwhat
حَوْلَهُۥḥawlahu(was) around him
ذَهَبَdhahabatook away
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah
بِنُورِهِمْbinūrihimtheir light
وَتَرَكَهُمْwatarakahumand left them
فِىin
ظُلُمَـٰتٍۢẓulumātindarkness[es]
لَّا(so) not
يُبْصِرُونَyub'ṣirūna(do) they see

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

The Example of the HypocritesAllah likened the hypocrites when they bought deviation with guidance, thus acquiring utter blindness, to the example of a person who started a fire. When the fire was lit, and illumnitated the surrounding area, the person benefited from it and felt safe. Then the fire was suddenly extinguished. Therefore, total darkness covered this person, and he became unable to see anything or find his way out of it.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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