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Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

Verse 20of 286

يَكَادُ ٱلْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَٰرَهُمْ ۖ كُلَّمَآ أَضَآءَ لَهُم مَّشَوْا۟ فِيهِ وَإِذَآ أَظْلَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَامُوا۟ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَٰرِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ﴿٢٠

Translation (Sahih International)

The lightning almost snatches away their sight. Every time it lights [the way] for them, they walk therein; but when darkness comes over them, they stand [still]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.

Word-by-word meaning

يَكَادُyakāduAlmost
ٱلْبَرْقُl-barquthe lightning
يَخْطَفُyakhṭafusnatches away
أَبْصَـٰرَهُمْ ۖabṣārahumtheir sight
كُلَّمَآkullamāWhenever
أَضَآءَaḍāait flashes
لَهُمlahumfor them
مَّشَوْا۟mashawthey walk
فِيهِfīhiin it
وَإِذَآwa-idhāand when
أَظْلَمَaẓlamait darkens
عَلَيْهِمْʿalayhimon them
قَامُوا۟ ۚqāmūthey stand (still)
وَلَوْwalawAnd if
شَآءَshāahad willed
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah
لَذَهَبَladhahabaHe would certainly have taken away
بِسَمْعِهِمْbisamʿihimtheir hearing
وَأَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ ۚwa-abṣārihimand their sight
إِنَّinnaIndeed
ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
عَلَىٰʿalā(is) on
كُلِّkullievery
شَىْءٍۢshayinthing
قَدِيرٌۭqadīrunAll-Powerful

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Another Parable of the HypocritesThis is another parable which Allah gave about the hypocrites who sometimes know the truth and doubt it at other times. When they suffer from doubt, confusion and disbelief, their hearts are,كَصَيِّبٍ(Like a Sayyib), meaning, "The rain", as Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, and several other Companions have confirmed as well as Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ata', Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qatadah, `Atiyah Al-`Awfi, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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