Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 17

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Their situation is like that of a man who kindles a fire, and when it illuminates everything around him, Allah takes away their lights and leaves them in layers of darkness, so that they see nothing.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Their example is that of someone who kindles a fire, but when it lights up all around them, Allah takes away their light, leaving them in complete darkness—unable to see.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Their likeness is that of someone who kindles a fire. When it illuminates all around him, Allah takes away their light, leaving them in utter darkness, unable to see.

A. J. Arberry

The likeness of them is as the likeness of a man who kindled a fire, and when it lit all about him God took away their light, and left them in darkness unseeing

Abdul Haleem

They are like people who [labour to] kindle a fire: when it lights up everything around them, God takes away all their light, leaving them in utter darkness, unable to see-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Their likeness is as the likeness of him who kindleth a fire, then when it hath lit up that which is around him, Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darknesses where they see not

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Their similitude is that of a man who kindled a fire; when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in utter darkness. So they could not see.

Abul Ala Maududi

Their condition may be described in a parable: a man kindled a fire and when it illuminated all around him, Allah took away the light from their eyes and left them in utter darkness, where they could not see anything.

Ahmed Ali

They are like a man who kindles a fire, and when its glow has illumined the air God takes away their light leaving them in the dark where they will not be able to see.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Their example is like that of one who kindled a fire; and when it lit up all that was around it, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness, unable to see anything.

Ali Quli Qarai

Their parable is that of one who lighted a torch, and when it had lit up all around him, Allah took away their light, and left them sightless in a manifold darkness.

Ali Ünal

They are like him who (while traveling with company in the desert, halted for the night and) kindled a fire (for light and warmth and protection). However, when the fire had just lit all around him (and the company had become comfortable but were not properly appreciative of the fire and failed to guard it against wind, the fire was extinguished. Thus) God took away their light and left them in darkness, unseeing.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Their case is like the case of a person who kindled a fire (in darkness) but no sooner did it light up their surroundings than Allâh took away their light and left them in different kinds of darkness, (in a state in which) they could see nothing.

English Literal

Their example (is) as the one who ignited a fire, so when it lit/illuminated what (is) around/surrounding him, God took/went away with their light, and left them in darknesses, they do not see/understand .

Faridul Haque

Their example is like that of one who kindled a fire; and when it lit up all that was around it, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness, unable to see anything.

Hamid S. Aziz

Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindles a fire; and when it lights up all around, Allah goes off with their light, and leaves them in darkness that they cannot see.

Hilali & Khan

Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Their parable is as the parable of one who kindles a fire, but when it illumines all around him, Allah takes away their light, and leaves them in darkness -- they cannot see.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Their parable is like the parable of one who kindled a fire, but when it had illumined all around him, Allah took away their light, and left them in utter darkness-- they do not see.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindleth fire, and when it sheddeth its light around him Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, where they cannot see,

Muhammad Sarwar

(Their case) is like that of one who kindles a fire and when it grows bright God takes away its light leaving him in darkness (wherein) he cannot see (anything).

Qaribullah & Darwish

Their example is like one who kindled a fire, and when it lit all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. They could not see.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it illuminated all around him, Allah removed their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see.

Wahiduddin Khan

They are like those who kindled a fire, and when it lighted up all around them, God took away their sight and left them in utter darkness, unable to see --

Talal Itani

Their likeness is that of a person who kindled a fire; when it illuminated all around him, God took away their light, and left them in darkness, unable to see.

Tafsir jalalayn

Their likeness, the way they are in their hypocrisy, is as the likeness of one who kindled, that is, [one who] lit a fire in darkness, and when it illumined all about him, so that he is able to see, and to feel warm and secure from those he feared, God took away their light, extinguishing it (the plural pronoun [in nrihim] takes into account the [plural] import of alladh); and left them in darkness, unable to see, what is around them, confused as to the way, in fear; likewise are those who have found [temporary] security by professing faith, but who will meet with terror and punishment upon death; these [last] are;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Example of the Hypocrites

Allah says,

مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي اسْتَوْقَدَ نَاراً فَلَمَّا أَضَاءتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ

Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it illuminated all around him,

Allah 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 illuminated 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.

Further, this person could not hear or speak and became so blind that even if there were light, he would not be able to see. This is why he cannot return to the state that he was in before this happened to him. Such is the case with the hypocrites who preferred misguidance over guidance, deviation over righteousness. This parable indicates that the hypocrites first believed, then disbelieved, just as Allah stated in other parts of the Qur'an.

Allah's statement,

ذَهَبَ اللّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ

Allah removed their light,

means, Allah removed what benefits them, and this is the light, and He left them with what harms them, that is, the darkness and smoke.

Allah said,

وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَاتٍ

And left them in darkness,

that is their doubts, disbelief and hypocrisy.

لااَّ يُبْصِرُونَ

(So) they could not see.

meaning, they are unable to find the correct path or find its direction.

In addition, they are,

صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ