Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 19

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Or (it is) like a rainstorm from the sky, bringing darkness, thunder and lightning; they thrust their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps for fear of death, -and Allah encompasses the disbelievers.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Or ˹those caught in˺ a rainstorm from the sky with darkness, thunder, and lightning. They press their fingers into their ears at the sound of every thunder-clap for fear of death. And Allah encompasses the disbelievers ˹by His might˺.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Or like a downpour from the sky accompanied by darkness, thunder, and lightning. They put their fingers into their ears out of thunderclaps, for fear of death. But Allah encompasses the disbelievers.

A. J. Arberry

or as a cloudburst out of heaven in which is darkness, and thunder, and lightning -- they put their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps, fearful of death; and God encompasses the unbelievers;

Abdul Haleem

Or [like people who, under] a cloudburst from the sky, with its darkness, thunder, and lightning, put their fingers into their ears to keep out the thunderclaps for fear of death- God surrounds the disbelievers.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

like unto a rain--laden cloud from heaven, wherein are darknesses and thunder and lightening. They so put their fingers in their ears because of the thunder-claps, guarding against death, and Allah is Encompasser of the infidels.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Or (another similitude) is that of a rain-laden cloud from the sky; In it are zones of darkness, and thunder and lightning; They press their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunder-clap, the while they are in terror of death. But Allah is ever round the rejecters of Faith!

Abul Ala Maududi

Or (still another parable may be cited to depict their condition): heavy rain is falling from the sky, accompanied by pitch darkness, thunder and lightning. When they hear the thunderclap, they thrust their fingers into their ears for fear of death, but Allah is encircling the disbelievers on all sides.

Ahmed Ali

Or like rain pouring from the sky which hides within it darkness, thunder and lightning. They thrust their fingers into their ears for safety against noise and death. But God surrounds those who believe not from all sides.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Or like a rainstorm from the sky, in which are darkness, thunder and lightning; they thrust their fingers in their ears due to the thunderclaps, fearing death; and Allah has the disbelievers encompassed.

Ali Quli Qarai

Or that of a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder and lightning: they put their fingers in their ears due to the thunderclaps, apprehensive of death; and Allah besieges the faithless.

Ali Ünal

Or like (those caught in) a rainstorm from the sky, accompanied by veils of darkness, thunderclaps and flashes of lightning. (Terrified by the thunder, and as if they might thereby evade a possible stroke of lightning), they press their fingers into their ears in fear of death. This is how God has encompassed the unbelievers from all sides.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Or (the case of some of the hypocrites is) like (the case of those who are hit by) heavy downpour from the clouds wherein there are different kinds of darkness, thunder and lightning. They plug their ears with their fingers against the thunder-claps fearing death. And Allâh encompasses the disbelievers (to punish them).

English Literal

Or as a rain from the sky, in it (is) darknesses and thunder and lightning, they put their fingers intheir ears from the thunderous noise , fearing the death , and God (is) with the disbelievers surrounding/enveloping .

Faridul Haque

Or like a rainstorm from the sky, in which are darkness, thunder and lightning; they thrust their fingers in their ears due to the thunderclaps, fearing death; and Allah has the disbelievers encompassed.

Hamid S. Aziz

Or like a storm-cloud from the sky, wherein is darkness and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers in their ears at the thunder-clap, for fear of death, for Allah encompasses the disbelievers.

Hilali & Khan

Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder, and lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allah ever encompasses the disbelievers (i.e. Allah will gather them all together).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Or like abundant rain from the cloud in which is darkness, and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder-peal, for fear of death. And Allah encompasses the disbelievers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Or like abundant rain from the cloud in which is utter darkness and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder peal, for fear of death, and Allah encompasses the unbelievers.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder and the flash of lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears by reason of the thunder-claps, for fear of death, Allah encompasseth the disbelievers (in His guidance, His omniscience and His omnipotence).

Muhammad Sarwar

Or it is like that of a rain storm with darkness, thunder, and lightning approaching. They cover their ears for fear of thunder and death. God encompasses those who deny His words.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Or, like (those who, under) a cloudburst from the sky with darkness, thunder and lightning, they thrust their fingers in their ears at the sound of every thunderclap for fear of death, and Allah encompasses the unbelievers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Or like a rainstorm in the sky, bringing darkness, thunder, and lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allah ever encompasses the disbelievers.

Wahiduddin Khan

Or their case is like that of heavy rain pouring down from the clouds, accompanied by darkness, thunder and lightning; they thrust their fingers in their ears at the sound of thunderclaps for fear of death. God thus encompasses those who deny the truth.

Talal Itani

Or like a cloudburst from the sky, in which is darkness, and thunder, and lightning. They press their fingers into their ears from the thunderbolts, in fear of death. But God surrounds the disbelievers.

Tafsir jalalayn

Or, the likeness of them is as a cloudburst, that is, [the likeness of them is] as people are during rain (ka- sayyib; the term is originally sayyb, from [the verb] sba, yasbu, meaning `it came down'); out of the heaven, out of the clouds, in which clouds is darkness, layer upon layer, and thunder, the angel in charge of them [sc. the clouds]; it is also said that this [thunder] is actually the sound of his voice; and lightning, the flash caused by his voice which he uses to drive them -- they, the people under the rain, put their fingers, that is, their fingertips, in their ears against, because of, the thunderclaps, the violent sound of thunder, in order not to hear it, cautious of, fearful of, death, if they were to hear it. Similar is the case with these; when the Qur'n is revealed, in which there is mention of the unbelief that is like darkness, the threat of punishment that is like the sound of thunder, and the clear arguments that are like the clear lightning, they shut their ears in order not to hear it and thereby incline towards [true] faith and abandon their religion, which for them would be death; and God encompasses the disbelievers in both knowledge and power, so they cannot escape Him.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Another Parable of the Hypocrites

Allah says,

أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاء فِيهِ ظُلُمَاتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ

Or like a rainstorm in the sky, bringing darkness, thunder, and lightning.

This 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.

Ad-Dahhak said

"It is the clouds."

However, the most accepted opinion is that;

it means the rain that comes down during,
ظُلُمَاتٌ
(darkness),

meaning, here, the doubts, disbelief and hypocrisy.

وَرَعْدٌ
(thunder), that shocks the hearts with fear.

The hypocrites are usually full of fear and anxiety, just as Allah described them,

يَحْسَبُونَ كُلَّ صَيْحَةٍ عَلَيْهِمْ

They think that every cry is against them. (63;4)

and,

وَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُمْ لَمِنكُمْ وَمَا هُم مِّنكُمْ وَلَـكِنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ يَفْرَقُونَ

لَوْ يَجِدُونَ مَلْجَياً أَوْ مَغَـرَاتٍ أَوْ مُدَّخَلً لَّوَلَّوْاْ إِلَيْهِ وَهُمْ يَجْمَحُونَ

They swear by Allah that they are truly of you while they are not of you, but they are a people who are afraid. Should they find refuge, or caves, or a place of concealment, they would turn straightway thereto in a swift rush. (9;56-57).

وَبَرْقٌ
(The lightning),

is in reference to the light of faith that is sometimes felt in the hearts of the hypocrites.

Allah said,

يَجْعَلُونَ أَصْابِعَهُمْ فِي اذَانِهِم مِّنَ الصَّوَاعِقِ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ واللّهُ مُحِيطٌ بِالْكافِرِينَ



They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allah ever encompasses the disbelievers.

meaning, their cautiousness does not benefit them because they are bound by Allah's all-encompassing will and decision.

Similarly, Allah said,

هَلُ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْجُنُودِ

فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ

بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِى تَكْذِيبٍ

وَاللَّهُ مِن وَرَايِهِمْ مُّحِيطٌ

Has the story reached you of two hosts. Of Fir`awn (Pharaoh) and Thamud! Nay! The disbelievers (persisted) in denying. And Allah encompasses them from behind! (85;17-20)

Allah then said