Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nur Verse 40

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Or (their deeds) are like layers of darkness in a vast deep sea overwhelmed by a wave, above which there is another wave, above which there are clouds - layers of darkness, one above the other. When one puts forth his hand, he can hardly see it; and the one to whom Allah does not give light can have no light at all.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Or ˹their deeds are˺ like the darkness in a deep sea, covered by waves upon waves,[[ This is another scientific fact mentioned in the Quran: the existence of underwater waves, like layers.]] topped by ˹dark˺ clouds. Darkness upon darkness! If one stretches out their hand, they can hardly see it. And whoever Allah does not bless with light will have no light!

Ruwwad Translation Center

Or [their deeds] are like layers of darkness in a deep sea covered by waves upon waves, above which are clouds - layers of darkness, one above another. If one stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it. Whoever Allah does not give light will have no light at all.

A. J. Arberry

or they are as shadows upon a sea obscure covered by a billow above which is a billow above which are clouds, shadows piled one upon another; when he puts forth his hand, wellnigh he cannot see it. And to whomsoever God assigns no light, no light has he.

Abdul Haleem

Or like shadows in a deep sea covered by wave upon wave, with clouds above- layer upon layer of darkness- if he holds out his hand, he is scarcely able to see it. The one to whom God gives no light has no light at all.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Or, like the darknesses in a sea deep; there covereth it a wave from above it, a wave from above it, above which is a cloud: darknesses one above anot her: when he putteth out his hand well-nigh he seeth it not. And upto whomsoever Allah shall not appoint a light, his shall be no light.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Or (the Unbelievers' state) is like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed with billow topped by billow, topped by (dark) clouds; depths of darkness, one above another; if a man stretches out his hands, he can hardly see it! for any to whom Allah giveth not light, there is no light!

Abul Ala Maududi

Or (their efforts may be likened to those of a man trying to swim in) a deep dark ocean, covered with billows, one over the other, and above it a cloud: darkness upon darkness: so much so that if he stretches out his hand, he cannot see it. There is no light for the one whom Allah does not give light.

Ahmed Ali

Or like darkness in a wide, wide sea, waves surging upon waves, with clouds overhanging, darkness on darkness. If you stretch your hand, you could hardly see it. For him whom God does not give any light, there is no light.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Or like realms of darkness on a deep sea, which is covered by a wave, the wave covered by another wave, and above it is a cloud; layers of darkness upon darkness; if he removes his hand it does not seem visible; and the one to whom Allah does not provide light – there is no light for him anywhere.

Ali Quli Qarai

Or like the manifold darkness in a deep sea, covered by billow upon billow, overcast by clouds; manifold [layers of] darkness, one on top of another: when he brings out his hand, he can hardly see it. One whom Allah has not granted any light has no light.

Ali Ünal

Or their deeds are like veils of darkness covering up an abysmal sea down into its depths, covered up by a billow, above which is a billow, above which is a cloud: veils of darkness piled one upon another, so that when he stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it. For whomever God has appointed no light, no light has he.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Or (the deeds of the disbelievers are) like thick utter darkness of the fathomless deep sea, waves on top of which there are higher waves covering its surface which is overcast by clouds. These are (layers of) darkness (piled) one upon the other (as opposed to light upon light for the believers) so that a person, however much he may try, can hardly see his hand when he holds it out. Indeed, there is no light at all for the person whom Allâh gives no light.

English Literal

Or as darknesses in a wide roaring and noisy sea/ocean , waves/surges cover/darken him/it , from above it waves/surges, from above it clouds, darknesses, some of it (is) above some, if he brought out his hand he is not about to/almost see it, and who God did not make/put for him light, so (there is) none from light (is) to/for him.

Faridul Haque

Or like realms of darkness on a deep sea, which is covered by a wave, the wave covered by another wave, and above it is a cloud; layers of darkness upon darkness; if he removes his hand it does not seem visible; and the one to whom Allah does not provide light – there is no light for him anywhere.

Hamid S. Aziz

But those who disbelieve, their works are like the mirage in a desert, the thirsty suppose it to be water till when he comes to it he finds nothing, but he finds, instead, Allah is with him; and He will pay him his account, for Allah is quick to take account.

Hilali & Khan

Or [the state of a disbeliever] is like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with a great wave topped by a great wave, topped by dark clouds, darkness, one above another, if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And those who disbelieve, their deeds are as a mirage in a desert, which the thirsty man deems to be water, until, when he comes to it, he finds it naught, and he finds Allah with him, so He pays him his due. And Allah is Swift at reckoning --

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Or like utter darkness in the deep sea: there covers it a wave above which is another wave, above which is a cloud, (layers of) utter darkness one above another; when he holds out his hand, he is almost unable to see it; and to whomsoever Allah does not give light, he has no light.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Or as darkness on a vast, abysmal sea. There covereth him a wave, above which is a wave, above which is a cloud. Layer upon layer of darkness. When he holdeth out his hand he scarce can see it. And he for whom Allah hath not appointed light, for him there is no light.

Muhammad Sarwar

Or it (the deeds of the unbelievers) are like the darkness of a deep, stormy sea with layers of giant waves, covered by dark clouds. It is darkness upon darkness whereby even if one stretches out his hands he can not see them. One can have no light unless God gives him light.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Or, they are like darkness upon a deep sea covered with a wave above which is another wave, above which are clouds, darkness piled one upon the other; when he stretches out his hand he can scarcely see it. Indeed, to whomsoever Allah assigns no light, he shall have no light.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Or like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with waves topped by waves, topped by dark clouds, (layers of) darkness upon darkness: if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light.

Wahiduddin Khan

Or like darkness on a deep ocean covered by waves billowing over waves and overcast with clouds: darkness upon darkness. If he stretches out his hand, he can scarcely see it. Indeed, the man from whom God withholds His light shall find no light at all.

Talal Itani

Or like utter darkness in a vast ocean, covered by waves, above which are waves, above which is fog. Darkness upon darkness. If he brings out his hand, he will hardly see it. He to whom God has not granted a light has no light.

Tafsir jalalayn

Or, [it is that] those who disbelieve, their evil deeds are, as the manifold darkness on a deep sea, covered by a billow, above which, that is, [above which] billow, there is [another] billow, above which, second billow, there are clouds, these being the, manifold [layers of] darkness, one on top of another, the darkness of the sea, the darkness of the first billow, the darkness of the second together with the darkness of the clouds. When he, an observer, holds out his hand, in such layers of darkness, he can scarcely see it, in other words, he would not [even] come close to seeing it. And he whom God has not granted any light has no light, that is to say, he whom God does not guide cannot be guided.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُّجِّيٍّ يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا

Or like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with waves topped by waves, topped by dark clouds, darkness upon darkness;if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it!

meaning, he can hardly see it because it is so intensely dark.

This is the parable of the heart of the disbeliever whose ignorance is simple, who merely follows and does not know the true nature of the one whom he follows or where he is going. He is like the ignorant man in the parable who was asked, "Where are you going?"

He said, "With them."

He was asked, "Where are they going?"

He said, "I do not know."

ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ


darkness upon darkness,

Ubayy bin Ka`b said;

"He is enveloped in five types of darkness;

his speech is darkness,

his deeds are darkness,

his coming in is darkness,

his going out is darkness and

his destiny on the Day of Resurrection will be darkness in the fire of Hell."

As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas also said something similar.

وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُورًا فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُّورٍ



And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light.

One whom Allah does not guide is ignorant and doomed, an utter loser and disbeliever.

This is like the Ayah;

مَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَ هَادِيَ لَهُ

Whomsoever Allah sends astray, none can guide him. (7;186)

This is in contrast to what Allah says about the believers;

يَهْدِى اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَأءُ

Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. (24;35)

We ask Allah the Almighty to put light in our hearts and give us light on our right and on our left, and to increase us in light