مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى ٱسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًۭا فَلَمَّآ أَضَآءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُۥ ذَهَبَ ٱللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِى ظُلُمَٰتٍۢ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ
17
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
English — 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.
اردو — مودودی
اِن کی مثال ایسی ہے جیسے ایک شخص نے آگ روشن کی اور جب اُس نے سارے ماحول کو روشن کر دیا تو اللہ نے اِن کا نور بصارت سلب کر لیا اور انہیں اس حال میں چھوڑ دیا کہ تاریکیوں میں انہیں کچھ نظر نہیں آتا
Bahasa Indonesia — Kemenag
Perumpamaan mereka adalah seperti orang yang menyalakan api, maka setelah api itu menerangi sekelilingnya Allah hilangkan cahaya (yang menyinari) mereka, dan membiarkan mereka dalam kegelapan, tidak dapat melihat.
Ibn Kathir
The Example of the Hypocrites
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 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. 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 اللَّهُ 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 ظُلُمَـتٍ
(And left them in darkness), that is their doubts, disbelief and hypocrisy.
لاَّ يُبْصِرُونَ
((So) they could not see) meaning, they are unable to find the correct path or find its direction. In addition, they are,
صُمٌّ
(deaf) and thus cannot hear the guidance,
بِكُمْ
(dumb) and cannot utter the words that might benefit them,
عَمًى
(and blind) in total darkness and deviation. Similarly, Allah said,
فَإِنَّهَا لاَ تَعْمَى الاٌّبْصَـرُ وَلَـكِن تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِى فِى الصُّدُورِ
(Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind) (22:46) and this why they cannot get back to the state of guidance that they were in, since they sold it for misguidance.
المُيَسَّر
حال المنافقين الذين آمنوا -ظاهرًا لا باطنًا- برسالة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، ثم كفروا، فصاروا يتخبطون في ظلماتِ ضلالهم وهم لا يشعرون، ولا أمل لهم في الخروج منها، تُشْبه حالَ جماعة في ليلة مظلمة، وأوقد أحدهم نارًا عظيمة للدفء والإضاءة، فلما سطعت النار وأنارت ما حوله، انطفأت وأعتمت، فصار أصحابها في ظلمات لا يرون شيئًا، ولا يهتدون إلى طريق ولا مخرج.