أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَـٰتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِم مِّنَ ٱلصَّوَٰعِقِ حَذَرَ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ مُحِيطٌۢ بِٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ 19
Translations
Or [it is] like a rainstorm from the sky within which is darkness, thunder and lightning. They put their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps in dread of death. But Allāh is encompassing of the disbelievers.
Transliteration
Aw kasayyibin minas-sama'i fihi zulumat wa-ra'd wa-barq yaj'alun asabi'ahum fi adhanihim minas-sa'iqah hadhara al-mawt wa-Allahu muhit bi-al-kafireen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah uses the vivid metaphor of a rainstorm with darkness, thunder, and lightning to describe the spiritual state of disbelievers who fear the message of Allah. The image of people covering their ears in terror from lightning strikes illustrates how the disbelievers reject the Quran and divine signs out of fear and stubbornness. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this represents those who recognize the truth but deliberately turn away, and Allah emphasizes that He fully encompasses the disbelievers in His knowledge and control, ensuring accountability.
Revelation Context
This verse is part of Surah Al-Baqarah's broader section (2:15-20) describing the condition of hypocrites and disbelievers in Madinah during the early Islamic period. It follows the parable of the rain and precedes another metaphor about life and death, forming a thematic discussion on how the disbelievers respond to Allah's signs with fear and rejection.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to Surah Al-Baqarah's theme of guidance versus misguidance. While no specific hadith directly references this verse, the general principle is supported by hadith collections emphasizing deliberate rejection of truth, such as statements in Sunan Ibn Majah about those who knowingly turn away from guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
Just as people protect themselves from physical danger, the disbelievers instinctively fear the signs of Allah, yet their deliberate turning away demonstrates that rejection of truth often stems from spiritual hardness rather than intellectual doubt. Modern believers should reflect that no amount of evasion can escape Allah's perfect knowledge and divine plan.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا ٱدْخُلُوا۟ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَدًا وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُولُوا۟ حِطَّةٌ نَّغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَـٰيَـٰكُمْ ۚ وَسَنَزِيدُ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
And [recall] when We said, "Enter this city [i.e., Jerusalem] and eat from it wherever you will in [ease and] abundance, and enter the gate bowing humbly and say, 'Relieve us of our burdens [i.e., sins].' We will [then] forgive your sins for you, and We will increase the doers of good [in goodness and reward]."
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ نُؤْمِنُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَيَكْفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَآءَهُۥ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ ۗ قُلْ فَلِمَ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنۢبِيَآءَ ٱللَّهِ مِن قَبْلُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
And when it is said to them, "Believe in what Allāh has revealed," they say, "We believe [only] in what was revealed to us." And they disbelieve in what came after it, while it is the truth confirming that which is with them. Say, "Then why did you kill the prophets of Allāh before, if you are [indeed] believers?"
وَإِنْ عَزَمُوا۟ ٱلطَّلَـٰقَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And if they decide on divorce - then indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
يَمْحَقُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ وَيُرْبِى ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ أَثِيمٍ
Allāh destroys interest and gives increase for charities. And Allāh does not like every sinning disbeliever.