Surah An-Nur 24:40 — translation and meaning

النور · Verse 40 / 64 · Page 355

ۗ ۚ أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُّجِّيٍّ يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُورًا فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُّورٍ

Word by Word

ۗ
ۚ
أَوْ
aw
Or
كَظُلُمَاتٍ
kazulumatin
(is) like (the) darkness[es]
فِي
fi
in
بَحْرٍ
bahrin
a sea
لُّجِّيٍّ
lujjiyyin
deep
يَغْشَاهُ
yaghshahu
covers it
مَوْجٌ
mawjun
a wave
مِّن
min
on it
فَوْقِهِ
fawqihi
on it
مَوْجٌ
mawjun
a wave
مِّن
min
on it
فَوْقِهِ
fawqihi
on it
سَحَابٌ
sahabun
a cloud
ظُلُمَاتٌ
zulumatun
darkness[es]
بَعْضُهَا
ba'duha
some of it
فَوْقَ
fawqa
on
بَعْضٍ
ba'din
others
إِذَا
idha
When
أَخْرَجَ
akhraja
he puts out
يَدَهُ
yadahu
his hand
لَمْ
lam
hardly
يَكَدْ
yakad
hardly
يَرَاهَا
yaraha
he (can) see it
وَمَن
waman
And (for) whom
لَّمْ
lam
not
يَجْعَلِ
yaj'ali
Allah (has) made
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah (has) made
لَهُ
lahu
for him
نُورًا
nuran
a light
فَمَا
fama
then not
لَهُ
lahu
for him
مِن
min
(is) any
نُّورٍ
nurin
light

Transliteration

Aw kazulumaatin fee bahril lujjiyyiny yaghshaahu mawjum min fawqihee mawjum min fawqihee mawjum min fawqihee sahaab; zulumatum ba'duhaa fawqa ba'din izaaa akhraja yadahoo lam yakad yaraahaa wa mal lam yaj'alil laahu lahoo noora famaa lahoo min noor

Translation

Or [they are] like darknesses within an unfathomable sea which is covered by waves, upon which are waves, over which are clouds - darknesses, some of them upon others. When one puts out his hand [therein], he can hardly see it. And he to whom Allah has not granted light - for him there is no light.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

Or their deeds are like the many darkness in the depth of the ocean, over which is a wave, over which is another wave, over which is a cloud covering the navigating stars. Compounded layers of darkness, one above the other; if the one that finds himself among such darkness were to remove his hand in front of him, he would barely see it. Likewise is a disbeliever: the darkness of ignorance, doubt, confusion and his heart being sealed up, gather up on him. Whoever Allah does not grant guidance from error to and knowledge of the Book, will never find any other guidance or any other book from which he can seek enlightenment.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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