Quran Universe
2:17

مَثَلُهُمۡ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِي ٱسۡتَوۡقَدَ نَارٗا فَلَمَّآ أَضَآءَتۡ مَا حَوۡلَهُۥ ذَهَبَ ٱللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمۡ وَتَرَكَهُمۡ فِي ظُلُمَٰتٖ لَّا يُبۡصِرُونَ

Mathaluhum kamathali allathee istawqada naran falamma adaat ma hawlahu thahaba Allahu binoorihim watarakahum fee thulumatin la yubsiroona

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.

Word by word
  1. مَثَلُهُمۡTheir example
  2. كَمَثَلِ(is) like (the) example
  3. ٱلَّذِي(of) the one who
  4. ٱسۡتَوۡقَدَkindled
  5. نَارٗاa fire
  6. فَلَمَّآthen,when
  7. أَضَآءَتۡit illuminated
  8. مَاwhat
  9. حَوۡلَهُۥ(was) around him
  10. ذَهَبَtook away
  11. ٱللَّهُAllah
  12. بِنُورِهِمۡtheir light
  13. وَتَرَكَهُمۡand left them
  14. فِيin
  15. ظُلُمَٰتٖdarkness [es]
  16. لَّا(so) not
  17. يُبۡصِرُونَ(do) they see
Al-Baqarah · 2:17Madinah

The fire was lit, and then the light was gone.

A parable of light that was lost

The parable
a man lights a firehe can see, he feels safe
then
the light is takensmoke and darkness stay
What was lost
never had the lightjust stayed in the dark
had it, then lost itbelieved, then turned

Ibn Kathir explains the parable: a man lights a fire, it lights up everything around him, he feels safe. Then it goes out, and only darkness and smoke remain. So were those who first believed, then preferred misguidance.

Remember the Ramadan when you prayed every night and felt close. The Hajj trip. The month after a loss when the Quran made sense. Then life got busy and the light quietly went out. Notice it while you still remember what it looked like.

I was close to Allah once; it will come back by itself.

Light I had can be lost if I stop tending it.

Try this

Bring back one small act from your best spiritual season, just for today.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it illuminated all around him, Allah removed their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see (17)They are deaf, dumb, and blind, so they return not (to the right path)(18)

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 ظُلُمَـٰتٍ

(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,

بُكْمٌ

(dumb) and cannot utter the words that might benefit them,

 عُمْيٌ

(and blind) in total darkness and deviation. Similarly, Allah said,

 فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْأَبْصَارُ وَلَٰكِن تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي 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.