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Word Analysis & Comparison
24. Surah • 40. Verse
Word Analysis
أَوْ
aw
Or
فِى
fī
in
مِّن
min
on it
مِّن
min
on it
إِذَآ
idhā
When
لَمْ
lam
hardly
وَمَن
waman
And (for) whom
لَّمْ
lam
not
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah (has) made
لَهُۥ
lahu
for him
فَمَا
famā
then not
لَهُۥ
lahu
for him
مِن
min
(is) any
Rashad Khalifa
The Final Testament
Another allegory is that of being in total darkness in the midst of a violent ocean, with waves upon waves, in addition to thick fog. Darkness upon darkness - if he looked at his own hand, he could barely see it. Whomever GOD deprives of light, will have no light.
The Monotheist Group
The Quran: A Monotheist Translation
Or like the darkness out in a deep ocean in the midst of violent waves, with waves upon waves and dark clouds. Darkness upon darkness, if he brings out his own hand, he could barely see it. And for whoever God does not make a light, he will have no light.
Edip-Layth
Quran: A Reformist Translation
Or like the darkness out in a deep ocean in the midst of violent waves, with waves upon waves and dark clouds. Darkness upon darkness, if he brings out his own hand, he could barely see it. For whomever God does not make a light, he will have no light.
Marmaduke Pickthall
Holy Quran Translation
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.
Al-Hilali & Khan
Holy Quran Translation
Or [the state of a disbeliever] is 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 Allâh has not appointed light, for him there is no light.
Abdul Haleem
Holy Quran Translation
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.
Taqi Usmani
Holy Quran Translation
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.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Holy Quran Translation
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 A'la Maududi
Tafhim commentary
Or its similitude is that of depths of darkness upon an abysmal sea, covered by a billow, above which is a billow, above which is cloud, creating darkness piled one upon another; when he puts forth his hand, he would scarcely see it.[1] He to whom Allah assigns no light, he will have no light.[2]
2
Here is stated the real object of the discourse which began with: Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. When in fact there is no light in the universe except the Light of Allah and all manifestation of reality is due to that Light, where from can the one whom Allah does not give light have light? There exists no other source of light from where he can receive a ray.
1
This parable describes the condition of all the disbelievers and the hypocrites including those who perform good deeds for ostentation. It is being stated that such people are passing their life in a state of absolute and complete ignorance, whether they are the most learned people in the world and leaders in their respective fields of learning. They are like the man who is lost in complete darkness where no ray of light can reach him. They think that knowledge merely consists in producing atom bombs, hydrogen bombs, supersonic planes and moon rockets, or in attaining excellence in economics and finance and law and philosophy. But they little understand that real knowledge is something entirely different and they have no idea of it. Thus considered they are just ignorant, and an illiterate peasant who has gained some acquaintance of the divine truth is wiser than them.
Mustafa Khattab
The Clear Quran
Or ˹their deeds are˺ like the darkness in a deep sea, covered by waves upon waves,[1] 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!
George Sale
Holy Quran Translation
Or, as the darkness in a deep sea, covered by waves riding on waves, above which are clouds, being additions of darkness one over the other; when one stretcheth forth his hand, he is far from seeing it. And unto whomsoever God shall not grant his light, he shall enjoy no light at all.
Bijan Moeinian
Holy Quran Translation
Their case may also be likened to a man who find himself in the middle of a violent ocean. There are waves upon waves. It is so dark that he cannot even see his own hand when stretching it for swimming in desperation. The one whom God has deprived of light, cannot find any light.
E. Henry Palmer
Holy Quran Translation
Or like darkness on a deep sea, there covers it a wave above which is a wave, above which is a cloud,- darknesses one above the other,- when one puts out his hand he can scarcely see it; for he to whom God has given no light, he has no light.
Mahmoud Ghali
Holy Quran Translation
Or (they are) as darkness (es) in a tumultuous sea (vast and deep) enveloped by waves above which are waves, upon which are clouds: darknesses above each other, (Some of them "are" above some "others") when he brings out his hand, he could almost not see it. And for whomever Allah makes no light, then in no way (can) he have light.
Arthur John Arberry
Holy Quran Translation
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.
Hamid S. Aziz
Holy Quran Translation
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.
Ali Quli Qarai
Holy Quran Translation
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, and one whom Allah has not granted any light has no light.
Aisha Bewley
Holy Quran Translation
Or they are like the darkness of a fathomless sea which is covered by waves above which are waves above which are clouds, layers of darkness, one upon the other. If he puts out his hand, he can scarcely see it. Those Allah gives no light to, they have no light.
Amatul Rahman Omar
Holy Quran Translation
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.
Mohamed Ahmed - Samira
Holy Quran Translation
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.
Muhammad Asad
Holy Quran Translation
Or [else, their deeds are] like the depths of darkness upon an abysmal sea, made yet more dark by wave billowing over wave, with [black] clouds above it all: depths of darkness, layer upon layer, [so that] when one holds up his hand, he can hardly see it: for he to whom God gives no light, no light whatever has he!
Syed Vickar Ahamed
Holy Quran Translation
Or (the disbelievers condition) is like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, overcome by huge waves on top of huge waves, with (darkest) clouds at the top: Depths of darkness, one upon another: If a man opened out his hand, he can barely see it! And for him Allah does not give Light, there is no Light!
Progressive Muslims
Holy Quran Translation
Or like the darkness out in a deep ocean in the midst of violent waves, with waves upon waves and dark clouds. Darkness upon darkness, if he brings out his own hand, he could barely see it. And for whomever God does not make a light, he will have no light.
Abdel Khalek Himmat
Al- Muntakhab
Or a world of darkness similar to that found in the depth of an ocean where billowy waves are superimposed upon billowy waves topped by dark clouds creating a coat of darkness superimposed upon coats of darkness where he sits or moves misted with darkness that if he stretches his hand he can hardly see it*. And he whom Allah blinds his mind's eyes and darkens his eyes shall he devoid of spiritual light and his hopes shall he doomed to disappointment.
Shabbir Ahmed
Holy Quran Translation
Or total darkness in the midst of a deep ocean, with waves upon waves and a thick cloud above - darkness upon darkness. When he holds out his hand, he can barely see it. Allah's Law does not give light to him who disregards His Light.
Sahih International
(Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)
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.
Sam Gerrans
The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation
Or like darkness in a fathomless sea: there covers it a wave, above which is a wave, above which are clouds: — darknesses one above another! — when he holds out his hand, he scarcely sees it. And he for whom God has made no light, there is for him no light.