سورة البَقَرَة
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:19
The Cow · Verse 19 of 286
أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَاتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ مِنَ الصَّوَاعِقِ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ مُحِيطٌ بِالْكَافِرِينَ
Abdul Mannan Omar
Or (the case of some of the hypocrites is) like (the case of those who are hit by) heavy downpour from the clouds wherein there are different kinds of darkness, thunder and lightning. They plug their ears with their fingers against the thunder-claps fearing death. And Allâh encompasses the disbelievers (to punish them).
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Or (another similitude) is that of a rain-laden cloud from the sky: In it are zones of darkness, and thunder and lightning: They press their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunder-clap, the while they are in terror of death. But Allah is ever round the rejecters of Faith!
Ahmed Ali
Or like rain pouring from the sky which hides within it darkness, thunder and lightning. They thrust their fingers into their ears for safety against noise and death. But God surrounds those who believe not from all sides.
12 more translations
Ali Unal
Or like (those caught in) a rainstorm from the sky, accompanied by veils of darkness, thunderclaps and flashes of lightning. (Terrified by the thunder, and as if they might thereby evade a possible stroke of lightning), they press their fingers into their ears in fear of death. This is how God has encompassed the unbelievers from all sides.
Daryabadi
like unto a rain--laden cloud from heaven, wherein are darknesses and thunder and lightening. They so put their fingers in their ears because of the thunder-claps, guarding against death, and Allah is Encompasser of the infidels.
Faridul Haque
Or like a rainstorm from the sky, in which are darkness, thunder and lightning; they thrust their fingers in their ears due to the thunderclaps, fearing death; and Allah has the disbelievers encompassed.
Maulana Muhammad Ali
Or like abundant rain from the cloud in which is darkness, and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder-peal, for fear of death. And Allah encompasses the disbelievers.
Maulvi Sher Ali
Or, it is like a heavy rain from the clouds, wherein is thick darkness and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder claps for fear of death, and ALLAH encompasses the disbelievers.
Muhammad Asad
Or [the parable] of a violent cloudburst in the sky, with utter darkness, thunder and lightning: they put their fingers into their ears to keep out the peals of thunder, in terror of death; but God encompasses [with His might] all who deny the truth.
Muhammad Musin Khan
Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder, and lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allah ever encompasses the disbelievers (i.e. Allah will gather them all together).
Muhammad Pickthall
Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder and the flash of lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears by reason of the thunder-claps, for fear of death, Allah encompasseth the disbelievers (in His guidance, His omniscience and His omnipotence).
Muhammad Sarwar
Or it is like that of a rain storm with darkness, thunder, and lightning approaching. They cover their ears for fear of thunder and death. God encompasses those who deny His words.
Muhammed ali Shakir
Or like abundant rain from the cloud in which is utter darkness and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder peal, for fear of death, and Allah encompasses the unbelievers.
Rashad Khalifa
Another example: a rainstorm from the sky in which there is darkness, thunder, and lightning. They put their fingers in their ears, to evade death. GOD is fully aware of the disbelievers.
Shabbir Ahmed
Another example is that of a rainstorm from the sky with darkness, thunder and lightning. They plug their ears with their fingers for fear of death. And God encompasses the deniers.
Commentary 2:19 The analogy of rain and water from heaven (كَصَيِّبٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ) symbolizes Divine Revelations that pour down in the periods of spiritual drought…
أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَـٰتٌۭ وَرَعْدٌۭ وَبَرْقٌۭ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِم مِّنَ ٱلصَّوَٰعِقِ حَذَرَ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ مُحِيطٌۢ بِٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
2:19 The analogy of rain and water from heaven (كَصَيِّبٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ) symbolizes Divine Revelations that pour down in the periods of spiritual drought and utter moral darknesses (ظُلُمَـٰتٌ.) Thunder (رَعْدٌۭ) is an analogy for warnings, which accompany the Revelations, and lightning ((بَرْقٌۭ symbolizes the hope for rain in a state of drought. We are told, “It is He, Who shows you the lightning to induce fear and to inspire hope [in you]; and [it is He] Who raises the heavy clouds; and the thunder glorifies Him with His true praise and [so do] the angels in awe of Him. He sends the thunderbolts and therewith smites whom He will. Yet they dispute about Allâh, though He is Mighty in prowess” (13:12-13). As the rain is a mercy from Allâh, so is Revelation. As rain is accompanied by thunder, which is a warning of severe weather and lightening - a promise of hope for life-giving rain, in the same way Revelation comes with a message of hope as well as a warning. Rûmî says, “Allâh continually turns you from one state of feeling to another, revealing His Truths by means of opposites, so that you may have two wings; fear and hope, وَرَعْدٌۭ وَبَرْقٌۭ for the bird with one wing is unable to fly” (Mathnawî Rûmî). Then we read: وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً لِّيُطَهِّرَكُم بِهِ وَيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمْ رِجْزَ الشَّيْطَانِ “He sends down upon you water from clouds that He might thereby purify you and remove from you the scour of satan, that He might thereby strengthen your hearts and make your feet firm and strong” (8:11) and again, وَاللَّهُ أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۚ - “It is Allâh Who sends down water from above and with it He gives life to the earth after its death. Surely there is a sign in this for the people who would listen” (16:66; 2:164; 6:6; 16:10).
“Heavy downpour” (صَيِّبٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ) also refers to the heaviest of Revelations, namely the Holy Qur’ân. Just as lightning and thunder bring messages of hope and fear, so this Divine Revelation, in the form of Holy Qur’ân, came to people with dual tidings. However, many refused to hear either message. They block their ears both physically and spiritually and refuse to listen. The physical analogy is the action of putting the fingers in the ears, which does not protect them in a thunderstorm because lightning can still strike them.