24. Surah an-Nur

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَعْمَالُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍ بِقِيعَةٍ يَحْسَبُهُ الظَّمْآنُ مَاء...

24: 39 [Ali]. But the Unbelievers -- their deeds are like a mirage in sandy deserts, which the man parched with thirst mistakes for water;

C3010. We have had various metaphors to give us an idea of the beneficent Light of Allah. Now we have contrasted metaphors to enable us to see those who deny or refuse that Light, and are overwhelmed in utter darkness.

The Light (of Allah) is an absolute Reality, and is mentioned first, and the souls that follow that Light are a reflected reality and are mentioned after the Light.

On the other hand the Darkness is not a reality in itself, but a negation of reality; the reflected existences that refuse the Light are mentioned, and then their state, which is Unreality.

Two metaphors are given:

- a mirage, in this verse,

- and the depths of darkness in the sea, in the next,

...حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءهُ لَمْ يَجِدْهُ شَيْئًا ...

until when he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing:

C3011. The mirage, of which I have seen several instances in the Arabian deserts and in Egypt, is a strange phenomenon of illusion. It is a trick of our vision.

In the language of our Parable, it rejects the Light which shows us the Truth, and deceives us with Falsehood.

A lonely traveller in a desert, nearly dying of thirst, sees a broad sheet of water. He goes in that direction, lured on and on, but finds nothing at all. He dies in protracted agony.

... وَوَجَدَ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ فَوَفَّاهُ حِسَابَهُ...

but he finds Allah (ever) with him, and Allah will pay him his account:

C3012. The rebel against Allah finds himself like the man deluded by a mirage. The Truth which he rejected is always with him. The mirage which he accepted leads to his destruction.

...وَاللَّهُ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ ﴿٣٩﴾

and Allah is swift in taking account.

أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُّجِّيٍّ...

24:40. Or (the Unbelievers' state) is like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean,

...يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ...

overwhelmed with billow topped by billow, topped by (dark) clouds:

C3013. What a graphic picture of darkness in the depths of the Ocean, wave upon wave, and on top of all, dense dark clouds!

There is so little light even in ordinary depths of the Ocean that fishes which live there lose their eyes as useless organs.

...ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ ...

depths of darkness, one above another:

C3014. A contrast to "Light upon Light" in 24:35 above.

... إِذَا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا...

if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it!

...وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُورًا فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُّورٍ ﴿٤٠﴾

for any to whom Allah giveth not light, there is no light!

C3015. The true source of Light in the world of Reality is Allah, and anyone who cuts himself off from that Light is in utter darkness indeed, for it is the negation of the only true light, and not merely relative darkness, like that which we see, say, in the shadows of moonlight.

Asad’s Version:

24:39

But as for those who are bent on denying the truth, their [good] deeds are like a mirage in the desert, which the thirsty supposes to be water - until, when he approaches it, he finds that it was nothing: 5 ' instead, he finds [that] God [has always been present] with him, and [that] He will pay him his account in full - for God is swift in reckoning!

24:40 [Asad]

Or [else, their deeds 60 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!