a fire for war, Allah extinguishes it.”
On this interpretation, His words, “Allah took away their light,” would correspond to His words, “Allah extinguishes it.” Their frustration and the thwarting of their aims would consist in their being left in darkness and bewilderment, unable to find a way out of their predicament or discern any path. Rather, they are deaf, dumb, and blind.
Although this interpretation is true in itself, whether it is intended by the verse is open to question. The context points to another meaning. It is also contradicted by His words, “But when it illuminated what was around him,” for one who kindles the fire of war never illuminates his surroundings. His words, “Allah took away their light,” likewise contradict it, for one who kindles the fire of war has no light. So too do His words, “And left them in darkness, unable to see,” which imply that they passed from the light of knowledge and insight into the darkness of doubt and disbelief.
Al-Hasan said, “This is the hypocrite: he saw, then became blind; he recognized the truth, then denied it.” Hence He says, “So they will not return”—that is, they will not return to the light they abandoned. Concerning the disbelievers, Allah Most High says:
2:171 “Deaf, dumb, and blind, so they do not understand.”
He thus denied understanding to the disbelievers, since they were not people of insight and faith, whereas He denied a return to the hypocrites, because they believed and then disbelieved, and did not return to faith.
Section
[Surah al-Baqarah (2): verse 19]
“Or like a rainstorm from the sky, bringing darkness, thunder, and lightning. They put their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps, in dread of death. And Allah encompasses the disbelievers.” (19)
He thus likened their share of the light and life with which Allah Most High sent His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to the lot of someone who kindled a fire, only for it to be extinguished when he needed it most. His light vanished, and he remained in darkness, bewildered and lost, unable to find his way or recognize a path. He also likened it to the lot of those caught in a rainstorm: rain that pours down, descending from above to below. He compared the guidance by which He guides His servants to a rainstorm because hearts come to life through it just as the earth comes to life through rain. And He likened the hypocrites’ share of this guidance to the lot of someone who receives nothing from the rainstorm but darkness and thunder