(17–20) “Their likeness is that of one who kindled a fire. When it illuminated everything around him, Allah took away their light and left them in layers of darkness, unable to see. Deaf, mute, and blind, they will not return. Or like a rainstorm from the sky, filled with darkness, thunder, and lightning. They thrust their fingers into their ears against the thunderclaps, fearing death; yet Allah encompasses the disbelievers. The lightning nearly snatches away their sight. Whenever it gives them light, they walk in it; but when darkness closes in upon them, they stand still. Had Allah willed, He could have taken away their hearing and sight. Surely Allah has power over all things.”
That is, their likeness, which precisely corresponds to their condition, is that of one who kindled a fire. He was in immense darkness and desperately needed a fire, so he obtained its flame from someone else. He had no fire ready at hand; rather, it came from outside him. When the fire illuminated everything around him, he could see where he was and the dangers surrounding him, and he felt safe from them. He benefited from the fire, took comfort in it, and thought that he had control over it. While he was in that state, Allah suddenly took away his light. The light departed, and with it went his joy, leaving him amid immense darkness and a burning fire. Its radiance was gone, while its burning remained. He was thus left amid many layers of darkness: the darkness of night, the darkness of the clouds, the darkness of the rain, and the darkness that follows light. What, then, would be the condition of such a person?
The same applies to these hypocrites. They kindled the fire of faith from the believers, although faith was not one of their attributes. They benefited from it (1): their lives were thereby protected, their wealth was spared, and they attained a measure of security in this world. While they remained in that condition (2), death suddenly overtook them and deprived them of all benefit from that light. They were beset by every anxiety, sorrow, and punishment, and were engulfed by the darkness of the grave, the darkness of disbelief, the darkness of hypocrisy, and the darknesses (3) of their various sins—followed thereafter by the darkness of the Fire [and what a wretched resting place it is].
Allah therefore said [of them]: “Deaf”—unable to hear what is good; “mute”—[that is], unable to speak it; and “blind”—unable to see the truth. “Therefore, they will not return,” because they abandoned the truth after recognizing it and so will not return to it. This is unlike someone who abandons the truth out of ignorance and error, for he does not understand and is more likely to return than they are.
Allah then said: “Or like a rainstorm from the sky.” That is, their likeness is that of someone caught in a rainstorm from the sky. It is a heavy rain that pours down abundantly. “Filled with darkness”: the darkness of night, the darkness of the clouds, and the layers of darkness caused by the rain. “Thunder” is the sound heard from the clouds, while “lightning” is the [flashing] light seen with (4) the clouds.
“Whenever it gives them light”—the lightning amid those layers of darkness—“they walk in it; but when darkness closes in upon them, they stand still,” meaning that they stop.
Such is the condition (5) of the hypocrites. When they hear the Quran with its commands and prohibitions, promises and threats, they thrust their fingers into their ears and turn away from its commands and prohibitions, promises and threats. Its threats terrify them and its promises unsettle them. They therefore turn away from them as much as they possibly can and hate them as intensely as a person caught in a rainstorm hates the thunder he hears, putting (6) his fingers into his ears (7) for fear of death. Such a person may yet find safety (8). But how could the hypocrites ever find safety when Allah encompasses them in power and knowledge? They can neither escape Him nor render Him powerless. Rather, He keeps full account of their deeds and will recompense them for those deeds in full.
Because they were afflicted with spiritual deafness, muteness, and blindness, and the paths of faith were closed to them, Allah said: “Had Allah willed, He could have taken away their hearing and sight,” meaning their physical faculties. This warns them and frightens them with punishment in this world so that they might take heed and desist from some of their evil and hypocrisy. “Surely Allah has power over all things.” Nothing can render Him powerless. One manifestation of His power is that whenever He wills something, He does it without anyone being able to prevent or oppose Him.